Skilled trades

New die work commitment and capacity utilization

Our members in skilled trades gained from an extensive review of a new die construction and tryout proposal that will mean additional insourced die construction work by utilizing available tryout press capability currently underutilized at the Warren Stamping and Sterling Stamping plants in Michigan.

Implementation of this proposal will benefit UAW skilled trades members at Mt. Elliott Tool and Die (METD), Sterling Stamping and Warren Stamping plants. Gains include:

• Increased die construction capacity at METD from 240,000 hours annually to approximately 400,000 hours annually, an increase of 160,000 hours. 
• Reduction in the amount of dies currently sourced for die construction and tryout.
• Utilize tryout and press linesat Sterling Stamping and Warren Stamping to their fullest capability for dies that will be installed at the respective plants.
• Improve skills of current skilled trades at the Warren and Sterling Stamping plants by enhancing their knowledge of die build, tryout and repair.
• Potential additional employment opportunities.
• Earlier in-plant tryout ensuring time-to-market and quality goals are achieved.

Planned initiation for this program is in early 2012. Prior to implementation, representatives from the International UAW and the company will meet with representatives of Sterling and Warren Stamping plants, and Mt. Elliott Tool and Die, to discuss and develop a working agreement for prompt implementation.

Skilled trades testing and licensing fees

In cases where federal, state or local ordinances require licenses to perform work historically or traditionally assigned to a skilled trade classification, the company will ensure that members are trained in accordance with the specific licensing requirements.

Also, the company will reimburse our members for testing and licensing fees upon proof of successfully passing the test.

Outside contracting review team

UAW skilled trades workers will be alerted when an outside vendor is scheduled to be on site. This process will alleviate the confusion that has occurred when outside vendors have come on site without notification to skilled trades. The notification will be incorporated into the process for all projects. For major new model projects, a meeting will be held at the UAW Chrysler National Training Center or a mutually agreed upon location with the appropriate parties.

400 new apprentices 

The status of the apprentice program and the need to make changes were discussed at great length. The company has agreed to review the need for additional apprentices, business conditions permitting, to place 400 apprentices in the program.

Apprenticeship Order Understanding

Your negotiators secured an agreement with the company that, should the apprentices be identified and business conditions allow, these affected individuals will receive the first opportunity to apply for any such identified apprenticeships in the following order:

• Those eliminated trades as defined in the Skilled Trades Rationalization Letter.
• Those skilled trades working production.
• Those 37 Trenton South Engine Plant (TSEP) technical specialists who do not possess journeyman credentials.
• Other new apprentice candidates, both internal and external, to include those having been previously tested.

The National Apprentice Committee will meet within 120 days of ratification to discuss moving forward, including how to handle open items such as the reconciliation of formal internal lists. Any issues relating to the interpretation of this understanding will be directed to the national parties for consideration.

Understanding regarding Trenton South Engine Plant Technical Specialists

The parties discussed individuals at the Trenton South Engine Plant (TSEP) who are classified as Technical Specialist but do not possess skilled trades’ status. A new local agreement will be negotiated soon after the ratification of the proposed agreement that will change the Technical Specialist classification.

The parties agreed that TSEP employees in the Technical Specialist classification at the time of a new local agreement who do not possess a journeyman classification will be:

• “Red-circled” with the Technical Specialist rate of pay as of the date of the agreement.
• Required to enter the UAW Chrysler Apprenticeship program as soon as an opportunity is available in the Detroit labor market.

Any employee who declines an opportunity to enter the UAW Chrysler Apprenticeship program for any reason will be classified as a non-skilled classification at TSEP and have their base rate adjusted