Can management unilaterally set production standards?
Plant Manager Jeff Dorkin decided to develop a structured set of performance standards in the hope of raising plant productivity. A civil engineer and time study specialist were assigned to the task and a consulting firm was hired to assist them. When this job was done supervisors were summoned to a meeting and the formalized standards distributed for their review and evaluation. The standards were marginally higher than previous specs. Supervisors unanimously agreed they were fair and would be accepted by workers. The new standards were then published in a manual and handed out to employees. A closing statement informed personnel that they were required to adhere to the standards, and that disciplinary action would be taken where…
