UAW members beat global competition for new work at Mitsubishi Motors

UAW members at the Mitsubishi Motors North America Plant in Normal, Ill., were getting worried. They had been producing Mitsubishi models such as the Galant, Eclipse, Eclipse Spyder and Endeavor – all of which the company said were nearing the end of their life cycle.

“We were in a tough situation because with those lines coming to an end and nothing on the horizon, it was not looking good,” said UAW Local 2488 President Ralph Timan. “When you have nothing to build, that means that jobs are in jeopardy.”

But those worries dissipated in December when the 1,100 UAW members at Mitsubishi ratified a new contract that did not include guaranteed wage increases but did include something as valuable: guaranteed job security through the five-year agreement.

Then, in February came the big news: The Normal plant beat out global competitors to build the new Outlander Sport Crossover beginning in mid-2012.

The current version of the Outlander Sport, on sale in North America since November, will replace the other vehicles currently built in Normal as part of the company’s ambitious new Jump 2013 plan that zeroes in on emerging markets and small, fuel-efficient vehicles in a major product shakeup.

“It’s a big deal,” said Timan. “We have been told that we beat out countries, including Thailand, Japan and India, and of the Outlanders Sports to be produced at the Normal plant, 50 percent will be for the U.S. market, and the rest for export, including Mexico, Canada, and South and Central America.”

“Our members have gone through a lot in Normal,” said UAW Secretary-Treasurer Dennis Williams, who directs the union’s Transnational and Joint Ventures Department. “It was tough facing a new contract with no wage increases. But we looked to the future and maintained an open dialogue with the company about how to move forward.”

As a result, the new production schedule will keep Local 2488 members working harder than ever. Last year, workers at the plant produced about 34,000 vehicles a year. They anticipate moving 50,000 Outlanders through the assembly line starting next year.

“This work means a lot to our members and will certainly have a positive economic impact on the community,” said Timan.

“It’s a win for the workers, the community, the company and everyone,” add Williams. “It’s also a win for consumers because they can have a top of the line Mitsubishi vehicle built by UAW members, the best auto assemblers in the world.”

Sandra Davis