2006 Fall Issue - UAW-Chrysler.com

LOOKING AHEAD AT THE UAW-DAIMLERCHRYSLER NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER
FALL 2006
Volume 10 • Number 3
Mistake-Proof
POWER
Toledo North aims for perfection with the new Dodge Nitro
By Nancy Shepherdson
ROY RITCHIE
www.uawdcx.com
INSIDE
On Ramp
General Holiefield
takes office 2
Cruise Control
Balance your busy
life through NTC 4
Real People
Keeping it in the family;
making a difference at
Mack Ave. and more 6
Features
PDCs pack more productivity;
ready for political action with
PEL; WOM trains teams 10
In the Loop
Happenings in the
UAW-DaimlerChrysler
family 16
GoOnline
Learn more about the DaimlerChrysler
Employee Advantage programs at
www.dc-employeeadvantage.com.
<
Maria Rodriguez installs
parts as they move
down the line.
Bored? Not at Toledo North, where six models of three
vehicles are now being built on three shifts in the
assembly complex. The newest is the blazing 2007
Dodge Nitro, a macho companion of the Jeep Liberty. It’s a
brawny but gasoline-friendly SUV built for both comfort
and pride of possession.
For the people who build it, though,
the biggest improvement is in the help
they get to do their jobs right. From
new ergonomics to user-friendly errorproofing,
Toledo North workers are
finding that quality comes easy when
the right tools are in place.
BETTER ALL THE TIME
For John Moore, a door handler and
UAW Local 12 member, the “right place”
is the place where he was able to have his
computer monitor installed. Moore is
primarily in charge of installing hinges on
the Liberty. But when a Nitro comes down
the line, he installs the rear doors.
Engineers suggested having lights or
whistles go off to alert him that a Nitro
was on its way. Moore said, “Just put the
computer here and I’ll be able to see it
coming every time.” And that’s exactly
what was done, as part of Toledo North’s
commitment to mistake-proofing.
Moore also likes the new ergonomic
design of the Nitro door’s installation
fixture. Liberty doors must be installed
using a heavy fixture, but Nitro fixtures
are designed to move much easier. “It’s
so light, I can move it with a fingertip,”
he says as he demonstrates just that, with
one finger.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 >

On Ramp
NTC
Welcomes
New
Leaders
Leading the way: (left to right) John Byers,
General Holiefield and James R. Coakley
A NEW ERA OF UNION LEADERSHIP
has begun for the UAW-DaimlerChrysler
partnership. The change creates new
opportunities to refocus joint programs
overseen by the UAW-DaimlerChrysler
National Training Center in order to help
meet UAW members’ needs more effectively.
This issue of Tomorrow welcomes General
Holiefield, new vice president and director of the
UAW’s DaimlerChrysler Department. Holiefield
brings extensive experience as a UAW
leader at the local and national level, having
spent the past two years as the top assistant to
UAW President Ron Gettelfinger.
New NTC co-director John Byers also brings
a fresh perspective and a diverse background to
his job. Byers was previously an administrative
assistant to UAW Vice President Bob King,
where his responsibilities included contract
compliance and negotiations .
Byers joined UAW Local 1268 at Belvidere
Assembly in July 1967. Starting on the chassis
line, he rose through the ranks to become a
chief steward, committeeman and president.
A former NTC associate co-director from
1997 to 1999, Byers pledges to target resources
for maximum impact on UAW members.
“General Holiefield and I are committed to
refocusing efforts on training and providing
meaningful opportunities that improve
safety, quality and other measures of our
success as a union and management,” he says.
Byers joins James R. Coakley as an administrative
assistant to Holiefield and member of the
UAW-DaimlerChrysler Joint Activities Board.
A 40-year UAW member, Coakley is a former
president of UAW Local 1200 at Chrysler’s
former Detroit tank plant and coordinator in
the union’s General Dynamics Department.
