2007 media fact book

Transcription

2007 media fact book
2007 Bargaining
Chrysler, Ford, General Motors
CONTENTS
We bargain for fairness – 1
Wages and labor costs – 5
Job and income security – 9
Health care – 13
Pensions – 17
Health and safety – 21
Quality – 25
Productivity – 29
UAW bargaining teams – 33
UAW-represented worksites – 39
Biographies of UAW officers – 53
Media resources – 65
FIGHTING FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE
We bargain for fairness
By Ron Gettelfinger
President, UAW
The past four years have been incredibly challenging for America’s autoworkers.
Since we negotiated our last contracts with Chrysler, Delphi, Ford, General Motors
and Visteon in 2003, each of these companies has gone through dramatic changes
that have had a serious impact on our members and our families.
Visteon transferred most of its UAW-represented plants back to Ford, for possible
sale or closure; Delphi declared a mechanical bankruptcy; the UAW negotiated
health care changes for active and retired members at GM and Ford. All three
automakers announced restructuring plans that will require dozens of plant
closings and a reduction of tens of thousands of auto jobs. And in May 2007,
DaimlerChrysler decided to sell its Chrysler Group to Cerberus, a private equity
firm, for $7.4 billion.
In each of these difficult circumstances, UAW members – acting together as a
union – have made a dramatic difference. We’ve fought to protect jobs, income,
health benefits and pensions. We haven’t won every fight. But time and again, our
members have demonstrated that workers acting together can accomplish more
than any one of us standing alone.
Bargaining for a better future
UAW members enter the 2007 auto talks knowing that our willingness to address
critical issues in our industry has helped secure a better future for our active and
retired members and for the communities where we work and live. We also know
the actions taken by our union have saved our employers billions of dollars, helping
to position these companies to be more competitive.
We are optimistic we can continue to renew a great American industry that provides
good jobs at good wages in communities across America.
Those who have only a hammer for a tool will insist the only way to fix the
American auto industry is to hit UAW members with severe wage and benefit cuts.
We disagree.
For one thing, labor costs represent just 10 percent of the cost of a new vehicle. So it
is evident that the cost structure of the U.S. auto industry cannot be adjusted in a
meaningful way by focusing on less than 10 percent of costs, while ignoring the
other 90 percent.
GOOD JOBS. STRONG COMMUNITIES. 1
In addition, data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau demonstrate that U.S. autoworkers are
among the most productive manufacturing workers anywhere in the world, producing value
added worth $206 per worker per hour – far more than any of us earn in wages and benefits.
A high-road strategy
Members of our union have no interest in entering a competition based on who can work for
the lowest possible pay. Instead, we intend to pursue a high-road strategy centered on creating
high-quality, high-performance workplaces that lead to success in the marketplace for our
employers and good jobs with good wages for our membership.
UAW members are aware that not all the problems of our industry can be solved at the bargaining table. Design, engineering, marketing, automotive finance and many other factors key
to the success of automakers are outside the control of our members and outside the scope of
collective bargaining.
In addition, national and international policies on trade, health care, labor rights and related
issues have had and will continue to have a major impact on prospects for the domestic auto
industry. These are issues our union and our employers must confront through the political
process, not at the bargaining table.
But there is a great deal that can be accomplished at the bargaining table. Our negotiating
teams at Chrysler, Ford and General Motors will work to build on past accomplishments
of UAW members in key areas such as workplace safety, quality, productivity and fair
compensation for American autoworkers.
We are committed to defending good wages, secure benefits and decent pensions
for active and retired UAW members.
Job and income security – along with opportunities for lifelong training and
education – are a priority for UAW members and our families.
We will continue to advocate for the safest possible work environment and build
on the work we have already done with employers to reduce workplace injuries and
illnesses.
UAW members will continue to bargain for an enhanced role in product quality.
Our customers deserve no less, and quality is a key factor in protecting our job
security. We are proud that many of the vehicles our members produce have earned
top ratings for quality and reliability, and we will continue to build on these
achievements.
2 FIGHTING FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE
Unionized autoworkers in the United States and Canada continue to set industry
standards for productivity. According to the latest industry data, workers in unionized plants are more efficient than their nonunion counterparts in 11 out of 12
vehicle segments that can be compared on an equal basis.
We will continue to use the bargaining process as a means to find joint solutions to
enhance productivity, mindful of the need to address workload, staffing and other
issues in order to protect health and safety in the workplace.
Our goal is to negotiate labor agreements that deliver real value to our members and communities while addressing the realities of our industry.
The challenges we face in this year’s round of bargaining are enormous – and we are confident
that once again, UAW members have the smarts, the spirit and the solidarity to get the job
done.
Wages and labor costs
How many UAW members work at the companies that will be a part of this year’s
auto talks?
There are 180,681 UAW members employed at Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.
Of these, 177,498 are covered by the national agreements that will expire Sept. 14,
2007. The remaining 3,183 UAW members at Chrysler Jeep in Toledo, Ohio,
negotiate a local contract distinct from the national agreement. Certain Delphi
employees who have rights under the GM Benefit Guarantee also will be affected by
the outcome of these negotiations.
An additional 419,621 retired members and 120,723 surviving spouses will also be
covered by the agreements negotiated this year. Their pension payments and retiree
health care benefits are subject to the terms of the UAW national auto industry
agreements.
Emplo yer
A c tive
members
Retired
members
Surv iv ing
spo uses
To tals
Chrysler*
48,927
55,183
23,252
127,362
Fo rd**
58,300
94,824
28,183
181,307
General Mo to rs
73,454
269,614
69,288
412,356
180,681
419,621
120,723
721,025
To tals
* Includes workers at Chrysler Jeep, Toledo, Ohio
** Ford active total includes 7,180 workers at Automotive Components Holdings
Source: United Auto Workers based on company data. Figures are for the end of
the first quarter 2007
How much are current UAW auto industry wages?
In 2006 a typical UAW-represented assembler at GM earned $27.81 per hour of straight-time
labor. A typical UAW-represented skilled-trades worker at GM earned $32.32 per hour of
straight-time labor. Between 2003 and 2006, the wages of a typical UAW assembler have grown
at about the same rate as wages in the private sector as a whole – roughly 9 percent. Part of that
growth is due to cost-of-living adjustments that have helped prevent inflation from eroding the
purchasing power of workers’ wages.
What is the compensation for auto industry executives?
The CEOs of Chrysler Group, Ford and GM earned a combined total of $24.5 million in salaries,
bonuses and other compensation in 2006.
The next four highest paid executives received average salary and other compensation of $1.3
million at Ford and $1.4 million at GM. These substantial sums do not include the value of
stocks and stock options that were also part of executive compensation.
Why is the figure cited as hourly labor costs by the companies so much higher than the wage
rates?
In addition to regular hourly pay, the labor cost figures cited by the companies include other
expenses associated with having a person on payroll. This includes overtime, shift premiums
and the costs of negotiated benefits such as holidays, vacations, health care, pensions and
education and training. It also includes statutory costs, which employers are required to pay by
law, such as federal contributions for Social Security and Medicare, and state payments to
workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance funds. The highest figures sometimes
cited also include the benefit costs of retirees who are no longer on the payroll.
How much value do UAW members contribute to their employers?
American autoworkers are among the most productive workers in the world. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the typical autoworker produces value added worth $206 per worker per
hour.1 This is far more than he or she earns in wages, even when benefits, statutory contributions and other costs are included.
1
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of Manufactures 2005 data
How much are labor costs in relation to the total price of a new vehicle?
The total labor cost of a new vehicle produced in the United States is about $2,400,2 which
includes direct, indirect and salaried labor for engines, stamping and assembly at the
automakers’ plants.
This represents 8.4 percent of the typical $28,4513 price of a new vehicle in 200. The vast majority of the costs of producing a vehicle and transporting it to a dealership and preparing it for
sale – including design, engineering, marketing, raw materials, executive compensation and
other costs – are not related to direct or indirect manufacturing labor.
Labor costs as a percentage
of total new vehicle costs, 2006
Labor costs
Average vehicle price
UAW Research Department, based on hours-per-vehicle data from the 2007 Harbour Report
and labor costs as reported in the companies’ 10-Ks
3
National Automobile Dealers Association
2
Job and income security
What protections do UAW members have against being laid off?
In the face of corporate restructurings at DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors, the UAW negotiated voluntary attrition programs for workers. Under these
programs, UAW members could choose to retire with their health care and pensions
intact, accept a voluntary buyout with a substantial severance package, or remain on
the job. No one was laid off or involuntarily separated.
Those members who remain on the job are also protected against unemployment.
The terms of the 2003 UAW auto industry agreements provide that no worker can
be laid off for more than 48 weeks for volume-related reasons – a decline in sales or
production – during the four-year life of the agreement.
