Spring 2008 - UAW-GM Center For Human Resources

people
>>
MALIBU UPS THE ANTE
GMnext
UAW-GM EXHIBITS HIT THE ROAD
UAW-GM
THE MAGAZINE OF THE UAW-GM CENTER FOR HUMAN RESOURCES
SPRING 2008
SUCCESS
TIMES TWO
At the Lordstown Complex,
UAW-GM people prove the
meaning of teamwork
A 08-GM1-002 Cover.REV.indd 1
2/6/08 5:02:19 PM
>>my job
>>
“Stormin”
Norman Jones
factoids
UAW Local 211
GM Powertrain, Defiance
YEARS WITH GM:
Going on 30
My occupation: I’m a skilled trades
In my time off, I like to go deer and
electrician. I also serve as the editor
turkey hunting or just work on small
of the UAW Local 211 newsletter and
projects around the house.
chairman of the union’s education
OCCUPATION:
Skilled Trades Electrician
FAVORITE CAR:
Chevy Astro
committee. I am also a member of
I’ve stayed at GM because it has
the Foundry Simulation Team.
provided my family with a lifestyle
that he had set me up and then pro-
second to none, and my almost
ceeded to dub me — with a crescent
In my position, we do a lot of what
30 years here have been more
wrench — as “Stormin” Norman. The
some people might call “dirty work.”
than rewarding.
name has stuck ever since.
parts that go into GM products. With
The funniest thing that’s happened
To me, UAW membership means
the Foundry Simulation Team, I have
to me at work was at my old plant
a special kind of clout, a respected
traveled around the country promoting
in Trenton, N.J. I asked my foreman
position throughout the world.
the benefits of GM.
for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
We work on engines and build the
and Thursday off, but he told me
My aspirations for this plant are
An ideal workday would include
that I couldn’t have the Monday. For
to keep progressing as long as pos-
keeping safe and working indoors.
some reason, I was very upset. My
sible; I even see robotics in our near
father, who was shop chairman in the
future. Our plant views management
I drive a 1995 Chevy Astro that now
Trenton plant at the time, and 40 of
and the UAW as a single unit, which
has over 341,000 miles. This van
my co-workers were watching me and
makes it a cooperative and productive
and I are bonded.
laughing. My foreman then told me
organization.
CALLING ALL UAW-GM PEOPLE
B 08-GM1-002 MyJob REV.indd 2
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. AND ABOUT YOU. If you’d like to chat about what you like about your
job, e-mail us at [email protected].
JIM ROHMAN
>>
— Jessica Cickay
2/6/08 5:02:55 PM
>>contents
8
SPRING 2008
First Impressions
The 2008 Chevrolet
Malibu takes the midsize car market by
storm. By Reg McGhee
>>people
UAW-GM
This publication is jointly produced by the
International Union, UAW and General Motors
Corp. and is intended to provide information
about the benefits and opportunities offered
through UAW-GM joint activities and people
programs. It is published by the UAW-GM Center
for Human Resources (CHR).
and Megan McNeill
UAW-GM
Executive Board — Joint Activities
CAL RAPSON
Vice President and Director
UAW General Motors Dept.
10
14
All for One
UAW Locals 1112 and
1714 join forces to
make GM’s Lordstown
Complex a true teamoriented environment.
By Michael J. McDermott
Making
Strides
Tonawanda
Engine
improves their
safety record.
By Meghan Little
GARRY MASON
Administrative Assistant
UAW President’s Office
GARRY BERNATH
Administrative Assistant
UAW General Motors Dept.
TIM LEE
GMNA Vice President Manufacturing
and Labor Relations
General Motors Corporation
JOE PONCE
GM Executive Director
GMNA Labor Relations/UAW
PAUL MITCHELL
Administrative Assistant
UAW General Motors Dept.
DOROTHY HENNESSY
GM General Director UAW-GM Center
for Human Resources/Quality Network
MIKE GRIMES
Assistant Director
UAW General Motors Dept.
departments
2 My Job
UAW Local 211 member
“Stormin” Norman Jones —
his job, hobbies and funniest
GM moment
DIANA D. TREMBLAY
Vice President, Labor Relations
General Motors North America
18 Shop Talk
Community involvement;
safer teenage drivers;
vacation planning tips;
and healthy sleep habits
UAW Co-Editor
REG MCGHEE
GM Co-Editor
KEN BEEN
4 Driving Forward
The latest news and announcements; GMnext; Cadillac CTS as
art; and a man of letters
>>
23 My Wheels
Mo Felling and his
1970 Pontiac GTO
FEEDBACK
WE’D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE MAGAZINE. Please
send an e-mail to [email protected], or send a letter to: UAW-GM
People, Center for Human Resources, 200 Walker St., Detroit, MI 48207.
C 08-GM1-002 TOC REV.indd 3
Produced by The Pohly Company
This magazine is printed by a
union printer on union-made paper.
UAW-GM People is published for the UAW-GM Center for Human
Resources by The Pohly Company. Copyright © UAW-GM Center for
Human Resources 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or
in part of any text, photograph or illustration without express written
permission of the publisher is prohibited.
2/7/08 11:24:48 AM
>>driving forward
6 Quality Improvement: UAW-GM Wins Big
7 TAP: A Man of Letters
GMnext
Get involved: Visit the web site
A
bout 100 years ago, the Flint Cart
Company was one of the first
businesses to become part of
General Motors. Imagine … a cart company. Who could’ve envisioned what
would follow?
In 2008, GM is celebrating what
did follow. But, quite fittingly, this celebration is less about GM’s past century of progress and more about
what lies ahead. That’s why the
celebration is called GMnext. The idea is
to tell the world about our momentum!
Today, the best way to do this is
through web sites, both internal and
external. So, the GMnext internal web
site, found on Socrates, features an
employee blog that connects people
around the globe, leveraging their talent
and experience in a cyber dialog.
The Socrates site also features something known as “Wiki.” Basically, it’s
an online scrapbook, a way for you to
BY KEN BEEN
contribute stories and more to help
create a history — as told by the people
who made it.
But GMnext isn’t just an internal
celebration. It also speaks to the youth
market and first-time buyers. And it
speaks to them on their terms — on
a public web site, www.gmnext.com,
where these very important customers
meet, greet and do business.
UAW Vice President Cal Rapson and
GMNA Vice President, Labor Relations
Diana Tremblay have encouraged
UAW-GM people to participate.
“The growth of GM and the rise of
the UAW are intertwined,” said Rapson.
“We’re pleased to take part in celebrating the next century of progress for our
two great organizations.”
“GM has improved the lives of people
all over the world for 100 years!” said
Tremblay. “And we believe our best
days are still to come.”
>
Visit GMnext on the internal web
site on Socrates, or on the public
web site at GMnext.com.
Green Machine
If you had to guess which type of vehicle might win an environmental award, most people wouldn’t figure on an SUV. But now
that the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid has won the Green Car of the
Year award, people might want to reconsider their assumptions.
The award, presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show, was
given by Green Car Journal.
The Tahoe Hybrid gets 50 percent better fuel economy than
the gasoline-propelled model, and its average of 21 mpg in the
city is the same as the city rating for the four-cylinder Toyota
Camry. Talk about more bang for your buck.
The Tahoe Hybrid, along with the GMC Yukon Hybrid, is built
at Arlington Assembly-UAW Local 276.
4
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
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2/6/08 5:03:35 PM
Signing Ceremony
UAW President Ron Gettelfinger,
UAW VP Cal Rapson, GM Chairman
and CEO Rick Wagoner and GM VP
Diana Tremblay, along with members
of the UAW and GM negotiating
teams, officially signed the 2007
national agreement in November.
