Alex Santana—Shop Chairman • Mike Haineault—1st Shift Zone • Jeff Hall—2nd & 3rd Shift Zone
Kevin Sautter • Colie Lynch • Erin Schumacher • Luther Page • David Blackwell • Billy Flynn
John Hanning • Greg Hill • Jerry Gray • Stan Bowers • George Mellinger
Doug McKeithen • Kevin McCray • Darrell Shanklin • Dwayne Hawkins • Turnage Corr • Quinten Bowens
Larry Garrison • Howard Newson • Stephen Ying • B.J. Hutto • James Hunter

Volume III, No. 10 • March 20th, 2008

Educate Yourself

National Agreement

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON OVERTIME

Introduction

The parties recognize that the manufacturing operations of the Corporation are highly and completely integrated. An interruption at one stage of the production process, whether during the regular workday, workweek, or overtime or other premium hours, can, and probably will, cause costly interruptions of the process at earlier and/or later stages. This Memorandum represents an accommodation between the needs of the Corporation and the rights of individual employees to decline overtime work on occasion for a variety of individual and personal reasons.

The parties have earnestly sought during negotiations resulting in the contract dated today, feasible steps that the Corporation might take in scheduling overtime work to provide employees an opportunity to accept or decline work opportunities during such periods, and have reached the following understanding that shall constitute a supplement to the National Agreement.

In order to accommodate the scheduling of overtime in a manner compatible with changing production requirements, while preserving the right of employees to decline overtime, Local Plant Management will make an election once each model year to schedule overtime operations in accordance with Plan A or Plan B below.

PLAN A

1. Daily Overtime
Hours in excess of nine (9) hours worked per shift shall be voluntary, except as otherwise provided in this Memorandum of Understanding, for an employee who shall have notified Management in accordance with Paragraph 8.

2. Saturday Overtime
Employees may be required to work Saturdays; however, except as otherwise provided in this Memorandum of Understanding, an employee who has worked two or more consecutive Saturdays may decline to work the following (third) Saturday provided (a) the employee shall have notified Management in accordance with Paragraph 8, and (b) the employee has not been absent for any reason (excluding absences for which pay is received under Paragraphs [194], [203], [218] and [218b]) on any day during the week preceding the Saturday. Absences excluded under Paragraph (194) must be excused. For purposes of this Paragraph, Saturday work shall not include hours worked on Saturday by employees regularly scheduled to work Saturday or any portion thereof as the normal fifth day worked such as (i) an employee whose shift starts Friday and continues into Saturday, or (ii) an employee who is assigned to work on No. 1 Shift (Midnight) operations regularly scheduled to start with the No. 1 Shift (Midnight) Tuesday.

3. Sunday Overtime
Except as otherwise provided in this Memorandum of Understanding, overtime work on Sundays shall be voluntary and employees may decline to work Sunday; provided that (a) the employee shall have notified Management in accordance with Paragraph 8, and (b) the employee has not been absent for any reason (excluding absences for which pay is received under Paragraphs [194], [203], [218] and [218b]) on any day during the week preceding such Sunday, except for a Saturday which employee declined to work pursuant to Paragraph 2 above. Absences excluded under Paragraph (194) must be excused. For purposes of this Paragraph, Sunday work shall not include those hours worked on Sunday, which are part of an employee's normal five-day work week (Sunday P.M. through Friday A.M.)

11. Concerted Activity
A. Any right to decline daily overtime or Saturday or Sunday work that this Memorandum of Understanding confers on any employee may be exercised only by each employee acting separately and individually, without collusion, conspiracy or agreement with, or the influence of, any other employee or employees or the Union or pursuant to any other concerted action or decision. No employee shall seek by any means to cause or influence any other employee to decline to work overtime. Violation by any employee of the terms, purpose or intent of this Paragraph shall, in addition to subjecting the employee to discipline, nullify for one (1) month (not including the periods mentioned in Paragraph 10 above) the employee's right to decline overtime.

