Learning Programs Enhanced

Education, Development and Training Program Funding Protected

The company attempted to further reduce our Education, Development and Training Program. Our negotiators protected these valuable programs and maintained the current funding structure, which requires the company to fully fund the programs as agreed to in the 2003 National Agreement.

Retirees' Tuition Assistance Maintained and Increased

Our national negotiators fought back an attempt by the company to eliminate the retiree tuition assistance program, and instead won an increase in retiree tuition funding from $1,500 to $1,750 per calendar year.

Tuition Assistance

Active UAW-represented workers will be eligible for an additional $400 of tuition assistance per calendar year for degree-related courses, raising the total annual benefit to $5,000. The degree-related book allowance was raised $100 to $250 annually.

Dependent Child Tuition Assistance Maintained

Bargainers were successful in keeping the UAW-Ford Scholarship Program for Dependent Children without company-sought reductions, or the elimination of funding.

Education Programs for Workers’ Retraining and Skill Enhancement

It is the goal of the UAW to enhance our members’ occupational skills and add greater job security for all workers. The UAW-Ford National Program Center is funded to provide programs through Education, Development and Training Programs (EDTP) and the Technical Skills Program (TSP).

While the level of funding does not allow for the wide range of courses that were available in the past, the bargaining committee recognized the special duty it has to members who face plant closures and downsizing. Therefore, we have focused the programs to assist members to receive Personal Development Assistance (PDA) funds so they may enroll in career-oriented retraining classes.

Negotiators also won language to set up a joint committee at the National Program Center to research and review programs to enhance our members’ ability to acquire and utilize constantly changing job-related skills and other diverse educational needs.

The Joint Governing Board will be responsible for terms of funding, including school and course approval, locations of courses and program guidelines.

Collective-Bargaining Agreement Training Maintained

Collective Bargaining Agreement Training (CBAT) will continue to be made available to local union presidents, building chairpersons, bargaining and district committee persons, elected alternate committeepersons, elected union officials responsible for contract administration, human resources managers, labor relations personnel and managers as appropriate who have not previously attended the training. A CBAT refresher will be developed and targeted for 2008 delivery.

Labor Studies Courses Maintained

Workers may still use a portion of the Education Training Assistance Program (ETAP) allocation for courses in labor studies, provided the courses are at an accredited school of higher education and the tuition and costs are in line with the school’s generally accepted tuition/fee structure. Reimbursement will be paid directly to the school.

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