Attitudes of Foremen in the Petroleum and Automotive Industries

338 FOREMEN FROM THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY (RESPONSE RATE 59% REPRESENTING 12% OF THE INDUSTRY) & 190 FOREMEN FROM THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY (RESPONSE RATE 26% REPRESENTING LESS THAN 1% OF THE INDUSTRY) COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE'S REGARDING ATTITUDES ON SECURITY, COMPENSATION, COMMUNICATION, TRAINING, ADVANCEMENT, SELECTION PROCEDURE, WORK LOAD, AUTHORITY, ATTITUDES OF SUPERIORS & SUBORDINATES, MOTIVATION & DISSATISFIED GROUPS. IN BOTH INDUSTRIES, THOSE WHO HAD FORMERLY BEEN UNION OFFICERS APPEARED MORE SATISFIED & MORE POSITIVE ABOUT JOB DUTIES. COMMUNICATION EMERGED AS THE MAJOR SOURCE OF DISSATISFACTION. RELATIONSHIPS WITH MANAGEMENT WERE GENERALLY POSITIVE THOUGH THE PRESTIGE & IMPORTANCE OF THE FOREMAN'S POSITION WAS FELT TO BE ERODING IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY. WAGES, FRINGE BENEFITS, & PROMOTIONS WERE IMPORTANT. FOREMEN APPEARED WILLING TO USE THEIR DISCIPLINARY POWERS & EXPECTED SUPPORT FROM MANAGEMENT; GREATEST DISSATISFACTION APPEARED WHEN MANAGEMENT REVERSED A FOREMAN'S DISCIPLINE DECISION WITHOUT CONSULTATION. MODIFIED HA.