Welders being singled out?

[craigten]

Hello,
Please can i have a bit of advice? I work at a company that produces security devices for water companies. We have recently been put on a 4 day week due to not having much work. Basically the steel is bought in, guillotined by the 'unskilled' workers, bent/formed by other 'unskilled' workers, fabricated by the Welder/Fabricators and welded by us welders. Now and then the fabricated work we receive is a bit shoddy but we do what we can, on the whole the work we welders put out is decent quality. However, now there is a new Manager in place on the shop floor and he has decided that the quality of the welded work we put out is not up to standard.

I am fine with this as he has explained what needs to be done (every bit of work needs to be stamped with our individual stamps, sharp edges need to be ground\back etc) but what i am not overly happy with is that we have been told that if ANY of our work/covers gets sent back to us by the two fabricators who check the work before it leaves the building (we have no Quality Control department) we then will have our name+clocking card number put on a 'form' to identify who has made what error! I am not overly confident that this will happen for the other departments in our factory, if you see what i mean? I asked our manager if these forms could eventually be used as criteria in any future redundancies.....he said "What are you trying to say?", i explained that it was pretty clear what i was trying to say and he just dismissed me (verbally).
Please can anyone give me their opinions on this situation?

 

[oz.]

Looks like he's seen the work, isn't happy with all of it and is trying to find a pattern. But instead of looking at the big picture he's blaming one department. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to use this as evidence that *Joe's* work is not up to standard.

On the other hand he sounds like a bit of a chuffer who thinks he's above everyone and won't take any hints/suggestions. Just one person won't be able to get the point over so all I can suggest is that you get the whole department to agree and put their name down. You need to make sure everyone is agreeing and not toeing the line. One person giving in to pressure can make the whole thing collapse.

Suggest that every person that has a hand in the manufacture of each item puts their stamp on the item. Hopefully he will see sense and forget the whole idea.

 

[ytre]

Has he actually dismissed you as in you've no job now? Firstly your entitled to warnings and to be dismissed with something so trival he hasn't a leg to stand on.
Contact your local citizens advice or ring the labours relations office.
You could actually have a case against him now.
Ive been a shop steward with a union for 16 years and id love to meet this guy.

 

[wyn]

Now and then the fabricated work we receive is a bit shoddy but we do what we can, on the whole the work we welders put out is decent quality.

Maybe the thing to do is not weld the rough stuff point it out to the manager....tricky though it might wind a few people up.
Quality control at the end may be too late..it should be looked at right through the various stages.

 

[Hitch]

Seems a bit silly....

I worked in a place with an inspection department. It took a bit of getting used to when i started there.

Each operation during manufacture was recorded.
A folded bracket with a bend and a welded joint with a tapped hole for instance

Initial inspection once first bracket cut (laser/guilly....)
Then once the first hole drilled and tapped, inspected,
Then once first bends done, then again once welded, and a final inspection once complete.

Your clock no was recorded on the sheet, as was quantity at each op, so they could easily see if someone spoiled a number of parts.

Final inspection was done, a part picked from the batch a random, each bin of finished parts had to have a green card before it could go out of the holding area.

I found if you work as you should, do a decent job it wasn't ever a problem.

Sounds like your man needs to be looking at each process, not just finished items....

 

[craigten]

Wow!!
Some great replies there, thank you all!
In answer to ytre, sorry- i should have explained myself better- no he just basically didn't answer the question!
The thing that slightly annoys me is that the covers get to us with large burrs on due to the blades on the guillotine being blunt (which are due to be fixed soon, apparently) so we are asked to grind them so you can run your finger over them, now i have always used a 'flap' disk on my grinder to do this as it leaves a lovely finish but now we are not allowed to use them and are told to use grinding disks which i find bloody hard to grind the burr off to a level where you can run your finger over it! I have a few flap disks left that i had very squirrel-like saved up in my cabinet so they'll keep me going for a while but i think i may just buy some ones of my own just so i wont be on the 'dreaded' form!

