Having responsibility with no power is a no win situation. If you're going to be responsible for the parties, you have to have AUTHORITY over them. Otherwise, let your boss take over baby sitting of them.
The first place I'd start talking is with managment above you. Explain what's going on (if they don't know or see) and lay out your plan for re-gaining control. Perhaps the owner has to indicate to the workers that "you are his man" and he'll back you up.
If you don't hand out the paychecks, start doing so - the fact that the money comes from the company to the troublemakers THRU YOU needs to be demonstrated. If you control the flow of money to them, you can make it stop just as easy as to facilitate its continued flow.
You may have to start documenting the issues. Point out that there are consequences for not doing them. But most of all, you have to be FAIR. You can't pick on one guy and let the other guy slide.
There's more but what you're dealing with is classic employee relations issues that stem from a lack of discipline (not necessarily on your part). Yes, getting people may be a hard thing to do. BUT, you don't want to let a cancer start to fester as a result of some riff raff drifter taking over. Get control and keep it.
You don't let your kids run wild nor do you let a pet run amock in the house (not if you're smart anyway). Then why would you let someone that YOU ARE PAYING TO DO WHAT YOU TELL THEM RUN RAMPANT OVER YOU???
Guy doesn't clean up? Finish up the shift but he now misses the first half of tomorrow's shift with no pay(BTW, be sure he comes in on time at 1/2 shift starting time).
Doesn't clean up second time? Finish up today, miss a whole shift tomorrow. Again be here on time following day.
THird time? the pain escallates.
Go a month without a problem, slate is clean.
Issue the "rules" to ALL in writing. They sign "I've read and understand results" statement. All legal type documents.
My former fiance was a school teacher in inner city school. Kids would behave or misbehave - your choice, not the kids. The kids had to learn (and quickly) that there were dire conseqences if they didn't follow the rules.
Sitting quietly in front of blank computer screen while other kids did computer learning games in her class did wonders. Even the worst kids behaved in her class. Gee, I wonder why????
Rules, prompt consequences for non compliance, reward for compliance. Simple stuff that dogs and kids learn quickly - I wonder why adults can't be taught as readily????
EDIT: Saw a cartoon once that had this guy shouting out "I'm surrounded by idiots". The next panel has a fellow worker asking the question, "If you've allowed yourself to become surrounded by idiots, how smart does that make you????"
An idiot should not be that difficult to outsmart.
Finally, I learned via management of my own small shop that people serve up what you expect of/from them. Expect a doofus, get one. Express a demand for high performance with praise and $$$ reward or other "rewards" for exemlary performance and some neat things start to happen. The difficult becomes easy and the impossible doable if you challenge and reward employees.
However, sometimes you simply have to realize that there are right and wrong people for particular jobs. It is managments chore to figure these "job fits" out. Sometimes, some people fit better elsewheres.
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