We would like to start by thanking the entire membership and GM for allowing us the opportunity to be a part of this great educational experience.  This was the 108^th National PEL Program since its inception and was held at the new UAW/GM Human Resource Center in Detroit.  (For those of you who have yet to see this new building – I took a photo to share with you.)

We were given a lot of information in a short amount of time.  This program originally was a five week course in three different states and now is condensed into two weeks and held in Detroit due to budget restraints.  The Human Resource Center is only funded by overtime hours worked, and I don’t have to tell you the Center is in trouble because of no overtime for much of this year.  Classes ran from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

FIRST WEEK

Day One (Monday, July 25)  Topics Discussed

·        Day one was full of introductions and the history of the program was covered.  

·        Dr. Russ Eckel was our first speaker and was with us throughout the first week. 

·        On Monday we discussed rebuilding our union and our company. 

·        We talked about the split of the AFL-CIO and how they lost a third of their membership on July 26, 2005, and what an impact it would have. 

·        The rest of the day was spent talking about the history of the auto industry. 

Day Two (Tuesday, July 26)

Dr. Eckel

·        Discussed strategy with us.  He showed us how Wall Street works. 

·        The trade deficit in 2005 will be around $500 billion. 

·        In 1969, 93% of all goods were made in the USA.  In 2005, only 43% were made here.

Fact:  70% of workers today make less than they made 10 years ago.

·        Transplants are producing 3 million cars per year now. 

·        The rest of the day was centered around the financial markets and how they effect the way we do business.

Day Three (Wednesday, July 27)

Today the class was introduced to Professor Barry Bluestone.  Barry is a world renowned speaker and author and just finished his new book Growing the Prosperity.  His father, the famous Ervin Bluestone, was asked by Walter Reuther to work for the UAW, and later became a Vice President at the International level.  Barry spoke a lot about understanding the nuts and bolts of American economic growth.  Fact:  In 1950, Detroit was the wealthiest city in the country.

In the afternoon we had Jim Zubkus speak to our group.  Everybody just loved his style and approach.  He has to be in line for the best presenter out of the two week class.  He is just an awesome man.  Jim worked for GM 38 years as a manager in different areas and closed out his career as plant manager over several divisions.  Jim uses a unique leadership philosophy that is easy and efficient.  He talked about the 4 C’s.  They are:

1. Concerns
2. Communication
3. Consistency, and
4. Credibility

He uses a very common sense approach to everything.  GM should send all their salaried workforce to see Jim’s presentation.

Day Four (Thursday, July 28)

We went to the Edison Institute.  It was our first field trip!  Hooray!  We had a class in the library there first, and after that we toured the Henry Ford Museum.  This was very educational and everyone received a history lesson.  The day was wrapped up with a class on Economic Policy led by Barry Bluestone.

                                    -Page 1 of 3-

Day Five (Friday, July 29)

Dr. Eckel talked about Work and Technology.  “We are in control.  We need to use the Quantum Theory which means:  Many small brains.”  You don’t have to be considered a genius or have an extremely IQ to accomplish great things. The class closed with discussing goals and objectives and how we need to form alliances.

SECOND WEEK

Day One  (Monday, August 15)

Human Resource Planning at GM and Delphi

We started out the week by having Art Schwartz, the head of GM’s Human Resource Department speak to us about our legacy costs.  This was a real eye opener.  It’s huge.  GM has 433,000 retiree’s and Toyota has 142.  We talked about the NUMI plant in California, which is the joint venture between GM and Toyota and is represented by the UAW.  Art also showed us pictures of all the new and exciting 2006 products.  We also discussed the dollar and yen exchange rate.

The Auto Future

Then we heard from guest speaker Professor David E. Cole, Chairman of the Center for Automotive Research (and cousin to retired Gary Cole who worked in Material Handling).  He discussed the Keys to Success:

·        Effectiveness

·        Efficiency, and

·        Value

He talked to us about:

·        Collaboration between GM and the UAW and its suppliers.

·        About the not-so-good Delphi forecast

·        Tougher CAFÉ standards; “Green Is In” (hybrid)

·        Hand/Mind skills at community college verses big university demographics and what it means. 

·        He predicts that within our lifetime there will be only two automotive manufacturers:  GM and Toyota.