In the
As a forklift operator at Detroit Axle, General Holiefield learned a
lesson about himself and the UAW that still drives his agenda today:
If you feel your union needs improvement, it’s up to you to get
involved, stand up for change and make a difference.
Holiefield stood up when he became dissatisfied with his chief steward
over a representation issue. “I thought we could do better,” he recalls. At the
next Local 961 election, he ran against the incumbent and won in a landslide.
It was his first UAW elected office, but it wouldn’t be his last.
“Working in the vineyard is where it all starts,” says the 33-year UAW
veteran. “Every member should get back to basics by learning the contract,
living it, breathing it and remembering that an injustice to one is an injustice
to all. That’s what our union stands for.”
FRUITS OF HIS LABOR
Nearly 20 years after that first union election, Holiefield is a UAW vice president
and director of the union’s DaimlerChrysler Department. He was
elected to the post in June at the UAW’s 34th Constitutional Convention,
succeeding Nate Gooden upon Gooden’s retirement. Holiefield is also
co-chairman of the Joint Activities Board, which sets policy for the UAW-
DaimlerChrysler National Training Center.
Spiritual in nature yet shop-floor savvy, Holiefield has risen to near the
top of the UAW by putting members’ needs above his own. “There is a Bible
correlation that I am very much reminded of,” he says, “and that is, ‘You
can’t serve two masters.’ So I decided that I couldn’t serve myself because
you will find that you will always serve yourself more.”
Since his tenure as a chief steward, 53-year-old Holiefield has followed
this higher calling. Prior to his election as vice president, he had served since
June 2004 as executive administrative assistant to UAW President Ron
Gettelfinger — making Holiefield the first African American to serve in the
union’s top staff position.
Holiefield’s days at Chrysler began in 1973 when he hired on at the old
Jefferson Avenue Assembly Plant. Two years later he joined Local 961 after
transferring to Detroit Axle. He rose through the local’s leadership ranks,
becoming vice president and then president, first in 1992 when his predecessor
retired, and again the following year when he was elected by acclamation.
Holiefield held that position until he was appointed a UAW international
representative in the Chrysler Department two years later. He became
an assistant director and later administrative assistant to Gooden before
his promotion to the president’s office.
During 2003 national negotiations, Holiefield played a pivotal role in
hammering out a four-year agreement with DaimlerChrysler. He coordinated
the national negotiating committees and staff assignments and was
instrumental in the ratification process.
Holiefield looks forward to his vice presidency as an opportunity to have
an impact on the lives of all UAW members at DaimlerChrysler. “I know
2 TOMORROW FALL 2006 www.uawdcx.com

General Holiefi eld comes to his new post with deep UAW roots
BY RON RUSSELL & TANISHA DAVIS
Vineyard
what our members are dealing with and
want them to know that they have someone
in this office they can count on —
someone who really listens,” he says. “I’d
like them to always remember, I’ll leave the
light on for you, brothers and sisters.”
He says members should not be afraid
to speak out, whether the issue is about
vehicle quality, work practices or safety.
“We all need to find a comfort zone thinking
outside the box.”
WORKING TOGETHER
While sensitive to members’ needs, Holiefield
expects them to share his strong work
ethic. “These jobs are good jobs and we
must never lose sight of that,” he says.
“People must report to work on time and
give a full day’s labor for a full day’s pay.
We have to work harder to keep our jobs.”
A self-described straight shooter, Holiefield
also has high expectations for management
as he seeks to work together on
enhancing Chrysler Group’s competitive
position, job security and other issues of common
concern. “The trust and mutual respect
will have to be there,” he says. “And that’s
something we have to work on every day.”
Holiefield’s dedication to the UAW as
a champion of social and economic justice
General Holiefi eld with his late
grandmother Nellie Moore,
a UAW workplace pioneer.
is deeply rooted in the experience of a family
member who also was a union trailblazer.
