National Clothesline

Plant owners want to be sure they are getting their money’s worth, but if an operator is slow, takes hourly breaks or comes in late, so what? If the work is going out on time, the only loss is the operator’s paycheck. Right? Wrong?

To begin with, once the boiler is fired up, it should go on to production and not be at the whim of the presser. Steam and vacuum are costly energy users and are not designed to remain idle.

Next, there is the work schedule — the final inspector, the assembly and bagging operation revolve around the finishing department.

Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of piece work or salaried employees and see if there is something we gain or lose in our choice. They both have merit, but they have to fit in with our management goals and aspirations of success. There are many conditions to contend with before an operator becomes a salaried employee.

Piece work surely must increase production, but at what price in quality? We know that some pressers can feel challenged on what they can hang up, get away with, or eliminate touching up. I say some operators, and certainly not all, but the onus goes on the inspector and not the presser.

If a piece worker does a poor job, it becomes standard practice for the inspector to correct the error or fault. There is no stigma attached to touch-up unless it is continual. Then the worker is dismissed.

Part of making the decision between piece work and salary must include consideration of management’s time of continually giving the operator an accurate garment count so just compensation can be made. A salaried employee eliminates this vital and necessary process.

One area where piece work is practiced is in the garment industry. Here there are over 25 different shape presses designed to do a specific job and each lot is uniform in shape material and size. A lot is bundled and brought to the finisher, who then removes a plastic insert and monitors his production. Upon completion the computer records the lot and the worker goes on to the next bundle. The work is completely repetitious and each piece receives the exact amount of steam, pressure, hold time, release and vacuum.

I advocate piece work only for pants as a training function and then only if the operation has a topper blower pant finished and a legger utility pant press. They should both be on a timer, which permits management to control the quality and the production by working as a tandem unit (one operator, two presses). Very few drycleaners are aware that 50 percent of volume is pants.

Of course, it’s ideal if your operator is so concerned with the shop’s battle for top-notch quality and production. If you’re so fortunate to have such a dedicated worker, then I strongly recommend promoting that individual to a salaried position.

My preference is for salary since I have operated both systems and because of the important advantage management has with an employee on the team payroll. I have found most piece workers have an attitude of being an independent contractor or an ”us against them” sense, while the salaried employee has a stake in the long-term welfare of the operation and not just the weekly paycheck.

Technically there is no better time for inspection of a garment than during the pressing operation; the appearance of a stain brought out by steam is a common occurrence. Most plants offer no compensation for a half-pressed garment that has to be returned to spotting. I think it’s smart to start a presser on piece work to be certain of his or her capability, dexterity and dependability, then promoting to the the benefits of salaried employment.

It is important to know the financial differences. For instance, there could be higher weekly compensation in piece work, but higher dollar rewards in total benefits for salaried workers, i.e., paid vacations and holidays, sick leave, medical or dental and insurance and, most important, participation in a pension program.

It is a fact that most workers have stated that money ranks third or fourth against other factors like job security, personal acknowledgment, appreciation, incentives, recognition, etc. You cannot offer these features with piece work, yet it comes naturally with a smart management program, with salaried employees.

Incidentally, a modest pension plan can be as simple as a contractual mutual fund at $30 per month with the employee contributing $15 and management $15 that matures in ten years along with a no-physical term insurance policy.

The important thing here is that the employee is encouraged to save and is locked in to the firm because of the matching contribution. The fund is the employee’s and can be withdrawn without penalty. The employer, of course, stops his contribution should the employee quit or be terminated.

It is important in our litigious society to spell out the terms of employment with all individuals before we hire. It becomes risky to simply terminate or lay off an employee without a protective procedure to follow, regardless if the employee is a piece-work tryout or a salaried employee.

The rewards of management are before us, but we must have a full knowledge of a sound training program, a specific formula and work schedule for our shop to reach its destination. The better we plan the smoother the course. And I wish all “smooth sailing and bon voyage.”