In addition, the Supplemental Unemployment Benefits program provides income
maintenance to laid-off workers, as well as employer-paid health insurance for up to
24 months for workers on layoff status. Dental coverage is not included. Workers
with less seniority are eligible for health coverage for a correspondingly shorter
number of months.
UAW Supplemental Unemployment Benefits
Sample: Michigan resident with two children
UAW assembler hourly w age
40 hours gross pay
$ 27.81
1,112.40
Federal and State w ithholding
221.06
Weekly after-tax pay
891.34
95% of w eekly after-tax pay
846.78
Work-related expense deduction
Gro ss pay under SUB
30
$ 816.78
Source: United Auto Workers
Notes: In Michigan, state unemployment benefits are $362 for the worker in this example;
the employer would pay the balance of $456.46 per week. The SUB payment obligation of
UAW employers varies by state, depending on the level of state unemployment benefits.
What is the purpose of UAW job security programs?
The UAW-DaimlerChrysler Base Employment Level (BEL), UAW-Ford Guaranteed Employment Level (GEN) and UAW-GM Job Opportunity Bank Security (JOBS) programs were
negotiated in the 1980s to help smooth employment fluctuations in the auto industry. The
programs help maintain workers’ income during extended periods of layoff. Workers continue
to receive a paycheck while performing nontraditional work or community service and taking
advantage of opportunities to increase their skills and education. The programs also benefit the
communities where members live and work by maintaining the purchasing power of working
families during tough economic times, and encourage employers to invest in their production
facilities and workforces within the United States.
The income security provisions in UAW auto contracts have come under strong criticism by
employers in recent years. However, it is employers who have failed to properly utilize these
negotiated programs, opting to contract out work while leaving large numbers of employees
without meaningful job assignments. The UAW believes workers should be treated as valued
contributors to their employers rather than disposable factors of production.
Have job reductions at Chrysler, Ford and GM been made up for by new jobs at Toyota,
Honda and other non-U.S.-based automotive companies?
No. Despite the fact that non-U.S. based automotive companies have built new facilities in the
United States, overall employment in the auto and parts sector is down by more than 200,000
since 2000. Assembly employment has declined by 50,000 jobs since its most recent peak in
1995. Employment in the parts sector peaked in 2000 and has since declined by 185,000 jobs.
Why is there job shrinkage even while new plants are being constructed and automotive
sales have been relatively strong?
Imports of vehicles and parts are key to understanding recent employment trends. Total U.S.
production – including at new plants – has been trending down, while imports have been
trending up.
The share of the U.S. market held by imported vehicles (including captive imports by Chrysler,
Ford and General Motors) has grown to 29 percent in 2006, up from 22.5 percent in 2000 and
16.4 percent in 1995. Even as non-U.S.-based auto companies build plants here, a significant
number of the vehicles they sell in the United States continue to be produced abroad.
The parts sector has been hurt not just because a growing share of vehicles are produced
outside the United States and Canada, but also because domestically assembled vehicles are
using more imported parts.
Hasn’t shrinking employment at Chrysler, Ford and General Motors reduced their economic
importance?
The domestic automakers remain key to the prosperity of America’s automotive economy:
Even after employee buyouts, GM will employ more workers than all non-U.S. based
automakers combined.4
One Ford plant – the Dearborn Rouge complex – employs more workers than
Hyundai’s entire U.S. operations.5
Chrysler, Ford and General Motors sold 57 percent of cars purchased in the United
States in 2005, but purchased 77 percent of auto parts made here, supporting 480,000
U.S. jobs in the auto parts sector.6
Do UAW-negotiated job security programs have an impact beyond the auto industry?
Yes. By protecting good-paying auto manufacturing jobs, UAW-negotiated job security programs also protect related jobs in auto parts, design, research, engineering, marketing, sales,
advertising and other sectors.
These jobs, in turn, provide consumer spending power, tax revenues and economic growth
opportunities for hundreds of U.S. communities.
Negotiated programs that protect UAW members against permanent layoffs – and that provide
income maintenance during periods of temporary layoff – have a similar impact.
4,5,6
Level Field Institute
Health care
Is it true that UAW members never pay a penny for health care?
No. The package of health benefits available to UAW-represented workers in the
auto industry includes a traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance option. This
plan does not pay for routine doctor’s office visits (although tests and laboratory
costs associated with the visit may be covered). Surgical and hospital services are
fully covered.
UAW members may also elect HMO or PPO health care options that require lower
out-of-pocket expenses but limit the choice of health care providers. HMO plans
typically require co-pays for doctor visits of about $10; PPO plans require a 30
percent to 50 percent co-pay for office visits.
Newly hired workers covered by UAW contracts at Chrysler, Ford and General
Motors receive health care benefits after seven months on the job; they then may
enroll in a traditional, HMO or PPO plan, depending on the availability of plan
options in their area.
What types of health care benefits has the UAW negotiated for autoworkers?
Health care benefits for UAW active and retired members in the auto industry
include comprehensive hospital, surgical, medical and prescription drug coverage.
Other benefits such as dental, vision care, hearing aids and durable medical
equipment are also provided.
In the 2003 contract negotiations a number of changes were made to the health care
coverage to secure improved delivery system discounts, utilize a mail-order
prescription drug program for certain drugs, and integrate medical and wellness
programs for better prevention and management of chronic diseases.
What changes in health care were made since 2003?
After an extensive review of the financial situations at GM and Ford in 2005, UAW active
members agreed to divert a scheduled 3 percent wage increase and a portion of each quarterly
COLA (cost of living adjustment) payout to a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association
(VEBA) established at each of the companies. The VEBA trusts, which also received substantial
contributions from the employers, will pay 80 percent of retirees’ monthly premium contributions and 50 percent of their deductibles.
In addition, UAW members at Ford and General Motors also accepted higher co-pays for some
prescription drugs.
The mid-contract changes agreed to by UAW members have helped preserve health care
benefits for UAW active and retired members, while yielding billions of dollars in cost savings
for Ford and GM.
Is cost shifting the answer to escalating health care costs?
Cost shifting is frequently cited as a means to reduce utilization of health care, the idea being
that if people have to pay more to go to the doctor, they will do so less often. This approach
assumes that large numbers of people are visiting doctors and hospitals to demand unnecessary medical procedures, an assumption that flies in the face of available data and real life
experience.
In fact, in any given year, a relatively small portion of a health plan’s population generates
the majority of health care costs. Sick people should not be penalized for seeking the health
care they need, nor should others be discouraged from seeking preventive services when
appropriate.
Compared to 29 other countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Americans consume less and pay more out of pocket for health care services.7
Advocates of cost shifting assume that large numbers of people are visiting doctors and
hospitals to demand unnecessary medical procedures. This is not supported by available data.
The Department of Health and Human Services found that workers with employer-sponsored
coverage paid 79 percent more for coverage between 1996 and 2003, and yet the cost of health
care soared during that period.8
OECD, 2004. Commonwealth Fund, May, 2007; Health Affairs, January/February 2007, Vol. 26, No. 1,
“How different is the United States from the rest of the OECD?”
8
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Trends and Indicators in the Changing Health Care Marketplace,” Feb. 8,
2006
7
Can the problem of rising health care costs be solved at the bargaining table?
No. America’s health care crisis is a national problem that requires a national solution. It
cannot be resolved with any one industry or employer through labor negotiations.
The United States is the only major industrialized nation in which the responsibility for
providing health care rests primarily with employers. Other developed nations have universal
health care systems – funded by general and employer tax revenues – that provide high-quality
care at lower costs to all their citizens. In the United States, however, more than 46 million
Americans are without any health care coverage at all, and millions more are underinsured.
The UAW has long advocated for a universal, single-payer insurance program to cover every
man, woman and child in the United States. Such a program would not only ensure adequate
medical care for all Americans while controlling costs, it would place U.S. companies on a more
level playing field with overseas competitors that do not provide health care benefits.
Pensions
UAW members believe the foundation for a secure retirement rests on a threelegged stool: Social Security, a defined-benefit pension plan and personal savings.
Our goal is to provide all retirees and their families with a reasonable replacement
of their working-career income so they can enjoy a productive retirement free from
financial worry.
What is the pension received by a typical autoworker?
A typical UAW-represented worker at Chrysler, Ford or General Motors who has
reached eligibility for receipt of an 80 percent Social Security benefit receives just
over $18,000 per year from his or her employer.
Autoworkers who retire prior to Social Security eligibility are entitled to a supplement which increases annual income from their employer to about $36,000. When
retirees reach the age for an 80 percent benefit (age 63) or retire after that, they
receive only the basic benefit, and the employer no longer pays the supplement.
A g e o f retiree
Mo nthly c urrent
benefit
A nnual c urrent
benefit
Prio r to So c ial
Sec urity 80%
elig ibility
$3,020
$36,240
A t and after So c ial
Sec urity 80%
elig ibility
$1,534.50
$18,414
Source: United Auto Workers. Figures are for retirements effective on or
after Oct. 1, 2003, for a UAW member with 30 years credited service at
Chrysler, Ford or General Motors.
