Why Blue Collar??

As I try to start blogging again, I thought I would begin with the back story to my adventure in blogging. A good way to introduce myself again to the blogging world at large and also to inform HR types in the blogosphere why you NEED me.

I am blue collar HR. That means that HR is only part of what I do. If I were to put all of my titles on a business card it would not fit. I am HR Manager, Safety Coordinator, Environmental Coordinator, and Training Manager. If it has personal liability as a punishment for incompetence I am usually waist deep in it. I either report or take direction from 4 different upper managers (Plant Manager, HR Director, Environmental Affairs Manager, and Safety Manager). My rating and goals only involve 2 of the above titles, however, I know that a failure on any of them would most likely be a terminable offense.

I deal with a Union. Every personnel decision I make is filtered through a document of which is more about what is NOT included rather than what is specifically written down. The first six months of my job I was told where to find it in the contract (with only a slightly condescending tone). The next six months of my job involved interviews with various union and non-union personnel to find out if indeed there is a "past practice" which invariably leads to a grievance in which the VP of HR (3 step grievance process for the uninitiated, no binding arbitration in the contract) may or may not support me based on what he had for breakfast or larger picture issues of which I have no visibility. Good ideas once filtered through this prism often turn to mediocre or bad ideas. I still love the struggle.

We are at the ground level of many processes that larger businesses have been doing the last decade. Modern performance management system? Employee/Supervisory Training? I feel included in all of the discussions and if I choose to be a part of or even spearhead an initiative I can. While frustrating that these things are not in place I get to shape the future based on how I want it to look.

I deal with REAL people. People I would like to drink beer with. People who have real problems. I have a heartfelt belief that what is best for my company is best for my community and vice versa. The community I live in is small, but that makes the business decisions that I am a part of take that much more importance. Relationships are important here. While we don't have much a system for developing people, it tends to happen just because of the many good people around which is why we have excelled up to this point. This is an hourly union workforce the "heartbeat" of America.

There are many issues that are important to me that do not seem to be covered in the HR Blogosphere. This stuff isn't rocket science, but it is where the rubber meets the road in our economy.