The new four-year agreement covers
approximately 75,000 hourly and salaried UAW members at GM. More
information on the new agreement is
available at: www.uaw.org/contracts/
index.php
Cadillac CTS as Art
WHILE MANY consumers are familiar with Michelin for its tires and the
“Michelin Man,” in France the company is well known for its retail boutiques. Michelin on Main, which recently
opened in Greenville, S.C., is its first retail
venture on U.S. soil. Automotive fans will
find Michelin-trademarked goods, from
maps and guides to jackets and hats.
In addition to selling Michelin gear,
the stores are known for their displays
of automotive art. And what did the
company choose for its first North
American outlet? The Cadillac CTS, of
course! Suspended in midair from steel
cables, the vehicle spans the interior of
the two-story building, giving visitors a
360-degree view of the Cadillac.
The CTS is assembled at Lansing
Grand River-UAW Local 652.
On the Spot with OnStar
ACCORDING TO National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration statistics,
there are about 30,000 police chases
per year — about 300 of them result
in deaths.
But a new technology from OnStar
can make a difference. It’s called “Stolen
Vehicle Slowdown” and it’s the latest
enhancement to OnStar’s stolen vehicle
service. The technology allows OnStar
advisors, working with police officials,
to send a signal to a subscriber’s stolen
vehicle that will gradually reduce engine
>>
power and slow down the vehicle. The
result? Police officers can catch up to
stolen autos more easily, leading to
faster recoveries.
The technology will be available
in about 1.7 million 2009 model-year
GM vehicles.
H3T
Like Nothing Else:
The HUMMER H3T
Keep an eye out — there is going to
be a new HUMMER on the road, and
it’s going to be built at Shreveport
Assembly-UAW Local 2166.
The H3T, HUMMER’s first pickup,
is literally in a class of its own. Falling
between mid- and full-size, it holds a
unique spot in the truck market. And
true to the HUMMER tradition, it will
be a natural with customers looking for
rugged capabilities.
GM is investing about $73 million
into the Shreveport plant to prepare it
for the truck’s production. The H3T is
scheduled to arrive in dealerships by
the third quarter of 2008.
GOT NEWS?
WE’D LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT HAPPENINGS AT YOUR PLANT.
Please send an e-mail to [email protected], or send a letter to:
UAW-GM People, Center for Human Resources, 200 Walker St., Detroit, MI 48207
www.uaw-gm.org
D 08-GM1-002 ShortTake lo01.indd5 5
5
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driving forward
Forward
>>Driving
GM earned 17 “Recommended”
ratings from Consumer Reports
in its “Best and Worst for 2008”
edition. Best of all, 14 of the
vehicles are built at unionrepresented plants in the
United States or Canada.
■
■
■
>QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
■
■
And the winners are …
UAW-GM vehicles earn high praise
BY KEN BEEN
T
he best schools. The most livable cities. The shortest ER wait time. Products
that are best buys, best bets, most reliable, most dependable, top-notch or top
dog, six stars, two thumbs up, even four paws. Sometimes it seems like life is
one big contest.
Do these rankings really matter at all? They sure do, especially when it comes to
cars and trucks. Independent reviews influence customers in an area where it matters
most: the purchase decision.
BUICK
MODEL
AWARD
Detroit Free Press
Consumers Digest
“2008 Truck of the Year”
“Best Buy, Luxury Cars, 2007”
CTS
DTS
■ Escalade
■ SRX
■ STS
■ XLR
Motor Trend
Money
Texas Truck Rodeo Awards
Consumer Guide
Edmunds.com
Motor Trend
“2008 Car of the Year”
“Top 5 Fullsize Sedans, 2007”
“Winner: Luxury Fullsize Pickup Category, 2007”
“Best Buy, Premium Midsize SUV Category, 2007”
“Consumers Most Wanted – Sedan under $45,000, 2007”
“Fuel for Your Soul: 4-Stars, 2007”
Cobalt
Corvette
■ Express
■ Malibu
■ Silverado
■ Suburban
■ Tahoe
■ Uplander
Consumer Guide
Car and Driver
J.D. Power IQS3
North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards
Automotive Fleet
U.S. News & World Report
AAA and Parents
The Car Book and the Center for Auto Safety
“Recommended, Compact Car Category, 2007”
“10 Best Cars, Performance Car Category, 2007”
“Van Segment Leader, 2007”
“2008 North American Car of the Year”
“2008 Fleet Truck of the Year”
“Best Overall ‘Alternavans,’ 2007”
“Best Cars for Families, 2007”
“Best Bet, Minivan Category, 2007”
Acadia
Canyon
■ Savana
■ Sierra
■ Yukon
MotorWeek
Texas Truck Rodeo Awards
Vincentric
Popular Mechanics
Kiplinger Personal Finance
“Drivers’ Choice Award, Best Crossover Utility, 2007”
“Winner: Midsize Pickup Category, 2007”
“Best Fleet Value in America, 2007”
“Automotive Excellence Award, Workhorse Category, 2007”
“Best New SUV, 2007”
IntelliChoice
“Best Value, Intermediate Utility Class, 2007”
G5
G6
■ Solstice
■ Vibe
Auto Pacifica
Automundo
Automobile
Edmunds.com
“Vehicle Satisfaction Award, 2007”
“Car of the Year, Design Category, 2006”
“Beautiful Cars You Can Buy Today, 2007”
“Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Cars for 2006”
Aura
Ion
■ Outlook
■ Sky
■ Vue
Consumers Digest
Vincentric
U.S. News & World Report
Motor Trend
Strategic Vision
“2008 Best Buy, Family Car”
“Best Fleet Value in America, Compact Sedan under $18,000, 2007”
“Best Overall ‘Alternavans,’ 2007”
“Fuel for Your Soul, 4-Star Rating, 2007”
“Most Delightful Vehicle Award, Small SUV Category, 2006”
■
■
Enclave
Lucerne
CADILLAC
■
■
CHEVROLET
■
PONTIAC
HUMMER
GMC
■
■
■
H3
■
■
■
SATURN
When it comes to these types of ratings
and awards, GM vehicles assembled by
UAW members are in the winner’s circle
more often than most people realize.
Here is an at-a-glance list of some of
those awards. To be sure, there are others
— and there will be more! ■
SOURCE
■
6
■
Buick: LaCrosse and Lucerne
Cadillac: DTS and STS
Chevrolet: Impala, Silverado
1500 and 2500
GMC: Acadia, Sierra 1500
and 2500
Pontiac: Torrent and Vibe
Saturn: Aura and Outlook
■
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
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>>driving forward
eventually earned his associate’s degree
in general studies at Lansing Community
College (Michigan) in 1989. Goeddeke
then studied professional aeronautics
through an independent program at
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
in Daytona Beach, Fla., and received his
bachelor of science degree in 1994.
From 1994 to 1995, Goeddeke took
an educational leave from work to pursue a master’s degree in human factors
at Embry-Riddle. The program allowed
him to explore the underlying reasons
for mishaps and accidents. “I thought
that you can’t just blame people for all
the accidents,” said Goeddeke.
The classes that earned him the
advanced degree taught him that, in
fact, human error isn’t entirely to blame
for accidents — companies also need
>TAP
to integrate “human-factor solutions”
into how they operate. This discovery
inspired Goeddeke to pursue a graduatelevel degree in business administration
After 28 years of higher learning, Frank Goeddeke at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla.