Why does the UAW view defined-benefit plans as better for employees than definedcontribution plans?
Defined-benefit plans are the most effective way to provide long-term income security for
retired workers. Defined-benefit plans provide professionally managed investments, an
ability to weather market fluctuations, protection against longevity risk and the backstop of
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
A guaranteed monthly benefit from a former employer is essential for a secure retirement.
401(k) plans, which are being heavily marketed as more appropriate to today’s “flexible”
economy, were created as a supplement to defined-benefit pensions to address the issue of
lagging individual savings rates. They are not well-designed to function as a substitute for a
monthly pension.
The problems with 401(k) plans have been well-documented: inadequate participation,
especially among the young; low contribution levels; account leakage due to loans and other
withdrawals during working years; fees and expenses; poor investment decisions, and market
volatility, especially as retirement approaches. Other than their health, the biggest fear faced by
most seniors is outliving their financial resources. Defined-contribution plans provide a shaky
foundation on which to build retirement security.
Do UAW members also have access to 401(k) plans?
Yes. UAW members view 401(k) plans as an effective way to build the third leg of the retirement stool: personal savings as a supplement to defined-benefit pensions and Social Security. We
have negotiated 401(k) plans with DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, funded entirely by
worker contributions.
What is the status of the automakers’ pension plans?
As of the end of 2006 the U.S. pension plans for Chrysler and General Motors are fully funded
and Ford is 99 percent funded.
Pension funds - obligations and assets
Obligations
Assets
Chrysler
Ford
General Motors
Source: United Auto Workers, based on company data
Is it true that a large proportion of the UAW auto industry workforce is eligible to retire in
the next few years?
Yes. Nearly half the 180,681 UAW members at the automakers will have the necessary
combination of age and years of service to retire within the next five years.
The proportion of those eligible to retire varies at each company, as follows:
Co mpany
% elig ible to retire
w ithin 5 years
A verag e ag e
A verag e serv ic e
Chrysler
30.0
45.81
15.89
Ford
31.2
45.28
17.23
General Motors
63.5
49.78
22.94
Source: United Auto Workers, based on company data
Health and safety
What is the UAW approach to improving health and safety in the auto industry?
The UAW believes the best way to prevent injuries and illnesses on the job is to
provide workers with information about hazards and procedures to get these
hazards corrected. An educated, empowered worker who has the right to act on
what he or she knows is the best line of defense against workplace hazards.
We focus on the principle of “fix the work, not the worker.” That means reducing
indoor pollution instead of handing out respirators; reducing the use of toxic chemicals instead of treating people after they get sick, and changing the design of jobs to
eliminate strains, sprains and heavy lifting instead of passing out back braces.
Is there evidence this approach is effective?
Yes. Since 1994 – the year after the UAW negotiated new ergonomics programs at
Chrysler, Ford and GM – total injuries and illnesses have been reduced dramatically
in UAW-represented sectors of the auto industry.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of illnesses and injuries has
been reduced since 1994 by 38.9 percent in motor vehicle assembly; by 38.6 percent
in automotive stamping, and by 38.4 percent in vehicle parts manufacturing. These
are the sectors of industry in which UAW membership is at its highest density.
Injuries and illnesses in the U.S. automotive industry, 1994-2005
Annual rate of total recordable injuries/illnesses per 100 full-time workers
35
30
25
20
1994
2001
15
2005
10
5
0
Assembly
Stamping
Parts
It is our members in Chrysler, Ford and General Motors plants who are setting the bar for
safety standards for the entire industry. At one major auto manufacturer, our members helped
achieve an injury rate in 2005 that was 78 percent below the industry average, establishing a
world-class benchmark.
Fatality rates in the auto industry, already about one-third of the national average, also have
fallen significantly since 1973. This was accomplished by focusing on high-risk activities of the
skilled trades and powered industrial vehicle operations. Any fatality, however, is unacceptable. No UAW member, no salaried worker, no manager and no company executive can afford
to be complacent about the health and well-being of workers in the auto industry, inside or
outside UAW bargaining units.
Achieving the highest possible standards of workplace safety is an ongoing challenge, due to
the severe underlying dangers of the highly mechanized and severely compressed production
processes in foundries, stamping-fabrication plants, machining operations and vehicle assembly plants. Vehicle assembly in particular poses very difficult ergonomic challenges.
What kind of members’ rights have helped lead to these reductions?
UAW members have rights to information and receive extensive jointly developed health and
safety training on key issues like chemical hazards, energy lockout, powered industrial vehicles
and ergonomics, and the negotiated programs to control these hazards. Hourly workers and
management counterparts typically deliver this training.
UAW labor agreements specify that members are provided medical exams and tests, and their
exposure to chemicals are monitored. In addition, they have access to examination and test
results, and ergonomic and safety hazards are evaluated periodically. Members can call for
evaluation of specific problems on their jobs, including perceived imminent dangers. Failing
resolution, members have access to a health and safety complaint and grievance procedure.
What kinds of health and safety activities take place as a result of UAW-negotiated contracts?
UAW members have negotiated company funding of full-time union health and safety representatives who work in union-represented auto plants to monitor workplace hazards and
prevent illnesses and injuries. They inspect the facility for safety hazards, evaluate ergonomic
risk factors and take or observe the collection of air samples for chemical exposures. They
receive jointly developed training in their technical areas at least annually.
In addition, UAW contracts mandate joint national committees on health and safety at
Chrysler, Ford and GM, which meet at regular intervals so that union and management
can evaluate hazards and take necessary actions to improve workplace conditions.
Have UAW health and safety programs had influence beyond the auto industry?
Yes. When UAW members negotiated a role for workers in designing and implementing health
and safety programs in the 1970s, the idea that workers could be involved in preventing workplace injuries was considered radical. But the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) now recognizes employee participation as a fundamental part of any rigorous effort to
improve workplace safety.
Many of the research studies funded and carried out through the efforts of UAW-auto industry
joint health and safety programs have had broad influence throughout U.S. industry. For
example, UAW-auto industry studies helped provide the basis for the nationwide standard on
ergonomics issued by President Clinton and repealed by President Bush.
UAW-auto industry research on the control of metalworking fluids led to a recommendation by
an OSHA advisory committee to reduce exposure levels to these hazardous chemicals. OSHA
has yet to act on this recommendation – a serious error, in our view, which has left tens of
thousands of workers facing unnecessary risks.
The demonstrated success of UAW-negotiated health and safety programs in the auto industry
shows that expanding worker rights and participation in safety activities can make workplaces
safer. In addition to our primary goal of reducing pain and suffering for workers, successful
safety programs also reduce lost time due to injuries, increase productivity and lower medical
costs for employers.
Quality
What is the UAW doing to improve vehicle quality?
Beginning in the 1980s, UAW members decided that quality issues were too important to be left to management and negotiated a direct role for workers in quality
initiatives at Chrysler, Ford and GM. These voluntary programs offer a means to use
the experience and know-how of the people who know the factory floor best — rankand-file workers — to improve workplace processes that contribute to quality.
Joint labor-management quality initiatives are part of the UAW’s commitment to
deliver excellence to automotive customers — and a strategy to improve job security
for UAW members by enhancing the competitiveness of union-made products in the
marketplace.
Do these programs produce tangible results?
Yes. Industry observers uniformly agree that quality is rising. The so-called “quality
gap” between domestically produced vehicles and the Japanese and European
vehicles has narrowed significantly in recent years — and in many cases, has
disappeared altogether.
We believe it is no coincidence that sustained improvement in vehicle quality has
taken place in the years following a UAW-negotiated commitment to directly involve
workers in quality initiatives.
At Chrysler, for example, more than $1 billion worth of cost savings and quality
improvements have been identified by rank-and-file workers since a joint Product
Quality Improvement (PQI) Partnership was first negotiated in 1980.
In 2006 UAW members at Chrysler generated 66 new patents and identified more
than $231 million in savings. While the program is voluntary, tens of thousands of
workers participate as individuals or in teams — more than 40 percent of the UAWChrysler workforce.
Through their participation in the UAW-GM Quality Network, UAW members at
General Motors have helped the company improve quality while saving nearly $3
billion through productivity improvements since 1992.
Among the many quality improvements made by UAW members through the UAW-Ford Bestin-Class Quality program is warranty cost reduction. Ford’s warranty cost in 2004 was $69 per
unit. Those costs have declined steadily each year and are now $38 per unit.
How did UAW facilities perform in the latest J.D. Power quality ratings?
Members of UAW Local 36 won the J.D. Power Platinum Award as top quality plant in the
world producing vehicles for the U.S. market. Workers at Wixom achieved the lowest defect
rate among plants in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
Members of Local 36 won this award for their top-quality performance in 2007 even though
Ford Motor Co. announced in April 2006 the plant would be closed in 2007. It is difficult to
imagine a more dramatic statement of the total dedication to quality by UAW members.
