SAFETY

I would like to start off with a little reminder about safety.  We lowered our recordables.  Last year there were 113, which was lower than the year before, but by any means not low enough. 

Sometimes we get in a hurry, or we take things for granted because we have done them so many times before.  Make sure you are aware of what’s going on around you brothers and sisters.  If you need to ask someone to make sure you are doing it safe, do just that.  Part of my job is to keep you safe, and I want you to walk out the door the same way you entered it.  Start the new year off right folks – be safe and have a good year!

TDO

On Tuesday, January 10, Marty Green and myself went to Pontiac Central to a meeting with the five TDO shops.  The Chairmen, some Shop Committee members, Jim DeLuca, James Gallagher, Mark Kelly, and a few others were there, along with Jim Scrimger. 

Marty put a letter on the floor, which he let me read and okay.  They didn’t really tell us anything we didn’t already know.  They have to scale down because they are only doing two programs this year – the 322 and 386.  They normally do 12 programs in a year, so you can see it is going to be slow this year.  They have not made any decisions to do anything yet, and they told us they want to

meet on a regular basis to get our input on how to fix the problem before someone steps in and helps us fix it. 

I promise to keep you informed, and together with my committee, make sure Grand Rapids comes out of this okay.  All we ask is for you, the workers, to keep us on top of the mountain with your work ethic so we have real bullets when we need to fight.  I will put this TDO Shop against anyone anywhere, because time and time again you have done the job!

DELUCA VISIT

Jim DeLuca, the MFG Manager, came to Grand Rapids on Wednesday, January 11.  The floor tour went well, as did the walk through 23 Bay as we watched 00-3 go up and down.  To say he was happy with what he saw would be an understatement.  A lot of people always ask me how this plant is sitting compared to other plants.  DeLuca told us that Guy Briggs, one of the Vice Presidents, is retiring and a person named Ken Lee is going to take his place.  Mr. Lee asked DeLuca to see one of his Stamping Plants and DeLuca told him to go to Grand Rapids.  When I tell you folks you make us look good, I’m not blowing smoke.  DeLuca likes our Teams and what he sees in 23 and 24 Bay.  He tells us all the time that he is impressed with what he sees on the floor and when he talks to the people on the floor.          

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He told me last month when he was here, “The proof is in the pudding.”  Mr. DeLuca has a lot of say on what comes into this plant.  So is this committee building a relationship with him?  Yes we are.  I like his style brothers and sisters, and all indications point to him as being a straight shooter.  He has told us he is going to make another announcement in the next month or so about new work coming to Grand Rapids.  So stay tuned folks.

NEW WORK

On that note, we are getting back a crew cab Rood from Flint (job code 6457) and it will be going back in CC-1.  Also, I have some dates for the weld cells, and when they will be coming into metal assembly. 

·        The dash will be here at the end of February.

·        The 4 bar will be here in March sometime.     

·        The rockeus will be coming in late April or early May.

·        The front fender rails will come in early May.

·        All this should be in place and running by mid to late May.

I’m told I’m not on the floor as much as I should be, but brothers and sisters, these are the kind of things I work on.  When I do have free time, it’s about the membership and this plant in that order.  I’m bugging the plant manager, or assistant plant manager, or engineering Don Slot, to see what’s out there.  I thank the Rop man and my committee for their help on this.

TIME CHANGE

This committee needs you to know that we do not support the time change in steel stores, but contractually management has the right to change it.

We told them if they are going to line it up like the press room, then we expect the same lunch and breaks as the press room.  The plant manager gave me his word they would do that.  We want to go on the record that this does not make sense, but under Paragraph 88, they can do it.  Time will tell on who’s right and who’s wrong!

TOWER

We have to sit down with management some time at the end of this month to determine what we are going to do and what we won’t do.  Remember folks, Vice President Shoemaker did an audit on GM before the health care issue.  That study confirmed what the paper, TV, and GM have been telling us… that GM is in financial trouble.  They cry wolf a lot, but as I told one member, “The wolf is at the door.”  We hope we get a chance to prove this is a one time project, like the MOU states, and that part of our job is securing your future and this plant’s future.

Louie Schreuder

Shop Chairman

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