Frustrations of a Artisan

Open letter

"Management is our greatest frustration. You as artisan are supposed to keep the machines running and in working order. But. With no spares and not the correct tools to use so you make due borrowing here and there what you can. Making make shift tools and spares just to get the machine working again. Just to be shitted out for doing a half ass job, then they seem to forget they told you to make a plan.

You work for more than 25 years day in day out on these machine's and equipment you can hear there's a problem. They come out of university with their degrees proudly against the wall and want to tell you your way isn't working they have something better. And you who has done this work longer than he is alive, have to make something work that's do-able on paper but do not work in practice. They just don't seem to realize that theoratically it looks good on paper but practical it's impossible to carry out...

You give your best. Somedays pushing yourself so hard you are numb. Safe the company millions. But still get shit.. Oh then they have the audacity to ask why are the artisans so negative?!!!!!!

If you do not have the proper training to do a specific job, you aren't suppose to do it company rules. Yet you are ecpected to do it to keep the work flowing. And if something goes wrong! You are to blame and they have selective memory in giving you the instructions to go ahead.

You have 3 plants and 7 machines to service every month. Just you and your helper. One vehicle being shared by 2 artisans kilometers from one another. He has his plants and machines to look after that same month. You can't stop the machine to fix a problem before it gets worse. No you have to wait until you can get it or until it breaks down completely (which you get blamed for). You have to do your maintenance on a Sunday, there's 4 Sundays in a month's how the hell do you give a complete service to all 7 machines in just a couple of hours. You know it's impossible and you know you are going to get shit about it....

Everybody is so negative so they start back stabbing one another. Rather bring someone else in trouble and deflect their attention from your own shit. There is just no more standing together it is every artisan for himself.

So if you find yourself in a management position. Do us a favor., talk to the artisans working on those machines daily. Listen to them really listen. They might not have your university degrees but they have more practical skills and know how something your books can't give you. Wearing a blue overall doesn't make us stupid you know.

We are more than willing to do the work put in the extra hours, just give us the right equipment and tools...

And last but not least a thank you instead of crapping on our heads will make us more positive. "

From The Artisans

Written by

Louwrens

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