“I got my M.B.A., and I was really into
is hanging up his cap and gown
it,” said Goeddeke. So much so that he
BY JOHN PATRICK PULLEN didn’t stop there. “I thought, well I’m
going to get a Ph.D. — and I did.” In
2004, Goeddeke graduated from the
ike many college students who work full time, Frank Goeddeke had his share University of Florida in Gainesville with
of struggles keeping life balanced. His shifts on the assembly line at Lansing a Ph.D. in management.
The UAW-GM Tuition Assistance
in the early 1980s were certainly a challenge for his academic career.
“I have to admit, I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been,” said Program (TAP) helped Goeddeke realGoeddeke of his younger self. The result: low grades and a couple of trips to the ize these impressive academic achieveregistrar, who suggested Goeddeke take some time off before returning to his studies. ments by removing a substantial portion
of the financial burden associated with
He agreed it was a good idea.
higher education. Other
“I decided I wasn’t going to come back unless I was
than the educational
going to be able to make it to all my classes,” said the
leave he took to get his
UAW Local 653 member. It was a good plan, because
CURRICULUM
master’s degree, TAP covfive academic degrees, 28 years, and 467.4 college credits
VITAE
ered nearly all his tuition
later, Goeddeke has made it to nearly every class since
Skilled tradesman Frank Goeddeke
costs. “It was really nice
recommitting himself.
has amassed 467.4 college credits
not to have the financial
To make up for lost time, Goeddeke took 23 credits
over the last 28 years. This is how
that looks on his resume:
stress,” he said.
one semester — the equivalent of two full-time aca■ Certificate in Millwright Technology,
Goeddeke is relieved
demic course loads — in addition to work. And though
Lansing Community College, 1986
that he’s finished with
Goeddeke missed out on a lot of things outside of his job
■ Associate’s degree, General Studies,
Lansing Community College, 1989
school — sort of. He is
and the classroom, he refused to quit until his thirst for
■ Bachelor of Science, Professional
due to retire from GM
knowledge was satiated. “A lot of it was knowing that if I
Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle
soon and hopes to embark
stopped, I’d never pick it up again — that was probably
Aeronautical University, 1994
on a new career in acathe last 10 years,” he said.
■ Master of Aeronautical Science,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
demia. “In a way, that’s
Goeddeke’s incredible academic career began when
University, 1995
like still going to school,”
he graduated early from high school at the age of 16. In
■ Master of Business Administration,
he said. ■
community college, he changed majors several times but
Rollins College, 1999
A Man of Letters
ROY RITCHIE
L
■
Doctor of Philosophy, Management,
University of Florida, 2004
www.uaw-gm.org
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7
2/5/08 10:17:42 AM
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
This new Malibu is assembled
at GM Fairfax, Kan.-UAW Local 31 and
at Lake Orion, Mich.-UAW Local 5690.
Based on our first impressions, it should
be a big hit. It’s anything but
your boring old family sedan.
Increased interior
storage includes a
convenient center
console, plugs for
cell phones and a
concealed storage bin.
E
verywhere we went in the all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, people were
impressed with its smooth lines and upscale appearance, and with many
independent reviews praising both its performance and look, it could make
GM the new authority on midsize cars. Incredibly well-executed and starting at
$19,995, the 2008 Malibu should do very well in the highly competitive, midsize
passenger car market.
With its completely redesigned interior and exterior, this car conveys a feeling of
luxury. The 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine in our mid-level LT provided a smooth
and quiet ride. The new body lines prompted comments about a “more European”
SMOOTH
The Malibu’s front suspension
utilizes aluminum control
arms to smooth out bumps.
Available wheel sizes range
from 16 to 18 inches.
look, suggesting a far more expensive vehicle than it actually is. That look is reinforced by a stunning two-tone interior, along with nicely stitched two-tone seats
and tasteful wood accents that stretch across much of the dash and doors.
The trunk is enormous, and combined with the split rear-fold-down seats, there
is plenty of room for stocking up at the local mega-mall or loading gear for a family
road trip. Drivers of the 2008 Malibu can look forward to being treated with OnStar
and XM satellite radio, and the family will be protected with six air bags, antilock
while still being comfortable over Detroit’s frequently uneven road surfaces. The
new interior is not only nice to look at, but now with better insulation, it effectively
shields passengers from outside noise.
8
REBECCA COOK
brakes and traction control. The handling of our test model was very responsive
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
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The new Malibu puts a modern spin on the
family sedan BY REG MCGHEE AND MEGAN MCNEILL
Blue backlighting gives the
gauges a sophisticated feel.
2008
North American
Car of the Year
A Ride Like a
Million Bucks
The new dual-port
grille design lends
to the upscale
appearance.
Not only is the 2008 Chevrolet
Malibu a safe and efficient vehicle,
it also looks and acts more pricey
than it is. No longer are elegant
design accents reserved to luxury
vehicles; the Malibu proves that
style and practicality can blend
together beautifully.
The Malibu also offers
the following:
The standard 2.4liter, four-cylinder
engine boasts
22 mpg city and
30 mpg highway.
>The standard four-cylinder engine
offers EPA fuel economy ratings of
22 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and
25 mpg combined. An optional sixcylinder engine with a six-speed
automatic transmission is available,
as is a limited-edition hybrid.
>Hydraulic ride bushings and
body-control dampening measures
keep drivers in touch with the roadway. An additional nine tuners and
resonators lend to the Malibu’s
quiet acoustics.
>Features such as OnStar and XM
satellite radio come standard.
>Drivers can enjoy the luxury of
an optional retractable sunroof
and rear sunshade.
>SPECIAL FEATURE
The interior features two-tone color combinations,
a wood-grain element, optional suede-trimmed
seats and black-chrome accents.
www.uaw-gm.org
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one
ALL FOR
By Michael J.
McDermott
Photographs by
Bruce Zake
B
UZZWORDS tend to lose their
impact when they get batted
around too often, and “teamwork”
is one that’s taken a few hits. But question
the relevance or importance of this key
value at the General Motors Lordstown
Complex, where UAW Locals 1112 and
1714 are committed to building quality
cars on a daily basis, and you’ll be met
with puzzled expressions.
Here at the highest-volume singleline vehicle stamping/assembly plant in
the world, members of the two UAW
local unions are building some of the
10
industry’s best cars, as the numerous
awards and industry accolades will testify. The Lordstown Complex was recognized in the 2007 Harbour Report, a
closely watched industry study, as one
of the most productive vehicle assembly plants in North America. More than
280,000 Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac
G5s rolled off its line in 2007, and the
Cobalt was voted Most Wanted Car in the
“Best Sedan Under $15,000” category in a
2007 Edmunds.com survey.
Lordstown Metal Center (LMC), which
stamps parts for the adjacent assembly
plant, won GM’s Manufacturing Managers award for an unparalleled four consecutive quarters in 2007. At press time,
LMC was widely expected to win another award for the final quarter of 2007.
Over eight business quarters, the LMC
facility took home five Manufacturing
Managers awards. “We believe it’s the
first time that’s ever happened in the
entire division,” said Dave Green, president of UAW Local 1714, which represents workers at the stamping plant. “It’s
really unprecedented.”
Mike Fabian, quality manager at
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
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Clockwise from left: Chassis team member
Cheryl Hamilton; stamping plant team members
James Cecere, Jr. (left) and Bob DeMartinis (right);
Arnold Davidson, trim team member; Charlene
Taylor and Felicia Gray, stamping team members;
Tom Reapsummer, paint seal line member.
