British Work-ethic Condemned by Indian Steel Tycoon

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A key adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron has launched an attack on the work-ethic of British managers, accusing them of failing to "go the extra mile" and being too keen to clock off at 5pm.

Indian tycoon Ratan Tata made the comments as one of his companies, Tata Steel, proposed to close or mothball part of its Scunthorpe plant, putting at risk 1,200 jobs. The plans would also see 300 jobs lost at its Teesside site.

Mr Tata, who is a member of the Prime Minister's Business Advisory Group, and co-chairman of the UK-India CEO Forum, described his surprise at the attitudes of bosses at steel maker Corus and car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which he bought in 2006 and 2008 respectively.

He told The Times: "It's a work-ethic issue. In my experience, in both Corus and JLR, nobody is willing to go the extra mile, nobody.

"I feel if you have come from Bombay to have a meeting and the meeting goes till 6pm, I would expect that you won't, at 5 o'clock, say, 'Sorry, I have my train to catch. I have to go home.'

"Friday, from 3.30pm, you can't find anybody in their office." » | Michael Howie | Saturday, May 21, 2011

My comment:

I think Mr Tata is probably right. Our managers want all the perks, but without the effort and sacrifice involved. Workers do the work; managers get the rewards. Isn't that a clarion call for revolution? – © Mark

This comment also appears here

French Workforce On Strike Because of 'Anglo Saxon Imperialist' Management
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The entire workforce of a British French-based ceramics factory has gone on strike in protest at the "Anglo Saxon industrial imperialism" because management only speak English

Some 184 staff at Thermal Ceramics, in Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez, in the Loire Valley, are staging walkouts every day.

"We say 'hello' in French but then communication stops," said workers' representative Thierry Juvin, adding that "every meeting is an ordeal."

He said workers at the factory, which makes ceramic fibre insulation, wanted to discuss wage rises and improved working conditions, but it was proving impossible.

"We have to have someone who translates everything into English, and then anything our English boss says has to be translated into French.

"This makes dialogue extremely slow, if not impossible."

Mr Juvin said three walkouts had been held on most days since English-speaking bosses began managing them earlier this year. » | Peter Allen in Paris | Wednesday, April 20, 2011