His late grandmother Nellie Moore got a job
at Chrysler during World War II and helped
spark a revolution in attitudes toward race
and gender in the U.S. auto industry.
“I remember walking picket lines with
Granny, and I learned to understand why she
loved the UAW,” says Holiefield. “She taught
me the value of working in the vineyard and
never giving up when you know that righteousness
and justice are on your side.”
As a UAW vice president, Holiefield
says, he will never forget his roots in the
vineyard or Granny’s legacy as he continues
to serve others’ needs before his own.
Whatever challenges lie ahead, no one who
knows him expects anything less. ■
“ I know what our members
are dealing with and want
them to know that they have
someone in this office they
can count on.”
— GENERAL HOLIEFIELD
Up Close and Personal
Next to his faith, family and the UAW, a
Harley is the love of General Holiefield’s life.
“For most of the last 35 years, I’ve owned a
motorcycle,” he says. And that includes his
last bike, a union-made, top-of-the-line
Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic. “I love the
feel of the wind in my face and the freedom
of the open road. It’s an experience that
frees the spirit like nothing else can.”
Holiefield and his wife, Marlene, have
three adult children, daughter Shaelyn
and sons Chalfonte and General Jr. The
native of Middletown, Ohio, is an avid
car buff who also enjoys fishing and
horseback riding.
BOTTOM LEFT: BILL SCHWAB
www.uawdcx.com TOMORROW FALL 2006 3

Cruise Control
Help for the
Hurried
Balance your busy life with these NTC programs
BY KAREN ENGLISH
Somehow, life seems to get more complicated
in the fall. Even for families who aren’t coping
with the back-to-school rush, September
often means shifting gears from summer’s more
relaxed pace to cooler — and more hectic — days.
Managing your busy life may not
be easy, but help is available through
the UAW-DaimlerChrysler National
Training Center’s Circle of Life Programs.
Whether you’re trying to get the school
year off to a solid start or handling other
challenges, the NTC has several programs
to make life easier.
Connections Made Easy
Homework Hotline
National Child Care Network
Family Resource and Referral
877.NTC.CIRCLE (877.682.2472)
www.uawdcx.com
Elder Care Assessment
866.646.CARE (866.646.2273)
HOMEWORK HOTLINE
If it’s been too many years since you tackled
those math problems, you may be
dreading homework more than your kids
are. But this school year, homework help
for UAW-represented parents and their
children is just a phone call away. The
Homework Hotline connects you with a
certified teacher who is an expert in the
subject your child is working on. Hotline
teachers will also gladly assist workers who
are taking classes.
Before you call, it’s a good idea to have the
textbook or class notes handy and your questions
ready. Hotline teachers won’t just supply
the answers, because that wouldn’t help your
student learn. Instead, teachers will guide
students toward finding their own answers.
It’s easy to access the toll-free Homework
Hotline at 877.NTC.CIRCLE. You’ll
find teachers available from 4 to 9 p.m.,
EST, Monday through Thursday, to assist
with subjects at grade levels from kindergarten
through high school. Homework
Hotline will be open through late May.
FAMILY RESOURCE AND REFERRAL
Whether you need help choosing a program
for your preschooler or are looking at
colleges for your teenager or yourself, the
UAW-DaimlerChrysler Family Resource
and Referral Program is on your side.
The questions the program covers are
not limited to education — turn to this
program for help juggling all sorts of family
and personal issues, such as parenting,
work, retirement, fitness and health.
Family Resource and Referral consultants
can supply you with materials, help
you explore your options and provide
referrals to community agencies. The
service is free to UAW-DaimlerChrysler
workers and their family members. To use
the program, visit www.uawdcx.com or
call 877.NTC.CIRCLE.
ELDER CARE ASSESSMENT
More and more workers are finding that
caring for the needs of an elderly relative is
4 TOMORROW FALL 2006 www.uawdcx.com

Cruise Control
Call the Homework Hotline
to assist your children with
their schoolwork, or seek
advice from Ask the Expert.
