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W.E./Skilled Trades Update
I am sure that you are all aware of the existing conditions in
each of our own departments. We wish we could say that these are
isolated incidents but they are not. They are plant wide and continuing
to fester and grow. From the lack of manpower, lack of parts, lack of
time given to repair equipment, contracting out daily work, I could go
on and on. For months now we have been bringing these issues up to
management and for months they seem to fall on deaf ears.
The increase in manpower
continues to be a high priority. From Jan 2nd to June 1st
there were 95 working days excluding weekends. Out of those 95 days, 73
of them had an outside contractor on the lot doing our day to day
maintenance. We had one of our Electricians ask to have 2 other
Electricians assist him in pulling wire on the 2503 HT furnace. The
company’s response was to contract out this work and stated insufficient
manpower to complete the job in a timely manner. This was a job during
the week that required 3 Electricians and we didn’t have the manpower
when we had everyone on the lot. How is that I ask? In the company’s
eyes the plant is split between AFE and AWTP but we are a shared
resource and can be assigned anywhere. We have reminded them of this on
several occasions but still they don’t get it. The Boiler House, FMS and
the Tool Makers are extremely undermanned and are continuing to shrink
but if you ask the company they will tell you that their indirect labor
is too high. Well, indirect labor includes salary and if you ask me that
is where they are way too fat and need to be trimmed down a bit.
The 104 tool crib, or lack
there of, is constantly a topic of discussion. Well, at least its
constantly brought up by us and ignored by the company. Since January we
have been trying to get the grease drums supplied and they still are
empty. Hose, hose clamps, fittings, valves, quick disconnects, nuts and
bolts, you name it, we don’t have it. The company complains why it takes
so long to repair a breakdown but doesn’t supply us with the parts we
need. When we address these issues it is either ignored or pawned off on
someone else that we can’t get an answer from. We are continuing to do
whatever we can to maintain the crib but it seems that the local union
is more concerned about it being stocked than the company does.
Not wanting to stop production for repairs is also out of
control. We are told “it isn’t leaking that bad, keep running”. A 4500
psi leak isn’t that bad? That’s the mentality around here anymore. We
pump out thousands of gallons of water out of the basements only to put
thousands of gallons of water back in the storage tanks. We have
basements full of phosphate ester oil, thousands of gallons, but
management cries when they have to order oil to keep the presses
running. When asked about shutting down to repair any of these leaks we
get the standard answer that we are “x” amount behind and can’t afford
to stop. I understand we need to make wheels but at what cost and how
much more money could we be making if we weren’t wasting money on things
that we can control but choose not to.
These are just some of the outstanding issues that we are dealing
with every day. The W.E. and Bargaining Committee are constantly putting
out fires and trying to keep the company from getting out of control. It
is a constant battle around here and we will continue to do everything
in our power to ensure the company doesn’t overstep the CBA and will
remain committed to doing whatever it takes to make this happen.In Solidarity,
John Kordeleski
UAW Local 1050
WE/Skilled Trades Chairman
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