12. Emergencies
The provisions of this Memorandum of Understanding that limit or restrict the right of Management to require employees to work daily overtime or Saturdays or Sundays shall be suspended in any plant whose operations are interrupted by emergency situations, such as single breakdowns of four hours or more, government mandated work, power shortages, strike, fire, tornado, flood or acts of God, for a period of time necessary to overcome such emergencies.

Any breakdown is to be considered justification for suspending the limitations on Management's right to require overtime work for purposes of correcting the breakdown itself; Management's right to suspend such limitations for the purpose of making up lost production is, however, in the case of breakdowns, limited to production lost as the result of single breakdowns of four or more hours.

Shop Talk

The battle still continues...
Management will recognize the strong support of UAW Local 2166 membership. Your dedication and commitment has made us who we are today. Thank you to each and every one of you!!

Downtime: No downtime scheduled as of March 19, 2008.

Negotiations: Both union and management have mutually agreed to suspend contract discussions in our formal sub-committees until further notice.

2008 Family Scholarship: The Walter & May Reuther UAW Family Education Center known to most of us as “Black Lake” is located in Onaway, Michigan. This summer, introduce your family to a once-in-a-lifetime experience! For more than thirty (30) years, Black Lake has been a place where UAW members and their families come together for an experience that combines education with relaxation. It’s a place to learn about your union, unlock ideas and build new friendships with other working families throughout the United States. It’s a summer experience that will leave you filled with a spirit guaranteed to strengthen your understanding and appreciation for today’s labor unions. Limited scholarships are available. You have to be a UAW member in good standing for one (1) year and have never attended the scholarship program. For more information stop by the union hall and see the Financial Secretary, Glenn Geiman.

Transfers: Fairfax, KS has a requisition in and Lake Orion, MI also has a requisition in. As of March 17, 2008 there has been seventy (70) people accept transfers to Fairfax, KS. Lake Orion, MI is currently filling their openings with “Area Hire” applicants.

As a result of the SAP, we do not know how many available openings, if any, will occur in other facilities but if there is one you may want to transfer to, submit your transfer application. Replacements due to the SAP will be back filled by Appendix “A” first then followed by Appendix “K”.

Due to our current layoff status anybody may apply to transfer including those of you that recently transferred here. If the corporation owes you any monies and you leave prior to your anniversary date you will forfeit what is owed to you.

New Attendance Procedure: Hopefully everybody understands the new attendance procedure. The only way to protect you is to come to work every day. Schedule your time off in advance. Use your vacation restricted (VR) wisely. Please take notice before it is too late.

GMS Training: Beginning March 10, 2008 until further notice there will be approximately one (1) hour set aside per day for GMS training. We will be building approximately 200 units per shift, 400 units per day.

Holiday Pay: Use of VR hours will not be permitted, unless excused in advance for Thursday, March 20th or Tuesday, March 25th prior to and following the Easter holidays. If not excused, this would disqualify you to receive Holiday Pay and also fall under the guidelines of Document 8 of the National Agreement to be disciplined for attendance.

Layoff: As of Wednesday, March 19, 2008 approximately one hundred seven (107) people are still on indefinite layoff in production, Division I.

Currently in the skilled trades, Division II there is approximately forty-three (43) skilled trades’ people indefinitely laid off.

Retirement Training: The Pre-Post Retirement classes will begin April 7, 2008. The classes are approximately 2.5 hours long and there is no cost to you. Any questions call Paul @ 683-9469, Dusty @ 683-9368, Marilyn @ 683-9051 or Doug @ 683-9385.

Red Shirt Day: Wear a red shirt on Friday to support our troops!!!

“The essence of trade unionism is social uplift. The labor movement has been the haven for the dispossessed, the despised, the neglected, the downtrodden, the poor.” (quote from A. Phillip Randolph)