Other improvements

Tuition Assistance Program to be reinstated

The Tuition Assistance Program for UAW Chrysler members will be reinstated by Jan. 1, 2012. The UAW Chrysler National Training Center Joint Activities Board will meet after ratification to develop a plan for implementation.

Severe weather condition problem significantly improved

Overtime penalties in relation to time off due to snow days and/or severe weather have been removed from the calculation of SUB benefits regardless of when the work was offered or performed. When severe weather conditions have been approved, overtime provisions will no longer disqualify members from a full, 40-hour, automatic short workweek benefit.

Suitable employment

Suitable employment will help our members better navigate the challenging requirements often faced when on layoff and applying for state unemployment benefits. Under the tentative agreement, job offers must meet a requirement of providing at least 80 percent of the employee’s most recent hourly or salaried base rate of pay. If a member’s job offer is not considered suitable employment, the member will remain eligible for SUB plan benefits, subject to a reduction equal to the amount of the weekly state benefit.

Union Benefit Representative in closed labor market areas

An acceptable level of representation will be allowed in locations where plants were closed. UAW Benefit Representatives will now be assigned to assist retirees in Huntsville, Ala., Kenosha, Wis., St. Louis, Mo., Newark, Del., and Twinsburg, Ohio.

Attendance Procedure (M-8)

All employees in the attendance procedure will have the latest occurrence removed from their record. The call-in procedure has also been improved during this round of negotiations. The union negotiated language to make the call-in procedure fair and consistent at all UAW-represented operating facilities. The parties agreed that possible satisfactory reasons for failing to call in an absence or tardiness might include, but are not limited to:

The employee, current spouse or minor child suffers a severe illness resulting in immediate emergency medical treatment at the same time the employee would otherwise be required to call.
The employee is involved in a car accident on the way to work resulting in a significant injury which prevents the employee to submit written documentation to management to substantiate their reason for being unable to comply with the call-in requirement.

Instances as described above will require the employee to submit written documentation to management to substantiate their reason for being unable to comply with the call-in requirement.

Seniority gains within plant locations

Under the previous agreement, employees with the same seniority date could not displace lesser seniority employees with the same hire date unless they had one day more seniority. Now employees can displace lower seniority employees without having one day greater seniority, allowing them to utilize in-plant tie breakers to level plant seniority.

Improvements in relocation eligibility

The relocation allowance was improved by expanding eligibility for relocation allowance to all Chrysler-represented workers living in the same household.

The union negotiated an enhanced relocation option for nonvoluntary transfer of workers. Workers can now receive a new relocation allowance up to a maximum of $30,000 that includes a $4,800 initial payment to cover miscellaneous, upfront cash expenditures. If a worker continues to be employed at the new location, the following schedule of additional payments will be made at the anniversary of their start date:

After one year: $5,200.
After two years: $10,000.
After three years: $10,000.

Workers may choose the modified enhanced relocation, and exercise their recall and return to former community rights after six months of employment at the new location.

Stronger supplier relations collaboration

The proposed agreement gives union leaders a chance to improve represented supplier relations by gaining new transparency through data analysis and current supplier status that focuses on opportunities for growth for represented suppliers.

Sourcing financial data communication

Our discussions focused on improving transparency in the bid process and to improve the mechanism to bring work back in-house. As a result, our negotiators were successful in improving transparency with the Make/Buy process. The company has committed to providing an overview of all items used in the study to source work. By improving the commitment on joint communication, the union can better understand the process and more effectively identify positive business cases for bringing work in-house.

Sourcing and Job Security

Since emerging from bankruptcy our membership has expressed many concerns surrounding job security. Our negotiators took those concerns to the table and discussed at great length the importance of sourcing as it relates to job security. The proposed contract creates opportunities to bring work back to the membership and gives access to information that will provide a better understanding of the decision-making process as it relates to sourcing. Our negotiators recognized the importance of the Salary Bargaining Unit being involved early in the process. More involvement and engagement from the local parties in the process will help identify opportunities for growth, making the company more competitive by seeking in-house alternatives.

Our Technology Training Center

The opportunities at the Technical Training Center (TTC) have never been greater with the approval of substantial renovation and new resources.

The newly revamped TTC will give members unprecedented opportunities for improving skills that are challenged by changes in the core skilled trades structure.

All labs and classrooms have been updated to address the rapidly changing technology field with advanced equipment and newly developed courses that can effectively react to all challenges.

All UAW skilled trades and production members will have a state-of-the-art technical training center where the development and execution of an advanced integrated training plan is not just essential – it’s survival.

New procedures will address the placement of indefinitely laid-off employees in and out of the labor market area. A labor market area is comprised of all plants within a 50-mile radius of a given plant or as defined by the National Job Security, Operational Sourcing and Job Security Effectiveness and Sourcing Committee.

UAW negotiates gains by extending Chrysler vehicle discounts to members at supplier plants

Under the proposed agreement, UAW Chrysler workers have additional means of positive exposure for Chrysler products. An extension of the Employee New Vehicle Purchase/Lease program will now include UAW part suppliers.

The discount will include new, used and leased products. This buying power will help support good-paying union jobs and provide job security for UAW Chrysler members.

Local Technical Training Committee

During these negotiations, a great deal of discussion focused on the current status of the Local Technical Training Committees (LTTC).

The UAW and the company agreed to modify the expanded roles and responsibilities of the LTTC as required, to meet the current and future operating conditions and facility needs such as tracking production and skilled trades training in the Technical Education Development System.

The union and the company will meet within 90 days after the ratification of the agreement to review current LTTC duties.

Separate units come under master

The UAW was successful in securing the right to have all UAW Chrysler workers fall under the UAW Chrysler National Agreement.

Therefore upon ratification, members of Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) plant in Dundee, Mich., along with the Toledo Assembly Plant members will be covered by the UAW Chrysler National Agreement.

UAW Local 12 members at the Toledo plant voted on June 20, 2011 to be covered under the master agreement. UAW Local 723 members at the GEMA plant voted on Sept. 30, 2011.

GEMA

In addition, the company commits to allow GEMA members to vote to control the rotation of production shifts.

The vote will dictate the frequency of rotation or if there will be a rotation at all.

Dundee, Mich., Engine plant

During this round of bargaining, our negotiators heard concerns about issues related to shift rotation at the Dundee Engine plant. Those concerns led to intense discussions at the bargaining table and reached a consensus that within 90 days of ratification of the 2011 master UAW Chrysler agreement, discussions will begin regarding the 3/2/120 competitive work practices and operational patterns as follows:

Shift rotation and rotation frequency will be determined by the local parties on an annualbasis.
3/2/120 will remain the operating pattern, however UAW members at GEMA will now determine their work schedule by voting on:

-- Whether they will rotate shifts and if they decide to rotate.

-- The frequency of the rotation.

National Attendance Council

During this round of negotiations the union and the company spent considerable time discussing employee discharge cases under the Attendance Procedure and the circumstances that led to those discharges. The parties agreed that within 90 days of ratification, the National Attendance Council will meet to review all Appeal Board discharge cases, including M-8.

Short work week clarification

During these negotiations the union raised concerns that short shifting was being used to circumvent both Short Work Week benefits and premium time on Saturday. Our negotiators were successful in gaining an agreement with the company that Short Shifting should not be used solely to circumvent Short Work benefits or premium time and any abuses can be brought to the UAW Chrysler Department and Chrysler’s Labor Relations for expeditious resolution.

EAP representative membership

After ratification, the Joint Activities Board will discuss and select an External Professional Association membership for Employee Assistance Program (EAP) representatives. The association will support program initiatives, education and training.