I’ve been holding back on writing about work (Delphi) lately. Maybe it’s some mistaken sense of loyalty or maybe it’s just not wanting to rock the boat. I don’t know if anyone even reads anything I write, but sometimes I wonder. Some weird things have happened that it might explain.
But mostly, it’s just that I’m weary of it all. Waiting to be allowed to retire, while the summer goes by. Watching while the Union has been decimated until it’s barely functioning and management does whatever it pleases. And of course, my own health matters that have taken priority. I just haven’t had the energy to rail out against the oppression.
But, now that I have some time to myself and it’s looking more and more like the end of the road is here at Delphi, I’m beginning to feel there’s no point holding back anymore. Clearly, the only thing I have left is to call it like I see it and embarrass the company with the truth.
Some of what I’ve been through the past few months I wouldn’t have believed even a year ago. I would have sworn the Union wouldn’t have allowed it. I would have honestly believed there were people in Management of enough integrity and honesty to step up and set things right, even when lower management screwed up.
But frankly, I’ve lost faith in both the Union and the Company. So here I am on Labor Day, with too much to tell you in one post. Too much for you to believe all at once. So, I’ll have to tell it in a series of posts. I’ve been meaning to, honestly, but as I said, I just was worn down.
In the spirit of Labor Day, though, the people – the hourly workforce – that I’ve worked with have been great. I’ve been honored to work with some great people, both in the trades and production. Many of them are now leaving. Retiring, moving on to other GM Plants, taking the buyout offer. How the company can insult these people who are some of the finest workers America has ever produced, despite working under about the worst management ever, by threatening to slash their wages is unconscionable.
I’ve had some good bosses. I’ve had some stinkers. It’s almost embarrassing to watch while a good boss gets told to make bad calls while the lousy ones get away with anything. I wouldn’t want their job for any money.
But the bosses are really immaterial. Really. They have almost nothing to do with my job. My job, as I’ve come to realise, is not to make the plant run. It’s not to make car parts. It’s not to fix machines. It’s to help the production worker do their job. If I get sent on a call, the machine didn’t pick up the phone to complain. It usually originated with a production worker who just wants to do his job. All I do is make it so he can. Management just seems to want to throw obstacles in the way of that. No parts. Silly safety rules. Dumb questions.
I worked in production. I know what it is like. I have the highest respect for the production worker who just wants to do their job. They are my customer. Happy Labor Day!