AT GM’S
EXPANSIVE
LORDSTOWN
COMPLEX,
TWO PLANTS
FOCUS ON
CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT
the stamping plant, said that performance reflects the success of the plant’s
joint efforts in the areas of continuous
improvement and standardization. “We
are very proud of our business results
but we all realize we can’t stand still.
We work at continuous improvement.
It benefits us and our customers.”
And there’s no dust settling on their
counterparts next door at Lordstown
Vehicle Assembly, either. Visitors to that
plant — and there are many — are
wowed by the most technologically
advanced paint shop ever developed by
[By the Numbers]
General Motors. “We have guests coming
in on a weekly basis just to see the paint
facility,” said Jim Graham, president of
UAW Local 1112, which represents the
assembly plant. “We are very proud of
the paint shop and the teamwork among
the people who work there.”
Local 1112 member Tom Reapsummer
is one of those people. A plug installer
on the sealer line in the new multimillion-dollar high-tech paint shop, he
describes it as “futuristic” in terms of
both quality and productivity. “It’s like
watching a ballet or a choreographed
dance number,” he said. “There are cars
moving left, right and in every direction. The paint shop was really well
thought out. There’s no wasted area,
LORDSTOWN
COMPLEX
CARS PRODUCED, 2007:
280,387
CARS PRODUCED, APRIL 1966
TO PRESENT: 13,929,627
BUILDING SPACE:
5 million sq. ft.
STEEL PURCHASED:
STEEL RECYCLED:
103,333 tons
53,383 tons
HOURLY WORKFORCE:
3,500
SALARIED WORKFORCE:
300
2006 LOCAL UNITED WAY
CONTRIBUTIONS: $487,000
(top contributor)*
OTHER CHARITABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS: $752,000*
*The GM Lordstown Complex and UAW Locals
1112 and 1714 have been recognized as the
top providers to charitable causes in northeast
Ohio. Supported causes include Make-A-Wish,
Coats for Kids, Care & Share, the United Way,
the American Cancer Society and the
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
www.uaw-gm.org
H 08-GM1-002 OH REV2.indd 11
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Gary Baker, Mike French and Don
Pancher help keep the stamping
plant running as die movers and
members of UAW Local 1714.
and it’s so organized. Downtime is rare,
but when the line does stop, whatever is
needed to fix it is right at hand.”
Work Together, Learn Together
Teamwork and unity are evident
throughout the complex, and they are
particularly noticeable in the paint shop,
which is based on the newest generation
of technology, the GM Common Paint
Shop footprint. The application process
is highly automated, with robots applying
coveralls,” said Scott Negley, the area
paint department area manager.
This sense of teamwork and belonging is important, because in addition to
being located in a separate building, paint
shop workers have to follow special rules,
such as not being able to eat food on
the shop floor and not being
able to use certain kinds of
personal care products. “But
everyone understands the reasons behind the rules,” Negley
noted, “and the atmosphere of
teamwork makes people look
forward to coming to work.”
Reapsummer agreed, noting that “management and
labor seem to come together
effectively.”
Between the high-tech equipment and
industry praise, where does teamwork
come in? It’s at play on several levels at the Lordstown
Complex and is widely credited for the facility’s continued success in an industry
that has never been more
competitive. It can be seen
in teamwork between UAWGM people at all levels, and
it is also evident in the ways
in which separate facilities
within the complex relate to
each other. Certainly, teamwork is a critical factor in the
Looking Ahead
plant’s productivity perforEveryone at Lordstown is
At the paint shop, UAW Local 1112’s Rick Marsh and Brenda
mance, which improved 12
united behind a common
Henderson help ensure quality as members of the finesse line team.
percent in 2006, according to
effort to produce high-quality
the Harbour Report.
sealer and powder prime and machines vehicles. Folks like UAW Local 1112
Because of the complex’s size, team- spraying most of the base coats and clear member Cheryl Hamilton (chassis
work is both critical and incredibly coats. The facility is almost antiseptically department) and her co-workers know
beneficial to Lordstown. “We have four clean. Anyone who ventures onto the shop that Lordstown’s focus on quality was
major buildings here: stamping, body floor — whether from production, main- a major factor behind the decision to
shop, a brand-new paint shop and gen- tenance or management — does so clad in build the Cobalt and G5 there.
eral assembly,” said John Donahoe, plant lint-free blue coveralls, a precaution taken
This quality-driven focus represents the
manager of the complex. “It’s like a to protect the quality of the final product. forward-looking direction that everyone
standout symphony… working together
“On the shop floor, you can’t tell who recognizes as vital to the future of the
to provide a great product.”
is who; we all look the same in those Lordstown Complex, said UAW Local
12
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
H 08-GM1-002 OH REV2.indd 12
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1112 member Arnold Davidson, a team
leader in trim. Being on top of the industry
in the present and the future also means
competing in a global marketplace, which
requires cooperative approaches to meet
the market’s challenges. Davidson, who’s
been at Lordstown for 30 years, said he has
seen that happen there. There is a sense
that “we are all in this together,” he said.
“Everyone’s willing to do what’s needed
to keep the plant running efficiently. It’s
a real win-win situation, because we have
the same common goal and we’re working together to achieve it.”
Davidson’s feelings were echoed by
UAW Local 1714 member Charlene
Taylor, team leader on the J-K line at the
fab plant, who has been at Lordstown
for 24 years. “We
have open communication, and there’s
much greater sharing of knowledge
and information.”
Added 1714’s Don
Fridley, team leader
in the press room on
the E-F line, “There’s
more than just lip
service to the idea
of teamwork here.
We have a new plant
manager right now,
and he introduced
himself to us and said that, above anything, he believes in an open-door policy.”
Fridley and his co-workers know it’s this
kind of teamwork-oriented approach
that will carry Lordstown forward.
the cars they build. They put their heart
and soul into every single one,” he noted.
“They are proud of the job they do, and
they’re committed to building the highestquality cars in the world.”
It is each person’s dedication that
makes the Lordstown team strong.
Local 1714 member Tom Ozanich, a
machine repair team leader at the fab
plant, said he has seen the quality
of the dies and the handling procedures used in the stamping operation
improve exponentially over the last
10 years. He recognizes the important
role teamwork has played in achieving
those gains.
For one, he routinely sits down with
the other union team leaders and their
management counterparts to discuss
what preventative
maintenance work
should be done. “I
participate on an
almost daily basis
in TPI [throughput improvement]
meetings on all the
lines,” he said. “Both
labor and management put a lot of
effort into making
the team concept
work here,” said
Dave Green, Local 1714 president. “It
wasn’t always easy but the teams are up
and running and really taking control.
The results have been outstanding. The
focus on quality is very strong.”
As the automotive marketplace has
changed over the past couple of decades,
UAW-GM people who make it all happen at Lordstown had to make changes
of their own to keep pace.
“It’s about all of us working together for
our plant and our people,” said Fabian.
“Our team is our strength and that team
is working hard each and every day to
help secure Lordstown’s future.”
And with their awards and recognized
successes, it’s evident that’s
exactly what Lordstown is
on track to do. ■
Teamwork is a
critical factor
in the plant’s
productivity
performance,
which improved
12 percent
in 2006.
It’s Personal
Of course, in order for teamwork to be
an asset at any enterprise, there must
be a clearly defined goal. At Lordstown,
there’s never any doubt about what that
is. “We all have the same ultimate goal,
which is to keep Lordstown producing
the kind of high-quality products that
have earned this plant the reputation it
has today,” said Hamilton, who works as
an assembler on the chassis line.