How did union-made vehicles perform in the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality Study?
The Initial Quality Study, which surveys customers based on their experience during the first
90 days of owning a vehicle, identified six UAW- or Canadian Auto Workers (CAW)-made
vehicles as best in their class, with fewest reported defects per vehicle:
Highest-ranked midsize sporty car: Ford Mustang, UAW Local 3000, Flat Rock, Mich.
Highest-ranked large car: Pontiac Grand Prix, CAW Local 222, Oshawa, Ontario
Highest-ranked large multi-activity vehicle (MAV): Lincoln Mark MT, UAW Local 600,
Dearborn, Mich.
Highest-ranked large pickup: Chevy Silverado Classic HD, UAW Local 2209, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Highest-ranked midsize pickup: Toyota Tacoma, UAW Local 2488, Fremont, Calif.
Highest-ranked van: Chevrolet Express, UAW Local 2250, Wentzville, Mo.
How did union-made vehicles perform in the latest J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study?
The most recent dependability study, released in August 2006, surveyed consumers about their
experience after three years of owning their vehicles; it demonstrates the long-term dependability of cars and trucks produced during the 2003 model year.
Six UAW- and CAW-made vehicles were identified as best in their product class:
Highest-ranked midsize sporty car: Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Highest-ranked midsize car: Buick Century
Highest-ranked large car: Mercury Grand Marquis
Highest-ranked large multi-activity vehicle (MAV): GMC Yukon/Yukon XL
Highest-ranked midsize pickup: Ford Ranger
Highest-ranked large premium MAV: Cadillac Escalade EXT
Productivity
Do union contracts and union work rules make auto plants less productive?
No. When plants producing similar vehicles are compared to one another, as
described below, workers in union plants assemble vehicles in fewer hours than
their nonunion counterparts in 11 of 12 product categories.
This performance, which is reported in the Harbour Report — the most closely
watched study of auto industry productivity — would not be possible if union
contracts were a drag on productivity.
Is the Harbour Report based on full data from all companies in the study?
No. In its key rating of company assembly productivity for 2007 (based on 2006
data) Harbour did not rank Toyota, Nissan and Honda “due to partial reporting
of plants.”
Nissan did not provide any data for this year’s report, so the Harbour Report
estimates Nissan productivity based on “publicly available data.”
UAW-represented companies, including Auto Alliance (Mazda), Chrysler, Ford,
General Motors, Mitsubishi and NUMMI, provided full information from all plants
and were included in the rankings. Each of these companies, which operates with
union-negotiated contracts, reported significant productivity improvements
between 2005 and 2006.
Is the Harbour Report an apples-to-apples comparison?
No. Although Toyota reported only partial data in 2007, the Harbour Report ranks
the company first in overall manufacturing productivity. This ranking does not
adjust for Toyota’s vehicle mix, which includes more passenger cars and fewer vans,
SUVs and trucks than domestic manufacturers.
Since cars on average require fewer person hours to produce than trucks, pickups
and vans, this is one factor that would affect the overall hours required to produce a
vehicle.
How did union manufacturing plants perform when compared on an equal basis?
Better than the competition in 11 of 12 product categories.
The 2007 Harbour Report identifies 23 vehicle segments where productivity can be compared
in plants making the same type of vehicles. Both union and nonunion companies are participants in only 12 of these 23 categories. In some categories, all the participants are unionized
facilities; in others the only participant is a nonunion facility.
Workers in UAW and CAW facilities are more efficient than their nonunion counterparts in 11
of the 12 facilities that can be compared across the same vehicle category.
How did unionized facilities perform in the overall Harbour rankings in 2007?
UAW and CAW members received top rankings in all manufacturing categories:

Three of four Best Plant awards

Seven of 10 most efficient assembly plants

Three of 10 most efficient stamping plants

Seven of 10 most efficient engine plants

Four of five most efficient transmission plants
Most efficient North American manufacturing plants, 2006
(Segments with both union and nonunion competitors only)
Seg ment
Seg ment pro duc tiv ity lea der
Other seg ment pa rtic ipa nts
Co mpa c t no n-premium c o nventio na l
GM Sa turn Io n
UAW Lo c a l 1583, Spring Hill,
Tenn.
Chrysler, Fo rd, Ho nda ,
To yo ta , NUMMI,
Vo lksw a g en
Co mpa c t premium c o nventio na l
Ho nda
Ma rysv ille, Ohio
GM, Fo rd
Midsiz e no n-premium c o nventio na l
Fo rd Ta urus
UAW Lo c a l 882, A tla nta
Chrysler, GM, Ho nda ,
To yo ta
Midsiz e no n-premium spo rts c a r
GM Po ntia c Mo nte Ca rlo
CAW Lo c a l 222, Osha w a , Onta rio
To yo ta , Mitsubishi, A uto
A llia nc e (Ma z da )
La rg e no n-premium c o nventio na l
GM Chevy Impa la
CAW Lo c a l 222, Osha w a , Onta rio
Chrysler, Fo rd, To yo ta
Midsiz e no n-premium va n
Chrysler Caravan,
To w n and Co untry
CAW Lo c a l 444, Windso r, Onta rio
GM, Fo rd, Ho nda , To yo ta
Co mpa c t no n-premium CUV
CA MI - Po ntia c To rrent
CAW Lo c a l 88, Ing erso ll, Onta rio
Chrysler, GM, Ho nda
Midsiz e premium CUV
GM Ca dilla c SRX
UAW Lo c a l 652, La nsing , Mic h.
Fo rd, Ho nda
Midsiz e no n-premium utility
Chrysler Gra nd Chero kee
UAW Lo c a l 12, To ledo , Ohio
Fo rd, GM, Ho nda ,
Mitsubishi
La rg e no n-premium utility
GM Suburba n, Ta ho e, Yuko n
UAW Lo c a l 276, A rling to n, Texa s
Midsiz e no n-premium pic kup
NUMMI - To yo ta Ta c o ma
UAW Lo c a l 2488, Fremo nt, Ca lif.
Chrysler, Fo rd, GM, Ho nda
La rg e no n-premium pic kup
Genera l Mo to rs Sierra
a nd Silvera do
UAW Lo c a l 2209,
Fo rt Wa yne, Ind.
Unionized facility
Nonunion facility
Source: Harbour Report, 2007
UAW bargaining teams, 2007
Members of the UAW national negotiating committees are elected by delegates representing
union members at their respective employers.
Delegates from local unions, including the president and bargaining chair of each local union,
meet in a council for each auto employer. Contract proposals are submitted by the local unions
to the respective council. In turn, each employer council, in coordination with collective-bargaining departments of the International Union, prepares contract proposals in advance of
negotiations.
Each employer council is divided into subcouncils representing functional and/or geographic
sectors of the employer, such as assembly, stamping, salaried workers and so on. Each
subcouncil elects representatives to the national negotiating committee for its respective
employer. This process guarantees a diverse negotiating committee that represents all areas
and functions of an employer.
Once the national negotiating committee at a company has reached a tentative agreement with
the employer, the contract is presented for a vote by the council for that employer, and then to
the members for ratification. Membership voting takes place in local unions after informational
meetings have been held to discuss the specific provisions of the contract offer.
UAW officers and the national negotiating committees are assisted during the bargaining
process by UAW staff members from the relevant collective bargaining-departments and from
technical departments such as Health and Safety, Legal, Research and Social Security.
UAW-Chrysler
National Negotiating Committee, 2007
Bill Parker, Chair
Local 1700
Subcouncil 1–Assembly
Lew Moye, Vice chair
Local 110
Robert L. Mitchell, Recording secretary
Local 51
Subcouncil 4–Skilled Trades
Jerry Stafford
Local 1264
Subcouncil 2–Stamping
George Welitschinsky
Local 624
Subcouncil 3–Engine & Axle
James Yore
Local 212
Subcouncil 5–Miscellaneous
Ronald Suminski
Local 75
Subcouncil 6–Parts Distribution
Tom Wright
Local 889
Subcouncil 7–Office & Clerical
Mark Hasho
Local 412, Unit 10
Subcouncil 8–Engineering
UAW-Ford
Joel Goddard, Co-chair
Local 898
Subcouncil 6–Manufacturing
Mike Abell, Co-chair
Local 862
Jeff Washington, Secretary
Local 900
Bernie Ricke
Local 600
Subcouncil 1–Rouge
Davine Wilson
Local 600
Subcouncil 1–Rouge
Dave Berry
Local 36
Chris Viscomi
Local 2000
Chris Crump
Local 600
Charlie Gangarossa
Local 897
Tim Levandusky
Local 1250
Jeff Terry
Local 228
Subcouncil 5–Engine, Transmission and Powertrain
UAW-Ford
National Negotiating Committee, 2007, cont.