GETTY IMAGES
something they must add to their list of
responsibilities. As people live longer and
families become more spread out, meeting
those needs can get increasingly challenging.
Professional services available through
the Elder Care Assessment Program can
help you determine what the needs of your
older relative may be — and find the
resources to meet them — no matter where
in the country your family member lives.
For more information, call this 24-hour
toll-free number: 866.646.CARE.
NATIONAL CHILD CARE NETWORK
For working parents, finding quality child
care can be a major concern year-round.
To help parents feel comfortable on the job
knowing that their children are well cared
for, the NTC offers the National Child
Care Network.
The network has qualified more than
2,000 child care centers around the U.S.,
and new centers are added regularly. Most
of the centers are part of well-known
national chains, and all are continuously
monitored for program quality.
In most communities with Daimler-
Chrysler facilities, priority slots are
reserved for children of UAW-represented
workers, and the slots come with a 10 percent
tuition discount. The program is open
to children 2 1 /2 to 12 years old. For a list of
participating child care centers, visit www
.uawdcx.com or call 877.NTC.CIRCLE.
ASK THE EXPERT
Ask the Expert brings social workers, geriatric
care specialists, employee assistance
professionals and other professionals to
DaimlerChrysler facilities for free face-toface
consultations with UAW-represented
workers on some 150 work-life topics. If
you’re interested in having an expert come
to your facility, contact your Local Joint
Training Facilitator. ■
Online Assistance
Your online work-life resource is new and
improved. Check out the fresh features at the Web
site that’s ready to help you get what you need
through the Family Resource and Referral Program.
Go to www.uawdcx.com, and select Family
Resource and Referral Program from the dropdown
Circle of Life menu. On the right side of the
page, click on the “log in” button.
www.uawdcx.com TOMORROW FALL 2006 5

Real People
BY MEGHAN LITTLE
Father Knows Best
For Local 372’s Maurice Graves, company loyalty is all in the family
If you passed by a home with a fleet of
Chrysler Group vehicles parked outside,
you might think you had happened
on a commercial shoot. But not if it’s the
home of Maurice Graves. A DaimlerChrysler
worker for 34 years, Graves is proud to
buy his company’s vehicles — and he insists
that his family members do the same.
Buying what he builds is very important
to this UAW Local 372 member from
Trenton Engine. “I want my friends and
neighbors to know that I support the
company I work for,” Graves says.
Though the sentiment is not unique
to Graves, it does warrant regular
reinforcement, as evidenced by the
occasional competitor-built vehicles that
turn up in the plant’s employee parking
lot. Graves is happy to oblige.
Recognizing that people have the right
to buy whatever car they like, Graves wants
his co-workers to look closely at the sleek,
quality cars made by the Chrysler Group.
As a PQI trainer, he takes advantage of his
classroom time with workers. “I tell them to
think about their retirement,” Graves says.
“Every time they spend money on a Toyota,
they’re providing profits for Toyota to take
back to Japan.” When explained in a way
that shows the effect on
their own future, Graves
says, employees can
understand the
importance of
supporting their
company.
Outside the
classroom, Graves works
Maurice Graves poses
proudly in front of his
Dodge Ram 1500.
hard to keep workers up-to-date on all
Chrysler Group vehicles. One important
step in achieving this was getting the P3
(People, Pride and Product) Team into
Trenton Engine (see “Making Conquests,”
on page 7). During P3 open houses,
workers learn about various Chrysler,
Dodge and Jeep models by speaking with
the P3 sales ambassadors. But Graves says
it’s not enough to look at a vehicle’s
exterior and peer through the windows.
“We have an open-door policy during the
P3 visits,” he says. “Workers can sit in the
vehicles, look at the features and really take
it all in.”
