You can never ever trust a manager except to betray you. Your livelihood depends on keeping them happy and theirs depends on keeping you unhappy. No matter the person your means of survival are in conflict and therefore trust is impossible

If at a low enough level management is proletarianized hard, but at work once that line is crossed they are your class enemy and must be treated as such. In a revolution they most likely woildnt be considered for a firing squad and would most likely be counted among the workers all things considered, depending kn the manager, I work kitchens and chefs gotta do the work work as well as the managerial shit and get paid fuck all, I dont think theres a firing squad awaiting them. But while you are at work, they have the hiring and firing power and that is what matters in that circumstance. They are the enemy and if they do t see themselves as that, tske advantage of it. You can still be nice personally but it is their job to maximize profit at your expense and thats why theyre paid more.

Chris smalls was a manager before he founded amazon labor union. So I’d say the rule is: never trust a manager until they are fired for organizing their workplace.

The only manager you can trust is the one that believes you’ll release the tapes.

trust with what?

Never trust the management. Only trust a coworker that steals from the company.

An exception to trusting a manager may be if you have the kind of job where the “manager” or " floor manager" is largely a bullshit title because a “manager” must be on staff at all times. When I was young my future stoner roommate (God rest him) was promoted to manager at a movie theatre we both worked. He got a quarter more and had to sign a little more paperwork for deliveries. That was the change. Nothing really changed for him materially and certainly his attitude didn’t.

You really can’t until you “go there” and see how they respond. I’ve almost never been glad about divulging non-work info about myself or getting closer with work people, I keep a pretty solid line (til we no longer have the same employer). I’d say the only “safe” way to find out is if you’re already prepared to leave.

[Edit to add - only safe way to find out, with the person being above you in the hierarchy. I’m not discouraging getting to know peers, but everything I said above does (mostly) apply to that experience, too. Above all, YMMV, the struggle to not alienate oneself from peers is real and worth fighting, including the bruises]

Trust them with what?

A lot of people end up in management because that’s the only way to actually make a living wage in a lot of industries nowadays. Managers generally have fewer protections under labor law though so if they’re told to punish (or fire) you for something they’ll probably do it unless they’re willing to risk their job for you.

I usually keep my distance and keep things professional with management just because it’s safer.