Johnny Verellen
Local 400
Subcouncil 5–Engine, Transmission and Powertrain
Jodey Dunn
Local 723
Subcouncil 6–Manufacturing
Dave Rodgers
Local 249
Subcouncil 7–Parts
UAW-Ford Salaried Workers
Jeff Leinenger
Local 400
Subcouncil 8–Salaried
Greg Dunn
Local 1970
Robin Burnett
Local 1970
Gene Willi
Local 245
Mike Osborne
Local 600
Sue Kinnick
Local 600
Kevin Tripi
Local 228
UAW-General Motors
Bill King, Chairperson
UAW Local 659
Harold Meinecke, Co-Chairperson
UAW Local 651
Subcouncil 5–Components
Judith Bryson, Recording Secretary
UAW Local 2123
Subcouncil 3–Powertrain
Chuck Davenport
UAW Local 2404
Subcouncil 1–Service Parts Operations (SPO)
John Melton
UAW Local 31
Subcouncil 2–Car Assembly
John Dohner, Jr.
UAW Local 95
Subcouncil 2–Truck Assembly
Jim Mull
UAW Local 735
Fred Adams
UAW Local 909
Matt Teachenor
UAW Local 1292
Dan Maloney
UAW Local 1097
Subcouncil 5–Components
Larry Erickson
UAW Local 160
UAW-GM Salaried Workers
Kevin Obriot, Chair
UAW Local 1374
Rochelle Wonch, Vice chair
UAW Local 1811
Denis Agosta, Vice chair
UAW Local 1869
UAW-represented worksites
UAW Chrysler
Production and Maintenance
Local Union
7
*12
51
51
72
110
122
136
140
140
212
212
212
372
412
412
624
685
869
961
1166
1183
1264
1268
1435
1700
Plant Name
Jefferson North
Toledo North
Chrysler-Mack Avenue Engine
Chrysler-Mack Ave II Engine
Kenosha Engine
St. Louis Assembly Plant II–South
Twinsburg Stamping
St. Louis Assembly North
Warren Truck Assembly
Sterling Emissions
Chrysler Transport
Mt. Elliott Tool & Die
Conner Avenue Assembly
Trenton Engine
Unit 14—Chrysler Center
Unit 15—Chrysler Center
New Process Gear
Kokomo/Indiana Transmission
Warren Stamping
Detroit Axle
Kokomo Casting
Newark Assembly
Sterling Heights Stamping
Belvidere Assembly
Toledo Machining
Sterling Heights Assembly
City, State
Detroit
Toledo, Ohio
Detroit
Detroit
Kenosha, Wis.
Fenton, Mo.
Twinsburg, Ohio.
Fenton, Mo.
Warren, Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Detroit
Detroit
Detroit
Trenton, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Syracuse, N.Y.
Kokomo, Ind.
Warren, Mich.
Detroit
Kokomo, Ind.
Newark, Del.
Sterling Heights, Mich.
Belvidere, Ill.
Perrysburg, Ohio
*Not covered by the UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Agreement
UAW Chrysler
Components & Parts Distribution
Local Union
75
76
125
186
230
375
404
422
492
509
573
868
1086
1178
1248
1649
2360
3039
Plant Name
Milwaukee National Parts Distribution
Center (PDC)
San Francisco PDC
Minneapolis PDC
Denver PDC
Los Angeles PDC
Marysville National PDC
Newark PDC
Boston PDC
Portland PDC
Fontana PDC
Cleveland PDC
Atlanta PDC
Memphis PDC
Chicago PDC
Center Line National PDC
Orlando PDC
Dallas PDC
New York PDC
City, State
Milwaukee
Fremont, Calif.
St. Paul, Minn.
Golden, Colo.
Ontario, Calif.
Marysville, Mich.
Newark, Del.
Framingham, Mass.
Troutdale, Ore.
Fontana, CA
Garrettsville, Ohio
Conyers, Ga.
Memphis, Tenn.
Northlake, Ill.
Center Line, Mich.
Orlando, Fla.
Carrollton, Texas
Tappan, N.Y.
UAW Chrysler
Engineering
Local Union
*12
72
212
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
412
509
509
573
597
1212
Plant Name
Toledo North
Kenosha Engine Engineering
Advance Manufacture Engineering
Unit 1—Product Planning and Dev.
Unit 02—Jefferson Assembly
Unit 07—Sterling Stamping
Unit 09—Mack Avenue Engine
Unit 10—Technical
Unit 11—Product Planning,
Cost Estimators
Unit 1—Product Planning and Dev.
Unit 14—Engineering Staff/Body/Maint.
Unit 15—Engineering Staff/Custodial
Unit 17—Warren Truck Assembly
Unit 18—Warren Stamping
Unit 21—Detroit Axle
Unit 23—Center Line—Mopar
Unit 25—Trenton Engine
Unit 32—Automotive Sales Group
Unit 51—Sterling Heights Assembly
Unit 53—Warren Office
Unit 57—LU 1650 Detroit Area Nurses
Arizona Proving Grounds
Chrysler Pacifica Operations
Twinsburg Stamping
St. Louis Assembly
Newark Assembly
City, State
Toledo, Ohio
Kenosha, Wis.
Detroit
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Detroit
Detroit
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Detroit
Center Line, Mich.
Trenton, Mich.
Auburn Hills , Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Wittmann, Ariz.
Carlsbad, Calif.
Twinsburg, Ohio
Fenton, Mo.
Newark, Del.
*Not covered by the UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Agreement
1284
1302
1302
1435
1761
2149
Chelsea Proving Grounds
Kokomo Transmission
Kokomo Casting
Toledo Machining
Belvidere Assembly
New Process Gear
Chelsea, Mich.
Kokomo, Ind.
Kokomo, Ind.
Toledo, Ohio
Belvidere, Ill.
Syracuse, N.Y.
*Not covered by UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Agreement
UAW Chrysler
Office and Clerical
Local Union
*12
72
75
125
186
212
212
230
422
573
573
597
889
889
889
889
889
889
Plant Name
Toledo North
Kenosha Engine
Milwaukee Parts Depot
Minneapolis Parts
Minneapolis Regional, Sales & Service
Denver Parts
O.D.M.T.C.
Chrysler Transport
Los Angeles Parts Depot
Chrysler Parts—Boston
Twinsburg
Cleveland Parts
St. Louis Assembly #2, No. and So.
Warren Truck Assembly
Warren Heights Stamping
Sterling Heights Stamping
Sterling Assembly
Jefferson North Assembly
Mack Avenue Engine
City, State
Toledo, Ohio
Kenosha, Wis.
Milwaukee
St. Paul, Minn.
St. Paul, Minn.
Golden, Colo.
Detroit
Detroit
Ontario, Calif.
Framingham, Mass.
Twinsburg, Ohio
Garrettsville, Ohio
Fenton, Mo.
Warren, Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Detroit
Detroit
UAW Chrysler
Office and Clerical, cont.
889
Trenton Engine
Trenton, Mich.
889
889
889
889
889
Detroit Axle
Center Line Parts—Mopar
Marysville Parts
Chrysler Center U.S. Automotive Sales
Manufacturing Group Accounting
889
889
889
Warranty Claims
International Supply Operations
CTC UNIT:
Production Prog. and Material Control
Chrysler Center Reproduction
and General Services
Chrysler Center Tech Computer
Operations
Chrysler Financial
Chrysler Center Telephone Operators
Memphis Parts
Newark Assembly
Newark Parts
Kokomo Casting
Kokomo Transmission
Toledo Machining
Orlando Parts
Belvidere Assembly
New Process Gear
Dallas Parts
New York Parts Depot
Detroit
Center Line, Mich.
Marysville, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills &
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
889*
1086
1212
1212
1302
1302
1435
1649
1761
2149
2360
3039
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Auburn Hills, Mich.
Memphis, Tenn.
Newark, Del.
Newark, Del.
Kokomo, Ind.
Kokomo, Ind.
Toledo, Ohio
Orlando, Fla.
Belvidere, Ill.
Syracuse, N.Y.
Carrollton, Texas
Tappan, N.Y.
*Not covered by UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Agreement
UAW Ford
Production, Maintenance and Parts Depots
Local Union
76
182
186
228
245
249
387
400
420
492
509
551
588
600
Plant Name
Manteca
Livonia Transmission
Denver Parts Depot
Sterling Axle
Dearborn R & E
Kansas City Assembly
Woodhaven Stamping
Vulcan Forge/Woodhaven Forge
Highland Park
Michigan Proving Grounds
Romeo Engine
Walton Hills Stamping
Portland Parts
Ontario Parts
Phoenix Parts
Chicago Assembly
Chicago Stamping
Brownstown Parts
Central Medical
Dearborn Engine
Dearborn Stamping
Dearborn Truck
Diversified Manufacturing Products
Maintenance & Construction
National Parts/Detroit Parts
Tool & Die
Transportation
City, State
Manteca, Calif.
