Caw conference 2009 presentation production mapping- final

Production mapping as a method for organizing workers

Franny Parren, TIE-Netherlands

TIE-Netherlands

Building and strenghtening of a independent and democratic trade union movement

• Democratisation of trade unions

• Freedom of trade union organisation

• Empowerment of employees

• Resistance against neo-liberalism, free trade zones and privatisation

• International solidarity

Comparative Mapping of Production Processes

As a method for organizing workers

• Where did the method come from?

• How to do the mapping?

• In what ways is the method used by workers to strengthen their workplace organisations?

The subordination of workers knowledge to the companies interests

New production methods (Fordism,Taylorism and Toyotism) and the globalisation of production:

• Are worsening labour conditions• Workers losing control over production process• Employer thinks and organises production and exploits workers• Workers wear “enterprise’s T-shirt”• Employer extracts knowledge from workers: bonuses,

innovation departments, quality chains• Also at international level workers are “played out against each

other”

• Workers felt divided and needed new ways of bringing colleagues together. Method developed by TIE Brasil and workers at multinational car companies (Daimler Chrysler, Volkswagen)

• Knowledge of workers is important and indispensable

• To understand changes and consequences affecting our lives and work, we have to analyse and reflect on what actually happens at the working place

Comparative mapping of the production process

• Reappropriation by workers of this knowledge to define priorities in struggle. (Paulo Freire, popular education)

• Understand strategic decisions by management and come up with alternatives that suit their interests

• Identify problems and solutions together with colleagues: collect information about production process, systematise and find collective interests and problems affecting workers: should be carefully planned and evidence based!

How to do the mapping?

I. Forming the base groups

• First step, essential for the success of the whole process• Establish contact with colleagues: organizing• It is very important that unions create democratic spaces

for workers to debate openly and freely their issues

II. Get to know each other’s working reality, identify important issues/problems

For example, by…:

..Description of working place

• This “technique” can be used as an icebreaker or initial stage to involve your colleagues into the mapping process.

• It works because it gives the worker the floor to speak about one of the most well-known things of his/her life, and at the same time gives a chance for the union and workers themselves to perceive how many things they know and how they deal with that knowledge.

..Map of working or enterprise's sector

• Ask workers to draw how the enterprise works: its sectors, production sequences, flows of work and of products, HR allocation, etc. To make a map of the “mine” where the treasure is produced.

• Once the map is ready, we can use it to find out where there are throats of production, where the rhythm of work is more intensive, where the work is more charged, where there is lack of material, where there is excess of material and what are the consequences of all these things for the workers!

Example 1, Brazil: drawing the factory to identify causes of workers’ problems

III Decide what will be mapped

• …… and what information do we need?

IV Collect relevant data, together with colleagues

• Collect the major possible amount of information about the Production Process:

- Number of Employees (age, gender)- Volume of Production- Productivity- Wages, contracts- Quantity of Extra Work- Breaks, Holidays and Absenteeism- Suppliers and Clients- Simple way to get data is to elaborate Calendar of Productivity

Comparative mapping

• Between sections/ production lines of the same company….

10 10 10 10

20 35 10 15

Comparative mapping

• Between companies…. (national/ international)

Example 2: Brazil: Comparison of production processes by workers in an assemblage company

(part of a TNC) and an external auto parts company

Assemblage company: Auto-parts companyProduction of axes Production of axes- 2000 workers - 35 workers- 500 axes per day - 1050 axes per day- Daily productivity is 0.25 - Daily productivity is 30 units per worker units per worker

How can we use production mapping in workers’ struggle?

• Production planning as part of the broader union strategy,

• Compare information with other colleagues and interest groups like subcontracted workers

• No rigid rule for mapping: flexible and adaptable to diverse conditions and contexts

• To predefine which changes in the production process and labour conditions will be implemented (e.g. busy times, changes in developments in market) to be able to formulate preventive measures and stimulate healthy labour conditions for workers.

• To propose changes in the production process/come up with alternatives that serve the interests of the workers.

Production mapping is a continuous process!!!!....

New information should be shared

Identifying collective

Problems/important

issues

Collect

relevant

data,

together with

colleagues

Decide what

will be

mapped

TIE-NetherlandsDe Wittenstraat 25

1052 AK Amsterdaminfo@tie-netherlands.nlTel: +31-20-6642191