 

[Shox Dr]

You may find, hasn't seen or understood the failings of the processes before you get the part, show him parts with good and bad, and explain the consequences.

I'd work with him not against as only one person will loose that game

 

[slimjim]

You need to ask your manager, if that means substandard items are to be rejected by you and only process items that you as welders are happy with the quality, then you should proceed and document your work, that way your not getting the blame for shoddy work at an earlier stage.


once theres a pile of substandard work and a lack of throughput, will the manager instill a quality system that is from the begining to end

if he says you have to process anything you get, then write received substandard accross the QA form


nothing wrong with putting your name to your work, but that must be reasonable and you shold not be held responsible for the work of others.

 

[Mad Mick]

Sounds like a good place to leave at the first opportunity,regards,Mick

 

[craigten]

Hmmm..yes i agree, the future most definitely is not Orange!!

 

[Shox Dr]

Sounds like a good place to leave at the first opportunity,regards,Mick

Sometimes tis better the devil you know, than the one you don't.

 

[ytre]

No matter what happens DONT let this guy treat you like dirt, talking down to people is long gone and thankfully there are laws for people like him to abide to.

 

[bill_gj]

Not exactly top-tier management that have studied the principles of modern scientific management are they?
Sound like a bunch of d!ck heads that will punish someone else for their own failings.

 

[mike os]

Not exactly top-tier management that have studied the principles of modern scientific management are they?
Sound like a bunch of d!ck heads that will punish someone else for their own failings.

I'm sorry? I thought that WAS top tier modern management

 

[Drains]

It sounds like the manager is trying to improve quality without knowing the full deal of how to do it, nor enough about politics.

Genuinely, if you think you know better - and some of the answers on this thread should put you in a good position - it may well be worth you writing out an inspection procedure, and a critique, for the current manufacturing system, including the shortcomings of blunt guillotines, grinding discs, inspection of more than welders etc.
Write it down, use language that is non-combative or defensive, make helpful suggestions, make it obvious you are looking to assist improvement, not stop the manager in his tracks.

 

[craigten]

Not exactly top-tier management that have studied the principles of modern scientific management are they?
Sound like a bunch of d!ck heads that will punish someone else for their own failings.

That is a true reflection of our management, if im honest! I know most workers blame the management for this+that but honestly- this is the tip of the very large iceberg!
Here's a strange one- we are now on a 4 day week! At the start of the year we gave up 4 of our holidays to cover this Christmas period. This year 2 of those days happen to be fridays(that we now dont work). Our employer has told us that those 2 days holiday will be rolled over to next year. Is this fair being as we accrued said holidays during this current year? Shouldn't they be given back to us?
Also, what i should point out is that in previous years we have asked if we could 'carry' our days over to the forthcoming year and was always told a firm 'no'!!

 

[eil]

Looks like your firms in a bit of bother,does look like you are going to be getting more than two days off I'm afraid, hope I'm wrong though.

 

[craigten]

Yes, that,s the impression i get too! Im still unsure about these two holidays though...!

 

[Uniqueusername]

Start polishing up the CV.......
Better still, take a week off and hawk yourself around the area before your co-workers do.

 

[Omniata]

.....
Our employer has told us that those 2 days holiday will be rolled over to next year. Is this fair being as we accrued said holidays during this current year? Shouldn't they be given back to us?
Also, what i should point out is that in previous years we have asked if we could 'carry' our days over to the forthcoming year and was always told a firm 'no'!!

All holidays accrued during a companies operating year, ie: January to January, should be used or paid within that year...
If they're not allowing you to take them after being accrued you should be entitled to be paid for them...

From what your saying and as others have said, don't hold your hope out for being able to take them next year...


Again, get your CV polished and sent out


Autumn/Christmas is always a difficult time for companies due to people spending less due to spending more on Christmas presents, families and Christmas...

If your not in that game and business is poor already I think it's time to find another job before you get made redundant...
I've been through it 3 times in the past 18 months, trust me, no-one wants you when your unemployed