Livonia, Mich.
Denver
Dearborn, Mich.
Claycomo, Mo.
Woodhaven, Mich.
Woodhaven, Mich.
Highland Park, Mich.
Romeo, Mich.
Romeo, Mich.
Walton Hills, Ohio
Portland, Ohio
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Phoenix, Ariz.
Chicago
Chicago Heights, Ill.
Brownstown, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
Dearborn, Mich.
UAW Ford
Production, Maintenance and Parts Depots
Local Union
788
862
863
864
870
879
882
897
898
900
919
931
1219
1250
2000
2210
2280
3000
3036
3519
Plant Name
Lakeland PDC
Kentucky Truck
Louisville Assembly
Evansville HVC
Sharonville Transmission
Batavia
Houston Parts Depot
Fort Worth PDC
Twin Cities Assembly
Twin Cities HVC
Atlanta Parts
Buffalo Stamping
Rawsonville
Wayne Assembly
Michigan Truck
Wayne Integral Stamping
Norfolk Assembly
New Models Program Development Center
Lima Engine Plant
Casting Plant
Cleveland Engine #1
Cleveland Engine #2
Ohio Assembly
New York PDC
Van Dyke
Auto Alliance International
Memphis Parts Depot
Washington, D.C. HVC
City, State
Davenport, Fla.
Louisville, Ky.
Louisville, Ky.
Princeton, Ind.
Sharonville, Ohio
Batavia, Ohio
Houston, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
St. Paul, Minn.
Menomonee, Wis.
McDonough, Ga.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Ypsilanti, Mich.
Wayne, Mich.
Wayne, Mich.
Wayne, Mich.
Norfolk, Va.
Dearborn, Mich.
Lima, Ohio
Brook Park, Ohio
Cleveland
Brook Park, Ohio
Avon Lake, Ohio
Cranbury, N.J.
Utica, Mich.
Flat Rock, Mich.
Memphis, Tenn.
Winchester, Va.
UAW Ford
Salaried
Local Union
245
249
400
400
600
862
862
863
863
879
1250
1970
2000
2210
Plant Name
Air Transportation
Kansas City – Nurses
Michigan Proving Grounds – Nurses
Romeo Engine – Nurses
Nurses: Detroit Parts, Livonia, Michigan
Truck, Monroe, National PDC, Rawsonville,
Research & Engineering, Saline, Sterling
Heights, Utica, Van Dyke, Vehicle
Operations, Woodhaven,Ypsilanti
Lousville Assembly – Nurses
Kentucky Truck – Nurses
Sharonville – Nurses
Batavia – Nurses
Twin Cities – Nurses
Brook Park Cleveland – Nurses
Product Development Center/
Central Lab, Dupont
Ohio Assembly – Nurses
New York PDC – Nurses
City, State
Detroit
Kansas City, Mo.
Romeo, Mich.
Romeo, Mich.
Louisville, Ky.
Louisville, Ky.
Sharonville, Ohio
Batavia, Ohio
St. Paul, Minn.
Brook Park, Ohio
Wilmington, Del.
Avon Lake, Ohio
Teterboro, N.J.
UAW Ford
Automotive Components Holdings
Local Union
400
600
723
737
845
849
892
1111
1216
1895
Plant Name
Utica Trim
Milan
Monroe Stamping
Nashville Glass
Sheldon Road
Ypsilanti
Saline
Indianapolis
Sandusky Plastics
Tulsa Glass Plant
City, State
Utica, Mich.
Milan, Mich.
Monroe, Mich.
Nashville, Tenn.
Canton, Mich.
Ypsilanti, Mich.
Saline, Mich.
Indianapolis
Sandusky, Ohio
Tulsa, Okla.
UAW General Motors
Vehicle Manufacturing and Operations
Local Union
10
22
31
95
160
239
276
435
594
595
598
599
602
652
653
933
1112
1618
1853
1999
2164
2166
2209
2250
5960
Plant Name
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg. Detroit Cadillac
GM Vehicle Mfg. Fairfax/
Kansas City
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Operations
Tech Center
Baltimore Allison Transmission
Vehicle Operations & Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Powertrain
GM Vehicle Mfg.–
Lansing Car Assembly
GM Vehicle Mfg.–Lansing Engine
Milford Proving Grounds
GM Vehicle Operations–
Indianapolis Transmission
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.–Lansing Craft Center
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
GM Vehicle Mfg.
City, State
Doraville, Ga.
Detroit
Kansas City, Mo.
Janesville, Wis.
Warren, Mich.
Baltimore
Arlington, Texas
Wilmington, Del.
Pontiac, Mich.
Linden, N.J.
Flint, Mich.
Flint, Mich.
Lansing, Mich.
Lansing, Mich.
Milford, Mich.
Indianapolis
Lordstown, Ohio
Lansing, Mich.
Spring Hill, Tenn.
Oklahoma City
Bowling Green, Ky.
Shreveport, La.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Wentzville, Mo.
Orion, Mich.
UAW General Motors
Powertrain
Local Union
14
22
163
211
362
440
455
465
659
668
735
909
2123
Plant Name
GM Powertrain
GM Powertrain
GM Powertrain
GM Powertrain–Foundry
GM Powertrain
GM Powertrain
GM Powertrain
GM Powertrain
GM Powertrain
City, State
Toledo, Ohio
Livonia, Mich.
Romulus, Mich.
Defiance, Ohio
Bay City, Mich.
Bedford, Ind.
Saginaw, Mich.
Massena, N.Y.
Flint, Mich.
Saginaw, Mich.
Willow Run/Ypsilanti, Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Fredericksburg, Va.
UAW General Motors
Metal Fabricating
Local Union
23
544
549
653
659
659
730
977
1005
1292
1714
Plant Name
Metal Fab Operations
Metal Fab Operations–
Die Management Group
Flint Tool & Die Unit
City, State
Indianapolis
Pittsburgh
Mansfield, Ohio
Pontiac, Mich.
Flint, Mich.
Flint, Mich.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Marion, Ind.
Parma, Ohio
Grand Blanc, Mich.
Lordstown, Ohio
UAW General Motors
Service Parts Operations
Local Union
25
174
174
323
422
431
492
653
653
659
Plant Name
City, State
St. Louis, Mo.
Willow Run/Ypsilanti, Mich.
Livonia, Mich.
Jacksonville, Fla.
Boston
Denver
Portland, Ore.
Drayton Plains, Mich.
Pontiac, Mich.
Flint, Mich.
UAW General Motors
Service Parts Operations, cont.
Local Union
674
722
816
969
1590
1753
2114
2162
2177
2402
2404
2406
6645
6645
Plant Name
Service Parts Operations–AC Delco
City, State
Cincinnati
Minneapolis
Fort Worth, Texas
Columbus, Ohio
Martinsburg, Va.
Lansing, Mich.
Chicago
Reno, Nev.
Philadelphia
Jackson, Mo.
Charlotte, N.C.
Memphis, Tenn.
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Fontana, Calif.
UAW General Motors
Salaried Workers
Local Union
774
1374
1810
22
22
1811
1811
1869
2250
909
22
2209
Plant Name
GM Tonawanda Medical
GM Vehicle Operations–GMATS
GM Vehicle Operations–Nurses
GM Powertrain–Nurses
GM Powertrain–Nurses
GM Vehicle Operations–Medical
GM Vehicle Operations–Design
GM Vehicle Mfg. Wentzville–Medical
GM Powertrain–Medical
City, State
Tonawanda, N.Y.
Romulus, Mich.
Pontiac, Mich.
Livonia, Mich.
Romulus, Mich.
Flint, Mich.
Lansing, Mich.
Warren, Mich.
Wentzville, Mo.
Warren, Mich.
Hamtramck, Mich.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Biographies of UAW officers
PRESIDENT RON GETTELFINGER
Ron Gettelfinger was elected to a second term as
president of the UAW on June 14, 2006, at the UAW’s 34th
Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas. He was first
elected to the union’s top leadership post at the 33rd
Constitutional Convention in 2002.
Gettelfinger is an outspoken advocate for national singlepayer health care that would make health care accessible
and affordable for every man, woman and child in the United States. In January
2006, he called for a “Marshall Plan” to renew America’s industrial base through
incentives to manufacture energy-saving advanced technology vehicles and their
key components in the United States.
Under Gettelfinger’s leadership, the UAW has continued its fight for fair trade
agreements that include provisions for workers’ rights and environmental
provisions; and the union has loudly criticized the corporate global chase for the
lowest wage that creates a race to the bottom that no workers in any country
can win.
For six years he served as the elected director of UAW Region 3, which represents
UAW members in Indiana and Kentucky, before being elected a UAW vice president
in 1998. A member of UAW Local 862 since 1964, Gettelfinger is proud to be called a
chassis line repairman. The workers at Ford’s Louisville Assembly plant elected
Gettelfinger to represent them as committeeperson, bargaining chair and president.
