Job Security Program Improved
UAW negotiators made substantial improvements to the landmark job and income security program. The Secure Employment Levels (SEL) benchmarks have been eliminated and all seniority workers are covered as of the effective date of the proposed agreement. Changes make it possible for entry-level employees to become traditional employees to fill vacancies.
Allowable reasons for layoff remain the same, as does the 48-week maximum layoff period.
JOBS Cap Increased
The union achieved an increased level of commitment to provisions of the JOBS fund. The JOBS cap was increased to $2.211 billion over the life of the agreement.
Attrition Replacement
In the proposed program, attrition replacement covers 100 percent of the membership, with only two exceptions. Attrition replacement will be delayed during a market driven-related layoff. And when a plant has workers on protected status, attrition replacement will be handled in accordance with Document 118 of the National Agreement. The number of jobs outsourced minus the number of jobs insourced will be treated as attrition on a unit basis.
When a traditional worker quits, dies, retires or is placed on salary, he or she will be replaced as soon as possible, but in no event longer than 30 days. Under the proposed job security program, production employees will be replaced as follows:
• Recalling a seniority worker from layoff from the facility.
• Rehiring a worker with Paragraph (64) rehire rights.
• Hiring a laid-off worker from the area hire.
• Allow an in-plant entry-level worker from the facility to become a traditional employee. When this occurs, that worker will be covered by the JOBS program.
• Hire a new entry-level employee.
Skilled-trades workers will be replaced as follows:
• Recall a seniority worker from layoff at the facility.
• Rehire a skilled worker with a Paragraph 64 rehire rights.
• Rehire a laid-off worker from area hire.
• Transfer a skilled-trades employee working in production into the trade, or place an apprentice, or place a Document 63 retrained journeyperson.
• Hire a new skilled-trades worker.
Protected Status Employee
A protected status employee will remain in protected status for no more than two years if there are job openings in the corporation. If during the two-year period no jobs are available and workers remain on protected status, the national parties will develop a plan specific to each location.
Protected Status Employee Pay Options
A protected status employee assigned to a plant job will receive his or her regular straight-time hourly rate. Protected status workers not assigned to a plant job have the option of receiving 85 percent of straight-time hourly rate and not report to a designated location. Protected status workers can remain in the plant or report to a designated location and receive 100 percent of their straight-time hourly rate.
In certain circumstances the national parties may agree that placement on protected status at the 85 percent rate is mandatory.
Special Attrition Program
A nationwide Special Attrition Program will be offered in accordance with previous attrition programs.
UAW Secures Agreement to Make 3,000 Temporaries Permanent
In a major achievement, UAW negotiators gained agreement that 3,000 workers who are currently classified as temporary will become traditional employees on the effective date of the 2007 agreement.
Hiring will be handled on a plant-by-plant basis. Current temporaries who are converted to permanent status will become seniority employees and will be provided health care benefits upon the effective date of the new agreement. They will receive the same wages as traditional GM workers in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 98 of the UAW GM National Agreement.
For the purpose of a plant seniority tiebreaker, the worker’s date of hire as a temporary employee at their current plant will be used.
All temporaries on the rolls as of the effective date of the proposed agreement are eligible for a $3,000 settlement bonus.