Monday, January 28, 2008
Vehicles built by UAW star at the North American International Auto Show
 Michael Seaton shows off the auto show's 2008 Car of the Year. |
The union members who painstakingly built them were also on hand to tell the world what goes into producing some of the world’s finest cars and trucks.
“We’re all so proud to build these vehicles and to be here at the auto show to talk about what we build and show them off,” said Michael Seaton, a member of Local 5960 and hi-lo driver from General Motors’ Lake Orion plant.
That facility builds the Chevrolet Malibu, which was selected as the 2008 North American Car of the Year, beating out 15 other nominees. The award has translated into excellent sales – and more work – for the plant.
Local 31’s Mike Grecu, a 27-year GM worker at the Fairfax, Kan., plant where the Malibu is also made, and his wife, Carlin, a nine-year veteran, love talking about America’s hottest car.
“Quality’s so important to us, and people at the plant were ecstatic,” said Mike Grecu, who works in the underbody repair department. “We were up against some tough competition, and we’re all really, really proud.”
The Fairfax plant will add 300 jobs in April. Carlin Grecu, who works in the chassis department, said she had the opportunity to test drive the car.
“I love the way it drives, and it handles great,” she said.
A few hundred yards away, Anthony Bradley, a Local 862 member from Ford Motor Co.’s Kentucky Truck Plant, Latrice Sanders from Local 600 at the Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Plant and Local 182’s Dave Grissom, from Ford’s Livonia (Mich.) Transmission Plant, were extolling the virtues of their company’s products. In doing so, they were making a statement about the recent numerous quality awards they and their fellow UAW members have won for the automaker.
 Latrice Sanders says quality is the most important ingredient for success. |
Bradley, who was handling out lanyards advertising the F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks, was busy answering questions about towing capacity, torque and other topics from people who clearly owned older models and were considering the brand-spanking new models behind him.
“They want to know what’s new, what’s coming on the truck,” he said. ‘They love our truck.” Bradley, a 13-year veteran worker who was on the launch team for both trucks, said it’s important to have people who have the hands-on experience building the trucks as ambassadors for the product. People ask him what it’s like to be on a factory floor building the product and want to know minute details about the trucks.
“They ask, ‘What’s it really like?’ They feel more comfortable with me because I am on the floor and I am from the plant,” he said as a gaggle of kids grabbed lanyards from him. Others tell him, “I have one and I love it.”
And that’s a message he also brings back to the plant.
“The personal feedback you get from customers is invaluable,” he said. “I think everyone in the plant needs to hear that. It makes you want to go and do your job better.”
Quality equals job security, and Grissom and his co-workers are getting some through the new 6-R 86 transmission. It will eventually be featured in 30 Ford vehicles.
“This product is real smooth shifting,” he said as he stood next to a demonstration model. “It’s not like your regular transmission that you can hear shifting.”
His second year at the auto show, Grissom answered questions about torque and the vehicles the transmission will be in.
“Everyone I’ve talked to at the show so far who has driven one is very pleased. They’re glad Ford has brought this transmission out.”
And so are the workers at Livonia, who hope it keeps more jobs coming.
“We’re going to get more jobs at our plant,” Grissom said. “I’m very proud of the way we’re moving forward.”
UAW workers at Chrysler Corp., which, since the change in ownership, is refreshing its lineup, are equally proud of their work.
Lula Sears, a UAW Local 212 member with 32 years at Chrysler this March, works in shipping at the Conner Ave. Assembly facility in Detroit where they build the Dodge Viper.
“It’s a fast, fast car, and it’s cool, too,” she said of the Viper, a V-10-powered two-seat sports car that has made countless appearances in TV shows, video games and movies. The 2008 models will come in four new colors, including venom red and snakeskin green.
But Sears, who was the first woman at her plant to work on the car’s assembly when it began in 1992, also has good things to say about the quality of other Chrysler products, including those in the Jeep division.
“It’s always about the quality, and I love that Liberty with more leg room and plusher interior,” she said. “And the Compass looks great as well.”