Tuition Assistance, Training Successfully Retained
Education and Training
Despite management’s insistence on eliminating training programs and tuition assistance, the union steadfastly refused and successfully retained the programs with increases for tuition assistance for active and retired members. The UAW also retained the Dependent Scholarship Program that provides tuition assistance for dependents of active and retired members.
Tuition Assistance
Active UAW-represented workers will be eligible for an additional $400 of tuition assistance per calendar year for degree-related courses, raising the total annual benefit to $5,000. The degree-related book allowance was raised $100 to $200 annually.
Your bargaining team was also successful in broadening eligibility for degree-related courses to include those UAW workers on approved military or educational leaves of absence.
Retiree tuition assistance was increased $250, for an annual benefit of $1,750. The proposed agreement expands approved retiree TAP locations to include classes at UAW regional offices or the UAW Family Education Center at Black Lake.
The union succeeded in retaining the Dependent Scholarship Program that provides tuition assistance to children of active and retired members. Your negotiators were able to resist the corporation’s push to eliminate this program and were able to maintain scholarships for eligible dependents at an annual level of $1,500.
Joint Learning Centers
The parties agreed to implement Joint Learning Centers in each UAW GM facility. They will replace the current Skill Center program and maintain in-plant learning opportunities for members, spouses and retirees through traditional classroom methods, along with the latest self-paced and online learning technologies.
Active Worker Training
To further enhance the ongoing commitment to maintain a well trained, highly skilled workforce, the union strengthened the process for union involvement in the identification and delivery of training for UAW-represented workers. The new language requires the development of a jointly approved training plan for all UAW worker training activities and ongoing local joint monitoring and national party reviews to ensure implementation. The union also secured a commitment from the corporation to provide a new computerized system for the planning, tracking and reporting of UAW training activities.
Additional Joint Funds
The UAW was successful in retaining the formula and commitment to fund all joint activities.