Instilling brand loyalty among Trenton
Engine workers is one thing, but how did
Graves get his family to pledge the same
loyalty? He admits it took the threat of
withdrawing college tuition from his
daughter, Tiffany, whose friends were
encouraging her to buy a foreign car. But
that’s just how important loyalty is to
him — and it worked. “Tiffany drove a
Plymouth Horizon during college, and
she discovered it was a good, reliable car,”
Graves says. Once he convinced the first
child, the others followed suit. Now his
three kids are on their own — and still
driving Chrysler Group vehicles. “Right
now they seem to like Jeeps and Durangos
most,” he says.
“I have no regrets buying what I build,”
adds Graves, who has driven a Plymouth
Reliant, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler Sebring,
Dodge Spirit, and clocked 160,000 miles on
“I tell [the workers] to think about
their retirement. Every time they spend
money on a Toyota, they’re providing profits
for Toyota to take back to Japan.”
— MAURICE GRAVES
LEFT: DWIGHT CENDROWSKI; TOP RIGHT: JOHN SOBCZAK
6 TOMORROW FALL 2006 www.uawdcx.com

Real People
Making Conquests
Everybody’s favorite team is P3
BY JEFF KLINEMAN
his 1987 Dodge minivan. So what’s next
on his DaimlerChrysler wish list? “I really
like the 300.” ■
On the Road Among Friends
Maurice Graves’ family fleet is a rolling billboard
for the Chrysler Group. Graves helped
put them behind the wheel through the
Friends Program, and you can do the same.
For more information on that and other
Employee Advantage vehicle purchase
programs, call 800.756.2886 or visit
www.dc-employeeadvantage.com.
Check out the Graves caravan of
DaimlerChrysler vehicles:
Maurice: Dodge Ram 1500
Wife, Linda: Chrysler Town & Country
Daughter, Tiffany
Dowdell: Durango >>
Son, Maurice Jr.:
Durango
Son, Brian: Jeep Cherokee
Son-in-law, Mike Dowdell:
Mercedes-Benz C 240
Daughter-in-law, Chandra:
Chrysler Pacifica
Sister, Zettie Prince:
Chrysler Town & Country
Brother, Louis:

Real People
BY JOHN PATRICK PULLEN
The Mod Squad
Tricked-out rides, concepts and classics power Wild Wheels@Work
When the first hood popped
open at the premiere Wild
Wheels@Work back in 2000,
Marc Rozman was there. And he hasn’t
missed a chance since then to be part of
the appreciative audience of thousands
checking out the prized vehicles that coworkers
love to show off at this Chrysler
Group–sponsored employee car show.
But this year Rozman, a dynamometer
operator and UAW Local 412 member at
the DaimlerChrysler Technology Center,
brought his own 1969 Dodge Charger RT.
“Some guys go for the stock look, and some
guys go for the resto-mod. I went back to
a stock appearance,” says Rozman, who
concedes there’s a little extra under the
hood. “Engine-wise I’ve got a bored out,
and I have an after-market cam shaft for
a little more torque.”
Like Rozman, Tim Leslie, a transmission
designer at DCTC and UAW
Local 412 member, brought his favorite
ride, a 1973 Plymouth Duster. It was
the fourth appearance for Leslie’s Duster
at Wild Wheels@Work, but the first time
he had shown off its new 340 engine —
Leslie’s last customization job for a while.
“I’m done,” he says. “If I do anything
more to that car, my wife’s going to
kill me.”
But like many attendees, Leslie looks
forward to checking out the other cars
just as much as showing off his own.
“There’s always a red Cuda with a red
interior that I love,” he says. “I think it’s
a ’71.” Rozman preferred Bruce Thomas’
1970 Hemi Cuda convertible. “That’s a
gorgeous car,” says Rozman, a 30-year
DaimlerChrysler veteran. “Anything with
a Hemi works for me.”
