Workers Lose Jobs to Modernization
Tradition vs. modernization. Craftsmanship vs. automation. In order to keep up with its competitors, Wedgwood must find a balance in its manufacturing. But have Patterson's cuts gone too far? By closing down three Wedgwood factories and firing 1,800 workers in the last 18 months, the CEO has kept Wedgwood profitable. But morale at his factories is low, and employees are fearful they're next to be dismissed and replaced by automation. One worker, decorator Yvonne Morrall, says, "You just see another machine and the first thing you think of is how many jobs is that going to cost?" Patterson will have to do something to allay the fears of the remaining factory employees. But he's also got temperamental robots to deal with; his $3.2 million robots aren't functioning properly, and it's costing Wedgwood money.

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