That commitment to quality results
from a sense of ownership by UAW members in the almost 14 million vehicles that
have been produced at Lordstown over
the years, said Graham. “Our members
have a personal stake in the quality of
PULLING
OUT ALL
THE STOPS
The Chevrolet Cobalt marked a radical change in car building for General
Motors even before the first model rolled
off the line at the Lordstown Complex.
GM designers and engineers were given
a straightforward directive — build the
best compact car in the class — along
with unprecedented leeway in figuring
out how to achieve that goal.
They soon came up with a list of 150
components, systems and other items
they determined would result in the
best possible package of refinement,
driving satisfaction and quality. Their
wish list included items such as Quiet
Steel laminated sheet metal (a premium
material rarely seen in a sub-$15,000
car) and electric power steering. Given
the chance to prove the viability of what
they were proposing, the design team
came up with a prototype that exceeded
all its targets when judged against vehicles in its class.
Lordstown started building Cobalts
in 2004 for the 2005 model year and
has been churning them out at the rate
of about a quarter-million per year ever
since. Built on General Motors’ Delta
platform, the Cobalt and G5 boast
responsive handling and precise build
quality, coupled with distinctive styling
in all trim levels. The Cobalt has been
offered in sedan, coupe and SS models
and in LS, LT and base trim levels. The
G5 coupe comes in base and GT versions. For the 2008 model year, Chevy
is offering the Cobalt in eight versions,
including the new Cobalt Sport.
COBALT LAUNCH:
October 18, 2004
G5 LAUNCH:
June 29, 2006
COBALTS PRODUCED, 2006:
232,913
PONTIAC G5S PRODUCED, 2006:
45,263
TOTAL COLORS:
10
MOST POPULAR COLOR:
Silver
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H 08-GM1-002 OH REV2.indd 13
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2/6/08 5:05:30 PM
George Weimer,
L850 assembly team
leader and UAW
Local 774 member,
is proud to be a
part of Tonawanda’s
safety turnaround.
MAKING
STRIDES
HOW TONAWANDA ENGINE-UAW
LOCAL 774 GOT IT RIGHT ON SAFETY
[By the Numbers]
TONAWANDA
ENGINE
1,831 (254 salary;
1,550 hourly; 27 contract)
EMPLOYEES:
3.1 million sq. ft.
on 190 acres
SIZE:
1,050,403 engines
produced in 2006, with almost
3,200 engines produced per day
PRODUCTION:
LOOKING BACK:
67.85 million
14engines
UAW-GMproduced
PEOPLE SPRING
2008
since
1938
I 08-GM1-002 NY lo02.indd 14
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BY MEGHAN LITTLE
PHOTOGRAPHS BY
FOREST McMULLIN
Individuals make a difference every day — at work, in the community, in their families. But to make a dramatic change takes
more than just one person’s effort; it takes a motivated group of
individuals coming together. A team like the members of UAW
Local 774 at Tonawanda Engine. Today the plant has one of the
most extensive safety plans in place, and its effectiveness is evident everywhere you look, making it hard to believe that things
were once quite the opposite. But in 2005 their safety record was
among the worst in GM Powertrain — they were told they
needed dramatic improvements. The team listened.
Together they focused on making the
change. And as a result they improved
from 5.82 injuries per 100 hours worked
in November 2005 down to 1.86 by
September 2007 — not to mention receiving General Motors’ 2007 Chairman’s
Honors Award for Health & Safety.
COMMITTED TO THE GOAL
Presenting a united front on the issue
of safety has been the cornerstone of
Tonawanda Engine’s success. They
start with the premise that safety is
the location’s top priority. To get to the
root of the problem, the plant created
eight safety committees comprised of
four business (production) teams, three
skilled trades teams and one global supply chain team. The teams’ mission? To
examine and take ownership of safety
issues. Each team looked at every workrelated medical visit and broke down
the data by type, shift, assembly team
and assembly versus machine floor.
With their new responsibilities,
Tonawanda UAW safety trainer Tim
Klipfel said the eight teams now continually take safety data and peel it back like
an onion. In doing so, “we can identify the
biggest issue in our respective areas and
plan how to fix it,” said Klipfel, a member
of UAW Local 774.
The teams are so committed to keeping
everyone safe that they have implemented
procedures to sustain a heightened awareness. For example, every person who
walks through any of the 13 entrances
across the site’s three plants is greeted
by a safety stoplight that broadcasts the
day’s performance. The actual traffic light
is updated daily with Velcro circles. Red
reflects recordable injuries or lost workdays, yellow for near-miss incidents and
green for smooth operation.
If the stoplight is red or yellow, the
plant’s safety department prepares a bulletin that outlines the incident and provides corrective actions. Team leaders
then discuss these bulletins at their startof-shift meetings in order to prevent a
repeat incident. “Such detailed analysis
makes everyone aware,” said Bill Quinn,
Tonawanda Engine’s personnel director.
But by no means are lost workdays or
recordable injuries the only means of a
>
safe work environment or safety.
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I 08-GM1-002 NY lo02.indd 15
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2/4/08 1:32:06 PM
said Safety Supervisor Amy Stagner.
The annual audit was a good place to
start finding areas in need of corrections. Each year the UAW-GM Joint
Health and Safety Team from the CHR
visits every UAW-GM facility for an
annual plant audit. It is a very visible
audit that includes 38 modules and lasts
one week.
For the past two years Tonawanda has
altered the way it handles the annual
audit, dividing the plant into geographical areas. Now, the eight safety champions assign the most appropriate person to
audit each line item. Since one module
could have five to 25 elements, the safety
department manages progress by providing a set of questions that addresses
different areas of the module each month.
The result: continuous improvement.
Pre-op safety
checklist.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN
Look around Tonawanda’s “Safety War
Room” and you’ll discover just how
deep the safety committees go. The War
Room is the hub of the plant’s turnaround and is accessible by all employees. Information such as a daily injury
tracking card, the safety pyramid, a list
of committee members and the progress
of various initiatives is posted for review
at any time. It’s also the location for joint
leadership’s bimonthly “diagonal slice.”
“During this meeting, we take a cross
section of both hourly and salaried
employees and see what’s going on in
the plant with regard to safety,” said
Plant Communications Manager Mary
Ann Brown. This is just one of the
many processes established in the name
of improving working conditions and
reaching the plant’s ultimate safety goal
— zero incidents.
To achieve this objective, joint leadership is focused on three areas: reducing
skilled trades incidents by 50 percent,
improving the near-miss report rate by
50 percent and reducing recordable incidents by 20 percent. Already they have
achieved two of the three, but have had
a 45 percent reduction in skilled trades
recordables versus the 50 percent target.
“Skilled trades workers are exposed
to danger more often than production workers due to the nature of
their job responsibility,” Klipfel
16
“WE REALLY CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE ON
THE FLOOR AND WANT EVERYONE TO BE SAFE.”
— WALLY WEDINGTON, UAW LOCAL 774
explained. Accidents are not acceptable
for any group. In February 2007 all
skilled trades workers held an unprecedented “all people” meeting with Quinn
to discuss safety.
The commitment of the joint parties
was underscored at the third-quarter
all-employee business review held in
November 2007: although the job itself
is important, people need to understand
that safety takes priority over productivity. If someone identifies a hazard during production, he or she should feel
empowered to stop the line.
In fact, in an effort to drive that message home, one UAW skilled tradesman,
Rick Schadel, met with 20 peer groups to
discuss details surrounding an incident
he had on the job in which he smashed
the bones in his foot and ankle. Schadel
shared how his injury has affected him
at work and at home, and his presentation reinforced the plant’s mission of
staying vigilant about safety.
