Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

I still would like some feedback....

Here's my situation, I've worked for the same Co. for 20yrs (17 of those as lead Mechanic). We were Unionizes and the owner was a nice enough guy, he gave me a $1000.00/mo budget(not including lane supplies or Bowling Pins) for mach prts in a 24ln center... He believed in "if it's not broken don't fix it, but if it breaks, you better have the prts in the inventory to fix it and I'll pay you OT to get it fixed before the sun comes up"....

Then the bowl closed.... now I'm working B shift in a non-union 40+ ln center... I've known the owner for as many years as I've known my previose employer, so he knows my qualifications... the owner didn't hire me for the Lead position (but paid me higher than his lead person, because of my experience & promise of silence)....

About a yr ago, the Lead Mech gave his notice & quit.... when I spoke to the owner (at that time) he said he could not even come close to my previose wages(not to mention the benis I was getting), but he wanted to keep me in my same position(B Mech).... anyways, he hired some ex-BrunsCorp Mech from out of state....

Now this Kid is just 21yrs old (and I'm 40+yrs old)..... He started out(like they all do), balls to the wall the 1st couple of weeks(you know throwing out all the 30yr old junk & wanting to make the place better & organized).... Well after pulling all the BrunsPrts back into the shop, I figured I would teach this Kid alittle something about our trade(at least the differance between junk & used P/S prts), so I came in early and we spoke, the conversation went well and he said he understood.....

as time went on I started noticing differant things, being jury rigged(and not just on 1 P/S, but 10-20 at a time)....Woa, needless to say, I'm working my aryes off to put things back and get the trouble calls back to normal.... So, again I point out some of the things that "should be" and again, this Kid seems receptive.... Mmm, but wait, I punched in 5 mins early and he's already gone home(no call sheet in back, Kids never filled one out), all I find is all the old prt(from some project) behind (x)lane w/ all the tools to boot....after about a mo of picking up after him(and mentioning to the Gen manager about his lack of communications), she says "if I can help in any way, she will pay me OT to train him".... So I come in a couple of hrs early and we talk about PM & parts inventorying & budgeting & team work & communications.... and again, he smiles & says he understands fully & agrees....

But now he's avoiding me like the plauge(clocking out 20 mins early, until the GM started docking his pay, so he just hangs in a corner until I go in back, then he clocks out)....

Now here's the problem, I believe in a command structure, so I just don't go over someones head just because they don't like me(or what I have to say) and I always go straight to the source when something needs saying and I alway try to help others on the team when ever possible.... and I try not to overstep my position(or the position I was hired for).....

In other words, I was hired as a B Mechanic not the Lead Mechanic.... I fix PinSetters, I don't decide what shot to put on the lanes, I don't check the adjustments on the ln Mach, I don't Purchase parts or do inventory control, I'm not a welder or an Electricion or a Plumber or a Carpenter, I wasn't hired to take on these responsabilities (although I'm quite good at all these, just not recieving compensation for these duties)...

But I've come to a blockage, we are running out of parts(or should I say, the correct prt for the job)... all I have left is re-cycled(4 & 5 times re-cycled) everything.... I pull a pit brd out, the Kid jurry rig's it & puts it into another lane.... I place the parts # back on the list and the Kid red lines it for a 3rd mo in a row.... all I can do is run the calls, the Kid takes off the helper springs during the day and I put them back on at night, so the balls will go up the rods...

So what do you folks think I should do:

1) ShutTFup and do my job, the best possible, then go home....

2) Talk to this guy again to seek a compromise...

3) Go to the GManager with the parts list, asking "Who's in charge of the ordering around here? ****s starting to fall apart!"

4) Apply for the position & negotiate for higher compensations (wages & Benis)....

Thx for reading this far.....



[This message has been edited by Mike Wilson (edited 01-19-2000).]

[KL Kevin]

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

A couple of observations, FWIW.

1) "rigging" stuff is a sure sign of someone who never worked with a realistic parts budget. Since your "A" man is consistantly red-lining parts, you need to determine whether there isn't any $$ for parts, or if there's an "incentive" program to keep the budget down. There is a difference, but sacrificing machine performance to save a few bucks (or MAKE a few) is a losing strategy.

I ran into this when a fellow who part-times for me kept wanting to re-cycle stuff that I would junk, once we got past it (a long discussion about how much time he would spend to save a part that wasn't worth it) he came around well, but mine was a situation where there's no financial incentive to keep the budget down, he had just never been given the $$ to do the job right, and needed to be re-trained in that regard .

2) Since the guy has not been receptive to your input (yes's you to death, then does what he wants to anyway), I'd photocopy the parts list you make every week, for a month or so (be conservative ... break one, order two, not four) and compare what you asked for to what's been received at the end of the month (the old CYA file ... LOL).