Ron is a graduate of Indiana University. He and his wife, Judy, are the proud parents
of two adult children, and they also have four grandchildren.
SECRETARY-TREASURER ELIZABETH BUNN
Elizabeth Bunn was elected to a second term as secretary-treasurer of
the UAW — the highest post held by a woman in the union’s history
— on June 14, 2006, at the 34th Constitutional Convention in Las
Vegas.
As secretary-treasurer, Bunn is the chief financial officer of the
UAW and directs various administrative departments including
Accounting, Auditing, Building Maintenance, Circulation,
Purchasing and Strike Assistance.
In addition, Bunn directs the UAW Technical, Office and Professional (TOP) Organizing
Department, a post she has held since she was elected vice president of the union in 1998.
Soon after her first election as secretary-treasurer, Bunn led a four-year campaign to organize
academic student workers at the University of Washington and a successful effort to change
state law to allow student workers to organize.
Director of the UAW Women’s Department, Bunn created the union’s Woman-to-Woman
campaign that helped elect and re-elect U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and Michigan Gov.
Jennifer Granholm.
Upon her election as vice president, then-President Stephen P. Yokich put Bunn’s collective
bargaining, political action and leadership skills to work with a number of key duties. In
addition to her assignment as head of TOP Organizing and Servicing, she also served as
director of the UAW Competitive Shop/Independents, Parts and Suppliers (IPS) Department.
Other assignments during her term as vice president included the Consumer Affairs, Conservation and Recreation departments of the union. With President Yokich’s support, she created
and headed the UAW’s Work & Family Resource Unit, the only such technical department in
any international union.
As head of organizing and servicing for UAW TOP workers, Bunn led the union to many
breakthroughs. Overcoming significant legal and other obstacles, she won bargaining rights
for more than 18,000 academic workers at both public and private colleges and universities.
Responding to the needs of health care workers, she led campaigns that won collective
bargaining for 6,000 new members at health care facilities in Ohio and Michigan.
At the collective bargaining table, she played a key role in negotiating the first contract for
gaming employees at Detroit’s three casinos. She bargained innovative and substantial
contracts for TOP members at Blue Cross Blue Shield, the State of Michigan, the State of
Indiana and many other employers.
As the UAW’s bargaining leader for Competitive Shop/IPS, she negotiated national contracts
for UAW members at Dana, Alcoa, Exide, Federal-Mogul, Doehler-Jarvis, JCI Battery, Bosch,
Budd and other employers. Despite adverse conditions in that sector, she won wage increases,
improved pensions and protected health care benefits and improved employer neutrality
provisions. She worked with the National Organizing Department to win card check
recognitions at several facilities of the Lear, Johnson Controls and JAC Products companies.
As a member of the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO, Bunn has been an eloquent voice for
the interests of industrial workers in auto and other industries.
Bunn was a member of the National Writers Union prior to its 1991 affiliation to the UAW as
UAW Local 1981. As head of the TOP Department, she provided critical support to Local 1981’s
long legal struggle to protect copyrights on the Internet.
Bunn was appointed an administrative assistant to UAW President Stephen P. Yokich on June
20, 1995. Previously, she was appointed in 1985 by then-UAW President Owen Bieber as an
associate general counsel of the UAW assigned to the President’s Office. In that assignment,
Bunn played an important role in both organizing and negotiating collective bargaining
agreements for UAW Local 6000 (State of Michigan employees), UAW Local 9212 (State of
Indiana employees), Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and other TOP units.
She has been a leader of bargaining teams that have achieved many collective bargaining
breakthroughs. Highlights include innovative programs for families including child and
elder care referral services, parental leaves for school events and the creation of sick banks
that allow workers to share leave time with other workers facing family emergencies; “fair
share” union representation for state employees in Indiana; improved pay equity protections
for state workers in Michigan, and joint training and health and safety programs modeled on
the UAW’s Big 3 contracts for public sector workers . She has also been an outspoken
advocate for service workers on a broad range of public policy issues.
Bunn holds a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Wayne State
University Law School.
Bunn is a longtime member of the Michigan Democratic Party and sits on the Democratic
National Committee. She is a lifetime member of the NAACP, a member of the Coalition of
Labor Union Women, and is active in a variety of civic and community organizations.
She resides in Detroit with her family.
VICE PRESIDENT GENERAL HOLIEFIELD
General Holiefield was elected a vice president of the UAW on
June 14, 2006 by the delegates to the union’s 34th Constitutional
Convention. He directs the DaimlerChrysler and Heavy Trucks
departments.
A UAW member for 33 years, Holiefield served as executive administrative assistant to UAW President Ron Gettelfinger from June 2004
until his election as vice president. He is the first African-American
to serve in the union’s top staff position.
Prior to that, Holiefield served two years as an administrative assistant to Vice President Nate
Gooden, who directed the UAW DaimlerChrysler Department. In the UAW’s successful 2003
national negotiations with DaimlerChrysler, Holiefield coordinated the national negotiating
committees and staff assignments and played a major role in ratifying the national agreement.
Holiefield was appointed to the staff of the UAW in 1995 by then-President Stephen P. Yokich
and assigned to the union’s Chrysler Department, then directed by Vice President Jack
Laskowski. As a servicing representative, he worked closely with UAW members and local
union leaders at Chrysler manufacturing and parts plants in Michigan and Indiana.
In July 1997, Vice President Laskowski promoted Holiefield to the position of appeals
board coordinator, with responsibility for handling arbitration cases for the UAW Chrysler
Department.
In November 1999, Vice President Gooden named Holiefield as an assistant director of the
union’s DaimlerChrysler Department, and promoted him to administrative assistant in
April 2002.
Holiefield has been a UAW member since 1973, when he went to work at Chrysler’s Jefferson
assembly plant in Detroit. In 1975, he transferred to the Chrysler axle plant on the lower
east side of Detroit, where he quickly became active in UAW Local 961, working on various
standing committees, including the Civil Rights, Community Action Program (CAP), Union
Label, and Bylaws committees.
Recognizing his activism and leadership skills, UAW Local 961 members elected Holiefield
as their chief steward in 1987. He was elected vice president of his local union in 1990, and
became president two years later when his predecessor retired. He was elected a delegate to
the union’s 30th Constitutional Convention in 1992. In 1993, Local 961 members elected
Holiefield president and bargaining chairperson by acclamation.
A longtime political and community activist, Holiefield is a member of the Michigan
Democratic Party, a Life member of the NAACP and a member of the UAW Legal Services
Board.
General and his wife Marlene, who live in Macomb County, Mich., are the proud parents of
three adult children — daughter Shaelyn and sons Chalfonte and General Jr. An avid car buff,
General also enjoys riding horses, fishing and motorcycling.
Holiefield was born on June 6, 1953, in Middletown, Ohio.
VICE PRESIDENT BOB KING
Bob King was elected to a third term as vice president of the UAW
on June 14, 2006, at the union’s 34th Constitutional Convention in
Las Vegas.
King directs the Ford, Severstal, and Independents, Parts and Suppliers/Competitive Shops Departments. He was first elected a UAW vice
president in 1998 and assigned to lead the union’s National Organizing Department. He was re-elected in 2002.
With King’s leadership and with strong support from UAW local unions, regions and
departments, the National Organizing Department organized more than 50,000 industrial
workers between June 1998 and June 2002. A key to the UAW’s success during this period was
the use of innovative partnership neutrality and card check agreements that King pioneered
with 11 major automotive suppliers, covering more than 36,000 workers. These agreements
include employer neutrality during organizing drives, and fast and fair card-check election
procedures.
In his second term as vice president, King also directed the UAW Competitive Shop/Independents, Parts and Suppliers (IPS) Department, representing members in auto parts and other
manufacturing industries. In this role he has continued to champion the critical importance of
strategic organizing by component and more consistent pattern bargaining by component
throughout the UAW. King advocates strongly that the more power we have the more justice
we win and the immense importance of strategic organizing to building power.
Prior to his service as vice president, King was elected to three terms (1989-1998) as director
of Region 1A, which covers nearly all of Wayne, Monroe and Washtenaw counties in Michigan.
He joined UAW Local 600 in 1970 when he was hired at Ford Motor Co.’s Detroit Parts Depot
and began his electrical apprenticeship in 1972. King, a member of the UAW International
Skilled Trades Advisory Committee, was elected vice president of Local 600 in 1981 and
president in 1984. He was reelected in 1987 and was chair of the UAW-Ford Negotiating
Committee.
King has always involved members in standing up for social and economic justice. Region 1A
gave strong backing to Detroit newspaper strikers and locked-out workers. King himself was
arrested for civil disobedience in the face of illegal and anti-worker actions of newspaper
management. He set up region-wide networks to stand behind workers in other nations, from
Mexico and Central America to South Africa and Haiti. He is a firm believer in union education, including strategic planning for local union leaders.
