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. 15 • April 29th, 2008

Educate Yourself

National Agreement
NEW PRODUCTION MAINTENANCE PARTNERSHIP

GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION

Dear Mr. Rapson:

During the current Negotiations, the Skilled Trades Subcommittee held extensive discussions over a wide range of issues surrounding the benefits associated with the implementation of Quality Network's Production Maintenance Partnership (PMP) system consistent with Lean Manufacturing principles that standardize work tasks. The key elements of the PMP system are:

• Production Operators use tools identified by standardized work to address out-of-standard conditions or perform repetitive activities to sustain production (such as cleaning, minor maintenance, or material tasks).
• Production Operators/Team Members/Leaders are first point-of-response to deal with out-of-standard conditions with machinery and equipment including quality, material, or maintenance.

In each department a standardized work, "PMP Checklist" of tasks will be jointly developed by the appropriate personnel (e.g., Production, Maintenance, Health & Safety, Quality, Materials, Engineering, Supervision, Equipment Suppliers, etc.). The PMP checklist identifies tasks an operator will perform; such as: routine inspection, checking for normal and abnormal equipment conditions, cleaning, wipe downs, adjusting, using tools to address out-of standard conditions and perform repetitive activities (including incidental work that can be safely performed by the operators) as specified, and reporting of problems to Maintenance.

Some examples of common PMP maintenance and first point-of-response tasks that may be performed by personnel assigned to production are:

• Maintain proper fluid and lubrication levels in the operator's immediate workstation machinery
• Clearing of loose debris within fixtures and equipment (e.g., Weld slag, machine chips)
• Inspection and tightening of loose, non-critical components not directly related to locating pins, blocks, and shims.
• Inspection and tightening of loose, leaking coolant, air, and dispensed product fittings.

Production Operator/Team Member training and standardized work will be jointly developed by the appropriate personnel directly involved in the operation, and implemented with a focus to include error proofing.

The Production Operator/Team Member will be responsible for performing the PMP duties on a daily basis or as the PMP schedule requires during production operations, during non-production operations, before or after production has been met or, if determined, on overtime. Production Operators/Team Members will be responsible to document that they have performed their PMP responsibilities. Daily tasks and minor adjustments should be documented on the PMP checklist. Corrective actions should be documented on the checklist and in MAXIMO.

Issues related to PMP will be resolved by the local parties. Issues unresolved at the local level may be referred to the GM-UAW Skilled Trades and Apprentice Committee for resolution.

Very truly yours,
Diana D. Tremblay
GMNA Vice President
Labor Relations

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!!

Amalgamated Union: Local 2166 held its Amalgamation meeting at the Union Hall this past Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 2:00 PM. The results of the vote are as follows; 66 for & 21 against. The results will be forwarded to the International Executive Board in order to become amalgamated.

Downtime: Downtime has been scheduled for the week of May 5, 2008. Unemployment packets will be passed out on Thursday, May 1, 2008 between the shifts.

Stamping Department: An agreement has been reached and the remainder seven (7) die sets will come to Shreveport. There have been ongoing discussions between Management and the Union regarding transferring dies to Shreveport Stamping facility. The center of these discussions and of primary concern for Management is a previously agreed to document dated October 26, 2004 (division I, full utilization). The Local Union committed to Management that the above mentioned agreement as written will be renegotiated during the 2007 Local Negotiations. Furthermore, in the event of a major press breakdown joint discussion between the parties concerning the sending out of work will occur prior to any action being taken. The current agreement will stand until ratification of the Local Agreement.

Environmental: Currently working on transition for environmental department no further information available at this time. Will let you know soon.

Annual Drawing: Here locally in the past years we have always had a “Lottery Drawing”, we pulled the referral cards from the hopper and numbered them in the order that they were pulled, also called and tested the people in that order. Due to management’s “Corporate Policy” in order to follow Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws there will be no more LOTTERY DRAWINGS.

Employee Referral Forms will be made available at a location that will be determined. Management will then submit them to “Development Dimension International (DDI)”. This will be for summer help and possibly for permanent low level entry employees.

Local Demand No. 9 on vacation time off states that when temporary vacation replacement help is employed, management will grant vacation time off to a maximum of fifteen percent (15%) of the authorized employees assigned to the department by shift.

Veterans Day: This year Veterans Day holiday observance will be on Wednesday, November 26, 2008 together with the Thanksgiving Holidays.

Transfers: 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.

Layoff: As of Thursday, April 28, 2008 approximately seventy (70) people are still on indefinite layoff in production, Division I.

Currently in the skilled trades, Division II there is approximately thirty-two (32) skilled trades’ people indefinitely laid off. Of those thirty-two (32), eight (8) chose Division I, leaving twenty-four (24) on indefinite layoff.

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)