MAKING STRIDES
It’s no surprise that Tonawanda’s ultimate goal is to have zero incidents.
“We’d like to become the benchmark,”
The plant has moved from five “Needs
Improvement” scores in 2004 to just
two in 2007, thanks to management and
Local 774 stepping up to the challenge.
SAFETY IN ACTION
While the safety committees have been
a major factor in Tonawanda Engine’s
safety evolution, it’s the employees on
the shop floor who are making it happen. “We really care about the people on
the floor and want everyone to be safe,”
UAW Local 774 Shop Chairman Wally
Wedington noted. Quinn echoed that
sentiment. “We’re a people business; we
just make one million engines to boot.”
Work conditions have improved in
conjunction with the increased opportunity for employees to voice concerns and
make changes that improve safety. George
Weimer, a member of UAW Local 774
and team leader on the L850, said, “Four
safety suggestions were implemented in
one week, thanks to people on the line
staying aware and making suggestions.”
Recently, UAW Local 774 member
Kevin Kalota, who is on the 3.5/3.9L
business team, suggested updating their
work area. The team had been having
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
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Safety is an integral part of the can be avoided with proper job planbusiness, according to Quinn. ning. Work-fit representatives meet with
From left: Richard Schadel, Quality Network
“Our commitment is to provide employees, committees and supervisors
Planned Maintenance co-champion; Steve
a safe work environment,” he to examine a job and determine the safFinch, plant manager, and Wally Wedington,
said. That is why all employ- est way to approach it. “There’s a learnUAW Local 774 shop chairman.
ees receive an orientation on ing curve for some of us, after being on
safety protocols and standard- the job so long,” Weimer said. Stretch
problems with chips building up in the ized work, and even visitors must watch cards are provided for each job to eduequipment. In addition, the hoses used a short video on safety before going on cate employees about which muscles
they’re using and what stretches they can
to flush out the chips were tangled on the floor.
do to help prevent or alleviate strains.
the floor. “This caused a trip hazard,
From stretch cards and take-twos,
as well as making the operator’s job PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE
harder because they would have to The transition to a vastly improved to training and committees, the mesuntangle the lines to get them to reach safety record requires hard work, and sage is clearly taking root and effecting
the machine,” Kalota said. The setup there has been a learning curve for change. Weimer, who has been on the
posed multiple potential injury situ- Tonawanda Engine’s workforce. The floor for 29 years, knows the danger that
ations, but the team’s recommenda- emphasis on pre-task planning and the comes with manufacturing, and he’s
tions remedied the problem, from both related “take two” message by joint lead- thrilled with the attention being placed
a safety and an operational standpoint. ership has helped. Taking two minutes on safety. “The message is getting out,”
“Putting in retractable hoses eliminated to ensure your area is safe could prevent he noted. “Never be complacent; rather,
the tripping hazard [improving safety] a recordable or life-changing incident. always be on alert.”
With the constant focus on safety at
and made the job more efficient [elimi- “We want everyone to leave the plant as
Tonawanda Engine, it’s clear this group
nating waste]. This happened by creating they came in,” Wedington said.
easier access to the hoses while saving
In addition to pre-task planning, injuries is taking that message seriously. ■
time by eliminating the ‘waste of motion’
to unknot them,” noted Kalota.
DIESEL POWER
Likewise, Weimer has noticed a faster
The Tonawanda Engine plant was recently tapped to produce the new
response rate to safety concerns these
4.5-liter V-8 Duramax high-output diesel engine for the Chevrolet
days, due in part to safety software that
Silverado, GMC Sierra light-duty pickup truck and HUMMER H2 in
was added to the Maximo reporting syslate 2009.
The new Duramax engine will be one of the most efficient
tem in 2007. Kiosks throughout the site
and
technically advanced engines of its kind, offering 25 permake it quick and easy for employees to
cent greater fuel efficiency over traditional gasoline engines
report incidents, fill out maintenance
and reducing harmful emissions by 13 percent as compared
work orders and raise safety concerns.
to today’s diesel vehicles. The specifics? It will use a selective
“About 85 percent of the employees
catalytic reduction NOx after-treatment system with a diesel
particulate filter to help reach Tier 2 Bin 5 and LEV 2 emissions
are trained to use the Maximo system,”
standards. It will be as impressive as it sounds.
noted Klipfel. “If a flag is raised, someIn addition to its fuel and environmental enhancements, the
one from ergonomics is on the floor
engine is expected to provide class-leading 310 horsepower
within 48 hours as part of our Quick
and 520 foot-pounds of torque.
Response Process.”
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>>shop talk
20 Family Matters: Mom, Dad … Be Cool
21 Your Money: Cheap Trips
22 Your Health: To Sleep
Left: The D&E crew from left: John
Szafranski, Paul Razka, Ken Alexander,
John Stajinger, Ann O’Connell, Bob
Septer, Mike Dempsey, Angelo Loria,
Keith Byrd, Scott Hicks, Rick Adair, Don
Schlusler, Neal Talaska, John Brown,
Bruce Roberts, Andy McTaggart.
>EXHIBITS
Road Show
On the move with GM products and a message
of partnership BY T. KEMPER
M
Each year, the exhibits travel to more
than 30 venues. “For conferences like the
NAACP and the AFL-CIO, there are what
we call ‘static shows,’” said Ken Alexander,
GM Senior Staff Assistant, Shows and
Exhibits. These exhibits use graphics and
light boxes to showcase shiny new vehicles
— and then some. “We also try to get
across a message of partnership, of the
importance of working together in a competitive environment,” he explained.
At venues like GM plants, UAW union
halls, dealerships and even NASCAR
speedways, the exhibits are more interactive. “There’s a radio-controlled race
car and a mobile track where six people
can race at a time,” said Alexander. “We
also have a retired Jeff Gordon race car
that is pretty popular.”
Throw in a cutaway GM engine or
two, and you get a serious attraction.
“It gets packed,” said Szafranski. “People
see the cars, play the game and pick up
some information. It’s great PR.”
Whether at an event for NASCAR fans
or otherwise, a central part of the exhibit’s
message is what it means to build vehicles
at GM and the partnership between the
UAW and GM. ■
ore often than not, seeing is believing. That’s the philosophy behind
some head-turning exhibits that showcase cars and trucks built at UAWrepresented GM plants. With different displays tailored to different audiences, these mobile shows are easily transportable to a variety of locations, from
plant events to conferences to NASCAR races, where people learn not only about
the GM products, but also about the teams who build them.
As part of the “Buy American” campaign, these shows draw the general public
and feature games and giveaways as well as exciting new vehicles. “People walk in off
the street to see what GM has to offer,” said John Szafranski, a UAW International
representative. “Right there with the products, we have UAW-represented experts
— four or five per show — to answer questions. We also have information on
the UAW-GM Center for Human Resources and how our programs benefit UAW
members.”
Members of UAW Local 160 at the GM Technical Center in Warren,
Mich., take turns staffing the exhibits. “We usually have a few people
from different areas of the Tech Center available at any one time,” said
Neal Talaska, an automotive technician and UAW Local 160 member on
special assignment with the exhibits. “Together we can cover almost any
question, and we make sure we keep up on current products. We also
have performance-parts catalogs available.”
The payoff is that visitors get the right answers to questions about
everything from new cars to repairing and maintaining their current
The popularity of the exhibit was underscored when
GM vehicles. “They see us as the face of GM,” pointed out Talaska, who
U.S. Navy First Class Petty Officer Adam Julian
added that visitors are able to see the direct connection between the
chose it as the location for his re-enlistment at last
year’s NASCAR race in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.
exhibits, the UAW and GM.
