Plot

Unemployed Anthony Scolari interviews for the GM's position at Protocol Industries. After an eternal interview process, he gets the job, must solve the company's woes, negotiate a union contract, and win over a staff.

In the midst of the Great Recession, unemployed Anthony Scolari interviews for the General Manager's position at Protocol Industries. Despite the seemingly eternal selection process and his flippant responses to the CEO, he is offered the job. He is now charged with restoring profitability to a manufacturing company that has lost money for nearly two years and to successfully negotiate a union contract, both within nine months. Fusing a sense of urgency with a sense of irreverence, he confronts challenges with a unique managerial style. Bending the rules and employing unconventional methods are well within that style. His mettle is severely tested on the first day: a bottle is tossed at him in the company parking lot, his office is a rodent hideaway, and his first cup of vending machine coffee contains a revolting surprise. He introduces himself to his leadership team and quickly discovers paranoia, egotism, confrontation, and turf protection. His first meeting is a disaster as his managers hold a raucous, finger-pointing session. As an agent of change in an environment where there is much resistance to change, he is presented with a Herculean task. Incredibly, Anthony says nothing as he quietly observes the fracas. Afterwards, some managers fear his motive is to cut heads. To his Assistant's astonishment, Anthony said he enjoyed the managers' over-the-top behavior. It showed that they care. She muses that he must be a big fan of natural disasters. A follow-up session with his management team is held. Warring factions are assigned seats next to each other instead of the usual opposite ends of the table. When there is an objection to the seating arrangement, Anthony issues a blistering mandate. He demands better communications among his team, a more cost-effective way of conducting business, and a different approach in dealing with the union. This last point is met with trepidation among the managers and they predict a volatile confrontation with the chief union steward. Meanwhile, a pool begins on Scolari's job longevity. Mike Migliore, the chief union steward, introduces himself to Anthony who responds to Migliore's self-importance with a heavy dose of cheekiness. Mike informs Anthony that he has been through a parade of GMs who have tried but repeatedly failed to bust the union. Anthony denies trying to bust the union but points to the overall decline in manufacturing, union rigidity, and the heavy competition Protocol faces as major hurdles in keeping the facility viable in a horrendous economy. Bottom line: Anthony wants to stay in business and has a specific plan. Mike disagrees with the plan. As such, the line between management and union is clearly drawn. In the final scene, for the third time in two days, Anthony sees an employee sleeping on the job. To him, this is symptomatic of the company's ills and he is outraged. His outrage is met with a startling discovery.—Joe Fenico

"Workforce" is a 60-minute, episodic, dramatic series portraying the ongoing grind of a struggling midsize manufacturing firm (Protocol Industries). It reflects the workplace during the Great Recession and the fearful workers whose jobs are threatened. It illustrates the battles between union and management, management and management, and the employees caught in the crossfire.

The central character is Anthony Scolari, the new General Manager of Protocol Industries. Scolari's charge is to make the company profitable after seven consecutive quarters of losing money. He has nine months to show a profit and successfully negotiate a union contract. As an agent of change in an environment where there is much resistance to change, he initially generates conflict with his management team, the union, and executive management. An irreverent, but very engaging forty-something, he is impatient with the self-important and arrogant but is an employee advocate who must strike the difficult balance between what's right for the employees and what's right for business. Fusing a sense of urgency with a sense of glibness, he confronts challenges with a unique managerial style. Bending the rules and employing unconventional methods are well within that style. The supporting cast consists of Scolari's five-member management staff, his assistant, and the chief union steward.

The cash-strapped facility offers little ambiance: pest control is an oxymoron, toxic waste is promoted as vending machine food, and the manufacturing plant is dreary, old, and operates with unreliable equipment. It is obvious that the workforce and workplace require major renovations; neglect has taken its toll on both.

"Workforce's" episodes will track the progression (and regression) in Scolari's attempt to keep the plant a viable place of employment. The pilot episode will showcase the battle he'll wage with his managers as he attempts to unite this fractious group. He'll also meet with the chief union steward, a worthy foe, who will challenge Scolari's anticipated approach to the union. Future barriers that stand between him and success are: little support and draconian demands from executives, a walkout and subsequent organizing attempt of the nonunion employees, a challenge to decertify the union by the union workers, workplace violence, and the critical contract negotiations that will ultimately determine the fates of the facility and Anthony. Additional story lines will be devoted to the characters' personal lives, the delicate work-life balance and the destructive impact when that balance cannot be met. Anthony will also face his own demons. Although primarily a drama, "Workforce" will intermittently take on the features of a dramedy portrayed by eccentric employees, oddball circumstances, or Anthony's playfully brazen behavior.

The attempt is to make "Workforce" an entertaining, smart expression of the difficulties in sustaining a livelihood during a horrific economy and the impact it has on personal lives.