3) Since you mentioned it, the trouble calls have obviously gone up a lot. At this point, the GM must be somewhat aware the machines aren't running as good, and the way I'd approach it would be to go to her on the premise that the machine performance isn't what it should(or could) be, and you think you could help out, if you were getting the parts you needed.

A good manager at that point will compare calls to $$ spent and take the necesary corrective actions, but since they're not logging calls during the day, the picture may be a distorted one. Sounds to me like Nero's fiddling away while Rome burns ...

Sometimes it's too bad the chain of command is connected to an anchor ... stops the ship from going places!


Good Luck:

Kevin

[This message has been edited by KL Kevin (edited 01-17-2000).]

[Larry]

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

you are in a pickle. I think it would be wise to re-negoitiate your position. but maybe the manager wants you where you are because of your knowlege. if you get the head position it's got to be more $ than pinchaser wages. maybe try relocating for a better position. it's hard to work under a 'hot dog.' anyway good luck.

[Brunsmechanic]

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

hey bowling guy,
It seems to me that you are dealing with a kid who has no respect for your knowledge or talents and i say if you need to go directly to the proprietor then so be it.
or just let this kid hang himself just stick to the job you were hired for and let everything fall down around you then maybe they'll open their eyes and give you the job title you should've had from the time you were hired...
best of luck,
brunsmechanic

[Oldsmagnet]

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

Probably want to stay away from that last option, if the kid runs the place into the ground, they're likely to blame ~you~ since you've got all the experience... "you should have noticed and said something" or something to that effect... If the house is like ours, (ie broke) and everything ~needs~ to be jury-rigged, then perhaps this kid is on the right track. If he's just trying to save them $ by doing it that way, then there's likely problems waiting to happen needlessly. The manager needs to know that performance is down, and you can improve it greatly. But it's up to them. At the same time, it's gotta be up to you to accept the higher position without the higher pay. Presumably, you'll have to take less than you want for the job being done, but I'd make it painfully clear to the GM that they ~are~ heading for disaster if things stay on the way they are. If things finally go south on them, you'll want to know you'd done everything you could to warn of that fate, and make sure they're aware that you'd been powerless to change this kid's actions. The good-old cover-your-butt tactics. Gotta keep that part a priority. If they've known you for that long, they're well aware of your credentials, and should take your recommendations seriously, likely much more seriously than the hotshot.

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

Greetings, to all....

I just wanted to say Thank You for responding to my post....

It's clear what I need to do (come to work on time, hold my end up as best I can W/the resources at hand, keep communicating with the rest of the team(including him) and if the owner ever asks, don't hold anything back, tell him the way it is(WO/brown nosing or Badmouthing others) and how it could be much more)....

Thanks again, it's nice to have found this board & all of you....

[Brunsmechanic]

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

hey guys,
o.k. i came off a little strong probably because i know bowling guys frustration,
been through that already, sorry guys.
best of luck,
brunsmechanic

[Marky_Mark]

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

Hi Bowling Guy,

You are in a jamb for sure, but sometimes you could try some reverse psychology here. If junior is the lead man and supposively is Mr. KnowItAll you could leave all the major breakdowns to him and handle the minor ones yourself. After all, sounds like there just treating you as a pinchaser instead of a B mechanic. Ive seen this happen before, Been there done that. Good Luck

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

Here's an up-date for everyone....

1st, I want to thank all who responded...

2nd, the "kids" doing a great job of hanging himself, I don't have to do anything... accept my own duties of course...

The very same day I started the 1st post, when I came to work, the manager was so frustated.... She asked me "does he talk to you at all?".... She starts telling me about how he doesn't talk or communicate(in some form or another) with anyone.... and then she asks about a problem she was having on a lane and asks "Do you know if this is fixed?".... So I asked her to come into the back and we'll look at his report (callsheet) and we find, No report.... and we go back through a couple of weeks of reports and find he's not filling out any reports at all....

So I ask her the lane # and we walk down to it and it's off in the back, it's still down (and he's gone home for the day)...

Now she's pissed and asks me "How long will it take to fix?".... 10 mins max, Now she's realy pissed... and I can understand why, the "kid" has no experience to do the job he was hired for....

From that time on she has been riding his aryes, the owner has even requested copies of all our reports for the last month(it pays to make out reports)....

Something is in the works, for I just looked a my most recent pay stub and my rate has been increased and there's an ad in the paper...

I'll keep you posted....

Re: Don't know if this is the right forum, but...

Well...I guess my situation isn't all that uncommon. The only difference is that the ages are reversed and I'm the 2x yr old. I don't know everything, but common sense generally takes over where experience lets off. From there it's knowing who to call...LOL!