A Tough Start to the Day

This case presents a real life episode in the day of a pulp and paper mill general manager who receives a most unusual call. The call disrupts an important daily production meeting and the manager must make a decision about what to do. The mill he is in charge of is attempting to implement a major reengineering project and, at the same time, transform the way in which all of the wood yard employees work together. In short, the employees are being expected to learn how to work as “self-directed work teams”. However, the union employees think that they are all being “set up to fail” so that the plant can get rid of them all.