Skilled Trades AWS at LAP,MAP,Wayne and CAP.

[uaw12]

In the past when the local UAW officials have done things I disagree with I have not been shy about sharing my displeasure. On the flip side I have to put out there that most of us in the trades were expecting the 4X3 Trades pattern which would have been awful for everyone involved except the company. We have been informed that Chairman at our facility along with MAP, Wayne and CAP stuck together and got the company to agree to the 5X2 agreement which I can say at our facility is widely embraced versus the other option. We have taken many hits in the trades over the past few years but I want to think the Chairman who showed leadership and delivered a schedule that is worker friendly.

[LAP89]

Do you have some details about this schedule? 12 hr days? What are the normal days off?Are sat and sun paid at an overtime rate?

Thanks for any info.

[CandyCane]

You get 4 days off but not the same 4 days and yes you do get some overtime, either way you make out good.

[Fatso]

at Dearborn Truck Plant the trades just J-U-M-P,,we dont ask "How high".I work a 4 on/4 off 12 hours mandatory/paid 11.5 schedule.I am paid straight time for the first 10 and then 150% x 1.5 hours.Saturdays are mandatory if they fall within my scheduled days and I am paid 125% for the first 10 and then 150% for 1.5 hours.Sundays are mandatory if they fall within my scheduled days and I am paid 125% for 8 hours and then 150% for 3.5 hour.If a company paid holiday falls within my scheduled work days I am usually FORCED to work or use a vacation day {make sense?}if I am forced to work I am paid 250% times 12 hours and I cannot convert the hours into future time off so,,,,where is my holiday?Bottom line is that FoMoCo gets skilled trades coverage 365/24/7 at a greatly reduced labor rate.Okay,so lets say you start a block of 4 days on/4 days off on Wednesday.Then wed.,thu.,fri.,sat. you work 12`s and take the next 4 days off.Come back the following week on thursday and work,thu.,fri.,sat.,sun.So on and so forth.In all fairness some workers like the schedule.I find the mandatory 12`s hard to work and of course all the mandatory weekends and holidays are detrimental to family and spiritual life.I respect the other plants with strong enough solidarity to be able to 'tweak' an AWS but it only adds to the resentment.I mean why is that DTP trades work 'cheaper than anyone'?I think we should all have equal skin in the game.I know,I know,I am just a POS who should be lucky I have any job until,the line stops,then I get people with engineering degrees all asking me,hollering "What is wrong!""How long will it take"!"Where are the parts"!But if you support production you know how that goes.Last bit of advice about AWS is to get several options on the table and then allow everyone to vote.Solidarity-Out!

Edited May 4, 2012 by Fatso

[Grandmaster B]

Forced to work a Holiday? Their about to implement this schedule at Sterling. They (the union) have not explained it very well, and there are a lot of rumors going around about how it works. What is the 5x2?

[chris532]

It divides you into 2 Groups, 2 days to midnights. Group 1 will work every Mon and Tues and be off every Thurs and Fri. Group 2 will be off Mon and Tues and work every Thrus and Fri. The groups will rotate Wed, Sat and Sun. A 2 week Schedule for Group 1 would be M-W, Tu-W, W-off, Th-off, Fri-off, Sat-W, Sun-W, Mon-W, Tu-W, W-W, Th-off, Fri-off, Sat-off, Sun-off. A 2 week schedule for Group 2 would be M-off, Tu-off, W-W, Th-W, Fri-W, Sat-off, Sun-off, M-off, Tu-off, W-off, Th-W, Fri-W, Sat-W, Sun-W. Those are 12hr shift 7 to 7. Thats how we are doing it at MAP. During the week after 10hrs I believe its time and quarter and the weekends it time and a half. So one week you get 39hrs pay and 52hrs the next.

Edited May 4, 2012 by chris532

[Grandmaster B]

Thanks! I don't know how the hell you guys keep track of that schedule.

[PIPEWRENCH]

Will the aws add heads?

[Grandmaster B]

The union told us 25% more people would be needed. As far as overtime is concerned, the union sold us down the river on this one.

[wixom22]

Will the aws add heads?

Map has not started the AWS, last I heard it may start in june. As far as adding heads, not one person has been added to map.

[CandyCane]

Your comment about overtime is just pure greed!

You would rather have overtime than to give somebody a job. How wrong is that!

[Grandmaster B]

Go f/yerself Candy Cunt! The union still gets their double time.

[CandyCane]

I guess I just know how to live on 40 hours.

[Fatso]

One good thing about the 5/2 AWS is that you have more weekends off.While you have some power at the Local level,negotiate, voluntary not mandatory{there are always ample volunteers} Company Paid Holidays.Negotiate, every hour on Sunday is paid time and a half.DTP has been on an AWS for the past 6 years.The company loves it.Production could care less about sticking up with the trades.I dont think the IUAW has much of a chance recruiting foreign transplants when it is obvious that they have turned into a company union.I guess its all about The Golden Rule.He who has the gold makes all the rules.

[CandyCane]

Why would production stick up for trades?

Trades has done nothing for production except bitch when you have to come out and fix my tools.