18
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
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>>shop talk
One for the Moms: Mothers
of servicemen and women
honored at luncheon
>COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Bikers Benefiting Kids
Miracle Ride thunders through Indy, bringing
smiles and hope
UAW-GM BIKERS throughout Indiana
recently helped make miracles happen at
Riley Hospital in Indianapolis as part of
the hospital’s Miracle Ride fundraiser. At
Riley, thousands of children are treated,
often for life-threatening illnesses.
UAW-GM locations throughout the
state joined in the fundraising effort
with events like gate collections and
raffles. Meanwhile, the GM foundation
contributed an additional $12,000. In
total, the UAW-GM gift to the hospital
was $55,000.
After the fundraising efforts came to a
close, UAW-GM riders joined other bikers throughout the state to converge on
the hospital, riding on some of Indiana’s
most interesting two-wheelers.
Starting from union halls and plants,
they rode in thunderous support for
kids. Children who were healthy enough
to participate waited outside Riley as the
bikers paraded past, offering high-fives
and whoops of celebration.
Then it was off to the “Brickyard,”
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where
the riders circled the track in celebration
of the event. Once outside the racetrack,
check presentations began.
Participating GM Locals included
Allison Transmission-UAW Local 933,
Bedford Foundry Operations-UAW
Local 440, Fort Wayne Assembly-UAW
Local 2209, Indianapolis Metal CenterUAW Local 23 and Marion Metal
Center-UAW Local 977. — Ken Been
ROBB ROWE (MILITARY MOMS)
Holiday Cheer for Everyone
WHEN IT COMES to the number of
people who work there, parts distribution centers can seem small. Yet GM SPO
Charlotte-UAW Local 2404 employees
proved that PDCs are certainly anything
but small at heart. Their open house raffle
raised enough cash to provide about 2,500
holiday dinners to the less fortunate!
Joining in the festivities were UAW
Local family members and people from
the surrounding community, all of
whom were treated to activities like
face painting and line dancing. There
were also new cars and the UAW-GM
CHR exhibit.
— K.B.
In honor of Veterans Day, the UAWGM CHR co-sponsored the third
annual Military Moms Luncheon, an
event recognizing the mothers of
men and women actively serving in
the armed forces.
More than 250 moms, as well as a
few grandmothers, came together from
a wide cross-section of the Detroit
region for this tradition. Although few
of them knew each other personally,
the common bond of having a child in
the armed forces made them feel like
family. They shared stories, feelings,
hugs and, of course, pictures of their
children in uniform.
“This luncheon reminds us that
we are all one family,” said Debra
Pollack, UAW Local 160. Pollack
works in the Health and Safety
Department, UAW-GM CHR. “And
what greater service can a child or
family give to one’s country than to
protect not only their family, but all
the families of our great nation?”
Also attending was Cathy Pirucki,
whose husband, Stan, is a program
manager/auditor for the UAW-GM
CHR Health and Safety Department.
Their son, Jacob, is currently serving
in the Army and is stationed in Fort
Riley, Kan.
“Getting together for this lunch is
very important,” she said. “It helps us
all pause for a moment to think about
everyone who has served to help protect our freedoms.”
— K.B.
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>>shop talk
NUMBERS
TO KNOW
■
Crash risk drops by more than
two-thirds after a driver completes
his or her first 1,500 miles of
independent driving.
■
Crashes resulting in injury were
19 percent lower in states with
three-stage Graduated Driver License
(GDL) programs in 2005.
■
One out of every five licensed 16year-old drivers will be in a car crash.
■
In 2005, 54 percent of motor
vehicle crash deaths among
teenagers happened on a
Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
■
That same year, two-thirds of
teens killed in car crashes were
not wearing seat belts.
■
Carrying just one passenger
increases crash risk by 50
percent for 16–17-year-olds.
SOURCE: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety;
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration;
McCartt, Shabanova & Leaf, 2001.
>FAMILY MATTERS
Mom,Dad ... Be Cool
How to help teenagers become safer behind
the wheel BY KATE GRIP DENON
G
etting a driver’s license is every teenager’s dream — and their parents’ or
grandparents’ biggest fear. With vehicle crashes as the leading cause of teen
fatalities, it’s no surprise that adults are oftentimes nervous about handing
over the keys. “Teens are novice drivers with little experience behind the wheel of
a multi-thousand-pound vehicle,” said Marilena Amoni, associate administrator
for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). “Plus, they’re
high risk takers.”
While allowing teenagers to drive can be scary, adults can do several things to
help keep their teens safe.
Follow the guidelines. The first step, according to Adrian Lund, president
of the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, is to make sure your teenager is following your state’s Graduated Driver License (GDL) guidelines. This three-phase
procedure for getting a license begins with driving a certain number of hours
with a learner’s permit. The teenage drivers receive an intermediate license with
limitations, such as the number of passengers allowed in the car and night driving
restrictions, before they finally earn a full license. “It gives them the experience they
need, but it restricts dangerous environments,” Lund said.
Log extra hours. Amoni agrees that GDL guidelines are crucial, but stresses
that parents or grandparents need to pick up where the state leaves off. Amoni, the
mother of a teen driver, speaks from experience. “In many states, the supervised
driving time with a parent or guardian for teens is between 30 and 50 hours, but
in my house it’s 100,” she said.
20
Make a pact. Adult supervision,
even when teenagers have a full license
and are driving without you, is crucial
in keeping them safe. Amoni suggests
scripting a driving contract between
you and your teen. “Treat it like a
legal document,” she said. The contract
should outline rules such as seat belt
use at all times, no violation of nighttime driving restrictions and maintaining a certain academic grade level.
Consider the car. The type of car
your teenager drives is important when
it comes to safety. “You want your teens
in larger cars because size and mass are
protective,” said Lund. “New model cars
also have updated safety features.”
Keep tabs. Perhaps the most important factor in keeping your kids safe is
monitoring their driving. “You need to
know where they are going, who they are
with and when they will be home,” said
Amoni. For a high-tech approach, global
positioning systems are now available
that let you know exactly where your
teen is. Of course, you can keep tabs on
your teen the old-fashioned way, too.
When kids are being monitored, it can
actually help them avoid sticky situations. “Your kids can say, ‘My parents are
checking on me, so I can’t do that,’” said
Amoni. “I have no problem being the
bad guy.” ■
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
L 08-GM1-002 Family lo01.indd 20
2/4/08 1:35:55 PM
>YOUR MONEY
Top Tips for
Cheap Trips
Planning a vacation that won’t break the bank
BY DAINTRY DUFFY
confident about the web site or organization offering the deal.
Think small. Smaller hotels, bed and
breakfasts and motels usually offer more
extras for less money. It’s common to
find free breakfasts, free newspapers and
even free Wi-Fi and Internet at smaller
locations, noted Sandra Phillips-Posner,
travel expert and co-author of Drive I95: Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and
Trivia. Larger luxury hotels will more
often make you pay for the extras.
Remember to budget for food.
A
SEAN JUSTICE/GETTY IMAGES; OPPOSTIE PAGE: DON MASON/GETTY IMAGES
mericans are always looking for ways to make the most of their precious vacation days. In a recent study conducted by the Travel Industry
Association and American Express, 53 percent of people cited “cost of travel”
as the greatest barrier to taking their “ideal” vacation. But does a great vacation
necessarily have to break the bank? A less expensive trip can be just as rewarding
— it simply requires a little more planning and follow-through. Travel experts offer
the following advice.
