This book portrays life inside a General Motors factory in the 1970's. Have you ever wondered why or how 'the lazy hourly workers' came to be that way? This myth is debunked throughout the book. Anyone who has ever worked hourly for General Motors, the big three, or any large manufacturing company will enjoy the experiences provided in this book. They will find themselves reminiscing in the past about their own work experiences. Anyone who has had a close relative that worked in a factory will want to read this book to get a feel of what their loved ones went through while earning a living. The book comes to the stunning conclusion that General Motor's top executives wasted a tremendous amount of human resources over the years. They looked down upon the factory workers and treated them as if they were 'disposable employees.' They never attempted to tap into the vast and almost incalculable amount of brainpower available because they simply dismissed their classification 'hourly worker' as useless. They treated them as if they were the source of all of their problems. They never even considered that with four hundred thousand hourly employees they might have had the resources right in front of them to help in solving the vast and complex problems that exist in the every day world of work. In today's competitive manufacturing environment Lean Manufacturing has stepped into the forefront for improvement. One of the two pillars of Lean manufacturing is respect for the worker. If you're an executive leader, manager or a student of lean you'll want to read this book to see how not to do it. One theory of management says that if you don't like what you see around you go look in a mirror first because your workforce is a reflection of your thinking and actions.

General Motors: Life Inside The Factory

One Blue-Collar Worker's JourneyBy Richard Thomas Gall

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2010 Richard Thomas Gall
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4567-1672-1

Contents

The First Ninety Days.....................................................................................1New Hire..................................................................................................1Wages and Benefits........................................................................................4Shop Rat..................................................................................................5Working the Press Line....................................................................................6Supervisor's Worst Nightmare..............................................................................9Product Handler...........................................................................................10The Know-It-Alls..........................................................................................14Deer Hunting..............................................................................................15October 1973 Oil Embargo..................................................................................211974–1976 The Production Years......................................................................23National Highway Transportation Act.......................................................................23First Layoff..............................................................................................24Frame Plant...............................................................................................26Flashback: How I Discovered I Needed Glasses..............................................................27Flashback: Jungle Training................................................................................28Second Shift..............................................................................................31Working on the Welding Fixtures...........................................................................33Flashback: Drugs..........................................................................................36Production Injuries.......................................................................................42Running Piss-Poor Quality.................................................................................45Flashback: General Motors Quality.........................................................................481976 Chevrolet Monte Carlo................................................................................51Car Wreck.................................................................................................53Fixture Wars..............................................................................................54Education.................................................................................................55Flashback: Education......................................................................................56Flashback: Flint Childhood................................................................................60Mott Community College....................................................................................79Flashback: The Nun's Assignment...........................................................................791976–1979 Apprenticeship Years......................................................................83Apprenticeship............................................................................................83Political Parties.........................................................................................85Not-So-Quick Press Line Changes...........................................................................88The Big Decision..........................................................................................89Louie.....................................................................................................91Working in the West Plant.................................................................................92Safety....................................................................................................94Supervisor Bob............................................................................................98Practical Jokes...........................................................................................100Christmas Luncheon........................................................................................102Car Heist.................................................................................................102Third Shift...............................................................................................103Machine Room..............................................................................................107Tool Crib Assignment......................................................................................1111979......................................................................................................113Completions...............................................................................................113Second Shift..............................................................................................114Union Contractual Issues..................................................................................127Lines of Demarcation......................................................................................127Paragraph 71..............................................................................................129More Economics............................................................................................130B-15 Draw Press Installation..............................................................................134Per-Diem Supervisor Training..............................................................................137Flashback: Marine Corps Leadership Training...............................................................140Flashback: Benevolent Dictators...........................................................................147Millwrights Build a Monorail to Blueprint Specifications..................................................148Charlie...................................................................................................150Ed........................................................................................................151Per-Diem Supervisor—Finally on My Own...............................................................151Real Estate License.......................................................................................158Flashback: United Autoworkers' Family History.............................................................162Bell Curve................................................................................................164Quality of Work Life Seminar..............................................................................165Jointness (Participation?)................................................................................167Lou Tice Seminar: New-Age Thinking........................................................................169Bachelor's Degree.........................................................................................174Permanent Supervisor......................................................................................180Who's to Blame?...........................................................................................187Lessons Learned: If Provided the...