King was one of the original members of the AFL-CIO Elected Leader Task Force on Organizing.
He also founded the region-wide International Labor Solidarity Network.
A 1968 graduate of the University of Michigan, King received his law degree in 1973 from the
University of Detroit. He served in the U.S. Army from 1968-1970. King is a life member of the
NAACP, a Michigan Democratic Party precinct delegate, and a member of the Coalition of Labor
Union Women.
Born on August 18, 1946, he lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his wife, Moe Fitzsimons and
together they have five children: Jennifer, Kathlene, Jackson, Bernadette and Will.
VICE PRESIDENT CAL RAPSON
Cal Rapson was elected to a second term as a vice president of the
UAW on June 14, 2006, at the union’s 34th Constitutional Convention
in Las Vegas.
Rapson directs the UAW’s General Motors, Delphi, Skilled Trades
and Veterans Departments.
In his first term as vice president, Rapson directed the UAW Aerospace, Agricultural Implement and General Dynamics Departments, as well as departments
representing UAW members at Guide Corp., Lear and American Axle.
In addition, Rapson headed the UAW Skilled Trades Department and the UAW Veterans
Department.
Rapson previously served as director of UAW Region 1C, a post he was elected to in 1998. The
region, which has its headquarters in Flint, covers an 11-county area of south central Michigan.
In 1989, Rapson was appointed by then-UAW Vice President Stephen P. Yokich as an administrative assistant in the union’s General Motors Department, and played a key role in negotiating the 1990 and 1993 national agreements at GM. He served as coordinator of Active Training
Programs at the UAW-GM Human Resources Center in 1988, following six years as an international representative servicing various GM groups and plants. He was assistant director of
Region 1C from 1995 to 1998.
Rapson has been a UAW member since 1965 when he joined Local 659 at the Chevrolet Engine
plant in Flint, Michigan. He is a graduate of the UAW-GM apprenticeship program and holds a
machine repair/machinist skilled trades journeyman’s card.
His union activism led to various elected positions in Local 659, and in 1978 he was elected
chair of the UAW-GM Skilled Trades Sub-Council 9, a post he held until his 1981 election as top
negotiator of Sub-Council 9. In 1982 he was elected as chair of the negotiating team that successfully bargained the 1982 master agreement between UAW and GM.
Rapson is a staunch Michigan State University fan. Born on December 30, 1944, he is married to
wife Sandie and the father of four daughters: Julie, a member of UAW Local 1853; Debbie, at
UAW Local 2280; Amie, at UAW Local 2031, Krista, and one stepdaughter, Becky. He has six
grandchildren. His motto is, “Never give up.”
VICE PRESIDENT JAMES SETTLES
James Settles Jr. was elected a vice president of the UAW on June
14, 2006, at the union’s 34th Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas.
He directs the UAW Aerospace, Agricultural Implements, American
Axle, Guide and Transnational departments, as well as servicing for
the Technical, Office and Professional (TOP) Department servicing.
Settles has served on the UAW International Executive Board since
June 2002, when he was elected director of UAW Region 1A.
As Region 1A director, Settles played a lead role in successful organizing campaigns at such
automotive parts suppliers as Johnson Controls, Arvin Meritor, GKN Sinter Metals, ACI,
Bridgewater Interiors and Hollingsworth. He also was part of the UAW team in negotiations
with Detroit Diesel and the State of Michigan.
He was appointed to the staff of the UAW in 1992 as a servicing representative in Region 1A.
Settles began his career as a trade union activist in 1968, when he joined UAW Local 600 upon
starting work at Ford Motor Co.’s Dearborn Iron Foundry and Michigan Casting Center.
He was elected to positions of increasing responsibility by his co-workers, starting in 1970 with
his election to the General Council of Local 600, an amalgamated local union. In 1973, he was
elected district committeeperson and unit recording secretary. Two years later, he was elected
unit vice president and district committeeperson and in 1977 he was elected bargaining committeeman and vice president. In 1980, his co-workers elected Settles as unit president. He was also
elected as a delegate to the UAW Constitutional Conventions in 1974, 1977 and 1980.
Settles was appointed to the UAW Local 600 staff in 1982; he served as staff director in 1983 and
as administrative assistant in 1984. UAW Local 600 members elected Settles recording secretary
in 1987 and first vice president in 1990. He was a member of the UAW-Ford National Negotiating Committee in 1990.
A longtime political activist and Democratic precinct delegate, Settles has worked on numerous
campaigns for progressive candidates and causes in southeast Michigan. In 2006, he served on
the Inaugural Committee for Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
A Detroit native, Settles is active in a wide range of community and civic organizations. He is a
member of the Detroit-Wayne County Board of Airport Authority, the Trade Union Leadership
Council, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, the second vice president of the NAACP of the
Detroit Chapter, the Detroit Public School Compact Association at McMichael Middle School,
the Warren/Conner Board of Directors and TULC Housing Board of Directors. He is a former
member of the board of the Rouge Employees Credit Union.
Settles is a recipient of the Nelson Jack Edwards Award, named in honor of the former UAW
vice president, and the Man of the Year Award from the Young Women’s Christian Association
(YWCA). He attends Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.
Settles and his wife, Karen, live in Detroit. He has three children – James III, Jamelle and
Ashlynn, and is stepfather to Dennis, Anthony and Derrick Yancy.
Settles was born in Detroit on January 31, 1950. He graduated from Detroit ’s Northwestern
High School and attended Wayne State University and the Detroit Institute of Technology.
VICE PRESIDENT TERRY THURMAN
Terry Thurman was elected a vice president of the UAW on June 14,
2006, at the 34th Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas. He directs
the union’s National Organizing Department.
Thurman has served on the union’s International Executive Board
since June 1998, when he was elected to the first of his two terms as
director of UAW Region 3, which covers Indiana and Kentucky.
As Region 3 director, Thurman has represented UAW members in every sector of the union in
collective bargaining, political action and community service.
An innovative bargainer, Thurman negotiated some of the UAW’s first card-check and neutrality agreements. As regional director, he also earned a reputation for never backing away from
tough fights. When automotive parts supplier Delco Remy America closed its Anderson, Ind.,
plant in 2003 and refused to pay 350 workers the Supplemental Unemployment Benefits (SUB)
as provided by the contract, Thurman led the fight that resulted in the company agreeing in
January 2006 to pay the workers $5.25 million. He also led the nearly eight-year struggle for a
first contract for UAW members at Duffy Tool & Stamping in Muncie, Ind.
Thurman’s commitment to the UAW’s tradition of community service is reflected is his creation
of the Director’s Charitable Fund, a non-profit organization that has helped raise more than
$350,000 for the children’s charity, Make-A-Wish.
He also started the UAW Region 3 Annual Diversity Dinner and Awards program, which
recognizes UAW members and non-members through the James Smith Diversity Award for
their commitment to equality, tolerance and human dignity.
Thurman was appointed to the staff of the UAW in August 1986, when he was assigned to help
negotiate contracts, handle arbitration cases, conduct education classes and service local unions
in Indiana and Kentucky. In 1995, he became the region’s Community Action Program (CAP)
representative; CAP is the political action arm of the UAW.
Thurman has been a UAW member since 1978 when he joined UAW Local 440 at the General
Motors Powertrain facility in Bedford, Ind. His union activism and leadership abilities led to
many appointed and elected positions in the local, including alternate committeeperson,
committeeperson and, in 1984, president of Local 440. He also served as an officer of GM
Subcouncil 5 and was chair of the Region 3 GM Shop Committee Council.
Interested in politics since his youth, Thurman received a B. A. degree in Political Science from
Indiana University in 1973. He has worked in numerous campaigns in Indiana and Kentucky,
and has served as a Democratic Party county chairperson, a member of the Democratic
National Committee and as a delegate to state and national Democratic Party conventions.
Thurman has received numerous awards, including Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana’s highest
honor; Kentucky Colonel; the Indiana Trial Lawyers’ Hoosier Freedom Award, and awards
from the NAACP, the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and the A. Philip Randolph Institute.
Terry and his wife Connie, a UAW member and CAP representative for Region 3, have three
grandchildren.
Thurman was born in Bedford, Ind., on July 19, 1950.
Media resources
Additional information
Summaries of the 2003 national agreements between the UAW and Chrysler, Ford and General
Motors can be found on the UAW Web site at www.uaw.org/contracts.
Media contacts
Roger Kerson
Director, UAW Public Relations
313.926.5298
cell: 734.645.0535
rkerson@uaw.net
Christine Moroski
Assistant Director, UAW Public Relations
313.926.5294
cell: 313.701.7638
cmoroski@uaw.net
Photo credits
1–Roy Ritchie; 4–Daymon Hartley; 8–Chris Volk; 12–Larry Ladig; 16–Roy Ritchie;
20–Gary John Norman; 24–tk; 28–Roy Ritchie.