Travel off-peak. When planning your summer trip, Karen Hoxmeier of
MyBargainBuddy.com recommends looking at vacation spots that aren’t as busy
during our warmer months, like North American ski towns, Florida and Australia.
These destinations can be equally beautiful and enjoyable in the off-season, when
they are also more affordable.
Traveling at off-peak times can also help you save if you are flying, though this
usually means taking midweek flights and keeping your departure and return dates
flexible. Remember to start your research early, and sign up for airline and travel
web site newsletters that will keep you informed about deals and promotions. Many
organizations like AAA and travel web sites offer vacation packages that can save
you 25 percent or more. That said, be wary of online scams and make sure you feel
That three-times-a-day expense can
easily get out of hand. The best option
is to look for an all-inclusive resort, or
find a hotel room with a kitchenette
so you can prepare snacks and light
meals — cheaper than paying restaurant
prices. If you do go out, consider lunch
instead of dinner. The same meal at a
restaurant is often cheaper on the lunch
menu than it is on the dinner menu,
pointed out Phillips-Posner.
Clip coupons. Check out discount
resources like Entertainment Book
(www.entertainment.com), a set of coupons that offers discounts of up to 50
percent at restaurants, shops, attractions
and sporting events for various locations
around the country. Available for $25–
30, it will more than pay for itself during
your stay if you make good use of it.
Hit the road. Don’t forget the
old-fashioned family road trip. If you
do pack up the car and head for the
highway, you’ll be among about half
of vacationing Americans, according to
a recent study. Besides, road trips can
be a great way to save money through
unique lodging experiences. PhillipsPosner said that along I-95 alone you
can bunk on the battleship New Jersey
and wake to reveille, or sleep in a leafy
South Carolina tree house complete
with its own kitchen.
With a little foresight and the discipline to stick to a budget, there are
myriad ways to have a good, affordable
vacation. The bottom line is this: a
great trip is all about your travel mates,
plus the people you might meet on the
journey — none of which will cost you
a cent. ■
www.uaw-gm.org
M 08-GM1-002 Money lo01.indd 21
21
2/4/08 1:36:55 PM
>>shop talk
So what’s a sleep-deprived person to
do? Though we’re bombarded constantly
with advertisements for pharmaceutical
sleep aids, experts suggest first trying a few
simple alterations to our sleep habits.
Bring back bedtime. “Parents may
be accustomed to thinking about bedtime for younger children,” said Wolfson.
She pointed out they’re ignoring all
the important things that are necessary for creating a bedtime routine for
themselves. Your routine should include
some kind of wind-down period: take a
bath, drink a cup of herbal tea, listen to
soothing music. It should not include
one final e-mail check, watching television or drinking alcohol.
Build the right environment. The
optimal environment for sleeping is cool,
dark and noise-free, according to Wolfson.
Many factors can keep
Minimize distractions in the bedroom
us from getting the
— turn that brightly glowing alarm clock
recommended 7.5 to 8.5
away from you; get earplugs to block out
hours of sleep each night.
the noisy sounds of traffic. Also, think like
Goldilocks and consider the possibility
that your mattress or bedding could be
YOUR
HEALTH
>
preventing you from sleeping well if it is
uncomfortably hard or soft.
Stick to a schedule. Our bodies
are governed by circadian rhythms,
which dictate our sleep/wake cycles and
cause us to feel alert in the morning
(as much as possible anyway), sleepy
in the midafternoon and tired at bedKeep tabs on quantity and quality to catch the
time. Many adults set these rhythms
best zzz’s possible
BY MEG MITCHELL MOORE awry by sleeping less during the week
and trying to make up for it by “bingesleeping” on weekends. “As a result,
e all need it. There are few who don’t enjoy it. Without it, we are less effec- Sunday night comes around and you
tive at work, less safe on the road and often just plain irritable. And yet, too can’t fall asleep because you’ve slept more
over the weekend and thrown the clock
few of us are getting enough of that precious commodity called sleep.
“With the 24/7 society we’re all living in, the problem seems to be getting worse,” off,” said Wolfson. The best way to stay
said Amy Wolfson, Ph.D., a professor at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, well-rested, noted Wolfson, is to go to
Mass., and author of A Woman’s Book of Sleep. “People are working longer hours, bed at the same time every night and
leaving less time for sleep.” She added that even when there is time, adults have gotten wake up at the same time each morning.
away from understanding the importance of sleep.
Some people, of course, have no
According to Wolfson, there are a few culprits keeping us from getting the recom- choice but to sleep erratically — anyone
mended 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep each night (a quantity determined by the National who performs shift work, for example
Sleep Foundation). Mental stress heaped on us from work and family life, nagging — in which case sleep aids like whitephysical pain, a partner who snores or tosses and turns, gadgets in the bedroom emitting noise machines, sleep masks and light
therapy may be helpful options.
disruptive sounds or light — all of these can contribute to the inability to sleep well.
There’s no way, of course, to put
Sleep can be a particular problem for women, more so than for men. In certain
stages of life — pregnancy, the postpartum period, the perimenopausal years — hor- more hours in the day or the night. But
mones can wreak havoc on a female’s sleep cycles. “Women report insomnia twice as there are ways to put better sleep into
the hours we have. ■
often as men,” said Wolfson.
To Sleep, Perchance
to Dream
22
MASTERFILE
W
UAW-GM PEOPLE SPRING 2008
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2/4/08 1:38:03 PM
>>my wheels
>>
factoids
Mo Felling shows off his 1970
Pontiac GTO in his automotive
collector’s showcase.
NAME: Mo Felling
PLANT:
Flint Powertrain North
on it, refinishing and retouching its
take the car out in the rain or snow
classic appeal — and I finished it
— only on bright sunshiny days.
LOCAL: UAW Local 599
right. This car is my pride and joy,
People always stand and look when I
JOB: Skilled Trades,
Refrigeration
and I show it off to friends in my
drive by and make comments about
garage decorated with old porcelain
my car. It is very gratifying to know
gasoline and oil advertisements that
that people notice the work I’ve done.
YEARS WITH GM: 30+
years ago. The atmosphere in there,
THE BEST PART: The restoration
with my collector’s items showcasing
process definitely was a struggle at
UNDER THE HOOD:
455-cubic-inch engine
the finished product, just gives me a
points, but knowing that I completed
sense of satisfaction.
a challenge I’ve always imagined
MILES: 20,000 since
restoration
ROY RITCHIE
I began obsessively collecting five
WHEELS:
1970 Pontiac GTO
doing gives me a sense of pride.
THE RIDE: When the weather is nice
People love to see my GTO and they
and warm in the summertime, I love
always tell me, “Wow, you have a
taking the GTO along the waters of
really nice car” — something I always
WHY IT’S HOT: I completely
Port Huron in Michigan. My wife and
like to hear. I love bringing my friends
restored my 1970 black Pontiac GTO
I go on day trips there and either
over to congregate in my garage;
from the ground up and couldn’t be
have a picnic in the park or eat at our
we just hang out and take it all in.
happier. For five long years I worked
favorite restaurant in town. I never
>>
— Jessica Cickay
CALLING ALL CARS
O 08-GM1-002 MyWheels lo01.indd 23
Do you own a cool vehicle that would be the envy of UAW-GM people?
Give us the scoop by sending an e-mail to [email protected].
www.uaw-gm.org
23
2/4/08 1:38:59 PM
>>people
UAW- GM
P 08-GM1-002 BCover lo01.indd 2
UAW-GM Center for Human Resources
200 Walker St.
Detroit, MI 48207
Visit the CHR at www.uaw-gm.org.
2/4/08 1:40:32 PM