Comparative Analysis of Automotive Performance

Next up was the Vice President of Harbor Consulting, Laurie Felax.  She is the daughter of Jim Harbor, who is the company’s founder.  Jim left Chrysler Corporation in 1980 and his first report was out in late 1981-early 82, and was requested by the U.S. Government.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Harbor Report, they are known as Manufacturing Planners and we are included in all their reports – good and bad.  The Harbor Report is 30% of their business.  Topics discussed were:

·        Direct and Indirect Capital Investment:  How China and Thailand will be emerging into the market through 2012, and foot printing what companies must do to be the best: 

            Flexible Process          

            Lean Enterprise

            Metrics to Drive Behavior, and

            Product and Perception

Guest Speaker Owen Bieber

To close out the day, we were treated to hear former UAW International President Owen Bieber.  He talked about yesterday, today, and tomorrow; past, present, and future.  He spoke about his career:  the good, the bad, and the ugly.  I had a chance to speak with Owen after class about the workers at Electrolux in Greenville and the Lear plant on Alpine.  He said it’s a sad day for the UAW and we need to help those affected and to keep working to organize, organize, and organize.  

Day Two (Tuesday, August 16)

Tour of Tech Center

Today we toured the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan.  This trip was awesome! 

·        There are 22 buildings with over 20,000 people working there and encompasses one square mile.

·        We toured the Design Shop, Body Shop, Chassis Shop, and the Paint Shop. 

·        We saw a lot of future products and saw the new full size pick up truck. 

·        We watched prototype vehicles get built from the frame to completion.  Every car and truck had a camouflage cover on it so when they left the center, no one could tell what it really was.  (For all you 69 Camaro fans, watch for a prototype coming soon to a car show.  He told us not to mention it, but I couldn’t resist.)

·        Did I mention security?  Wow!  This center is locked down like Fort Knox.  I feel sorry for anyone who tries to steal or pirate our product information. 

-Page 2 of 3-

Beyond Lean Production

To close the day, Steve Babson, Professor from Wayne State University, gave a lecture on Labor Studies:

·        Lean Manufacturing

·        Collective Bargaining – All boats rise together

·        Wage and Hour Act of 1938 – Wage equals pay; not for free.

·        Shinto religion is the largest in Japan.

Day Three (Wednesday, August 17)

This was the highlight of my week.  We went to  Solidarity House and were introduced to our UAW International President Ron Gettelfinger.  This was an awesome experience that we will never forget.  Brother Gettelfinger took our group into his office and talked with us about:

·        Delphi, GM, and the UAW  

·        He stressed to us about buying American products and supporting Labor friendly politicians.

·        How important it is for members to get out and vote in every election.

·        Told us to help organize…organize…organize and to bring this message back to our Locals.

·        He took time to answer our questions and pose for photos.  He is a genuinely nice man that we can all be proud of. 

After that, we toured the rest of Solidarity House and talked to some of our International Representatives that came from Local 730.  Bonni Reffitt and Mark Kelly were busy working, but took time out for us.  They said to be sure to tell everyone here at the plant hello.  We missed Larry Smith and Tom Ford at Solidarity, but did run into Ron Bieber at the Human Resource Center, where we also have Local 730 members Jill Kahler, John Ringelberg, and Randy Hendrick.     

That afternoon we toured Delphi World Headquarters, which is made up of mostly offices.  They make a lot more products than I ever thought; for example:

·        Steering Components

·        Safety Components

·        Brake Parts

·        Sound Systems

·        Medical Supplies

·        Parts for Harley Davidson, John Deer, and Sea Ray Boats.  They are very diversified.

To close the day we enjoyed hearing from Milly Palmer. 

She was a very energetic and entertaining speaker, who spoke about Democracy and Capitalism in the U.S. and how China is communist.  Also about the working conditions in China and Bangladesh and the poor housing they have for their workers.  We were shown a film about this and what a sad situation it is.  So if you care about these people, one thing you can do is boycott Wal Mart.

Day Four (Thursday, August 18)

Today we spent the day with former Congressman David Bonior and his colleague Ed Bruley, who took us through the Bill Making Process.  This was very confusing, but interesting.  We spent a lot of time putting a bill together, trying to get it adopted, and then to pass.  Now I can see why it’s easier to change the day of a holiday rather than getting a bill to pass both houses and senate.

Day Five (Friday, August 19)

We wrapped up the last day of PEL with Milly Palmer once again.  We talked about the Northwest strike and the situation at Delphi.  We also did a SWOT (training) exercise that showed GM and the UAW’s internal weakness.  This was very interesting. 

Last but not least, we would like to acknowledge the outstanding job that all three administrators accomplished with this program:

Linda Payton, UAW PEL

Jim Boles, GM PEL

Beth Brown, Delphi PEL

In closing, this was by far the most educational experience that either one of us ever attended.

Respectfully submitted,

Greg Golembiewski, Trustee

Denise DeBoer, Alternate Benefit Rep