New models and concept cars also
drew a crowd. A Dodge Rampage, Jeep
Hurricane and Dodge Challenger were
on hand, causing the jaws of many
enthusiasts to drop. And in the spirit
of Wild Wheels@Work, a day when
thousands of Chrysler Group employees
take time to admire hundreds of
special employee-owned vehicles, Chief
Operating Officer Eric Ridenour brought
along his 1970 Plymouth Super Bee.
For Rozman, the show is a
winner. “It’s good people and good
conversation,” he says. “People walk
over and say, ‘I used to have one of these
things and I wish I had it back.’ That’s
the way the typical conversation goes.
It’s all about the employees being able to
showcase their pride and joy, and how
that mixes in with their jobs.”
Tim Leslie loves showing off his
1973 Plymouth Duster;
(inset) Marc Rozman brought his
1969 Dodge Charger RT to the show.
This year, Wild Wheels@Work
coincided with the Walter P. Chrysler
Museum’s first Cruise Night of the year,
allowing the party to continue after dark.
It was a great way to wind down a perfect
day for auto enthusiasts. “I’d like to do
that every day,” says Rozman, who also
has a suggestion for next year’s event.
“Keep it going. I’ll be there.” ■
8 TOMORROW FALL 2006 www.uawdcx.com

BY RON RUSSELL
Real People
Mack Ave Makes a Difference
Giving back is second nature in this caring community
LEE ANNA BYRD
Whether reaching out to
hurricane victims or stepping
up for healthier babies, Mack
Avenue Engine Complex workers
seldom miss an opportunity to go an
extra mile to help others.
Consider this year’s March
of Dimes WalkAmerica
campaign. Mack Avenue
raised $10,353 to help prevent
premature births and birth
defects — the largest donation
by any Chrysler Group
manufacturing location in
the Detroit area.
It was just the latest
example of the UAW and
management at Mack Engine
I and II pulling together to
support a good cause.
“Giving back has become
part of our culture at Mack,”
says management PQI
facilitator Henry Smith,
coordinator of community
service activities. “We have a
close-knit family atmosphere,
and it makes no difference
whether you’re union or
management when the issue is
community involvement.”
Mack Avenue’s response to
the March of Dimes was a
personal as well as a plant
triumph. UAW PQI facilitator DeNeen
Dickerson opened the eyes — and
pocketbooks — of co-workers with her
own story about the consequences of
premature birth.
Dickerson’s 23-year-old daughter, Kyra
Mechelle Lacey, weighed only 2 pounds,
9 ounces at birth and suffered from a hole in
her heart and other severe developmental
problems. The Mack II worker, a UAW Local
51 member, was not even seven months
into her pregnancy when Kyra was born.
Dickerson’s compelling video about the
subsequent hospital ordeal and the support
she received from the March of Dimes and
loved ones became the rallying point for
an aggressive fund-raising campaign. A
Walking for the March
of Dimes was personal
for DeNeen Dickerson
and daughter Kyra.
“Giving back has become part of our
culture. It makes no difference whether
you’re union or management when the
issue is community involvement.”
— HENRY SMITH
majority of the 1,600 employees at Mack I
and II, including members of UAW Locals
412 and 889, got involved in the effort,
which included a hot dog sale and a car
raffle. Several dozen employees also hit
Detroit streets for the walkathon.
“We ask so much of employees to support
various good causes from the United Way to
hurricane relief, but when someone you
know is affected it makes people want to give
more,” says Rachel Goodwin, MQAS
coordinator and Local 51 member at Mack
II. “DeNeen is family to us.”
For Dickerson, WalkAmerica ranks as
the ultimate expression of camaraderie
and concern by her co-workers: “I was
overwhelmed by the way people related to
my story and then opened up
their hearts to help the babies.”
Employees have been
opening their hearts to the
needs of others since Mack I
opened in 1997 and Mack II
two years later.
For the past four years,
employees have participated
in the Paint the Town project
to refurbish the property of
disabled persons, senior
citizens and other low-income
residents. Thanks to their
efforts, owners of aging homes
not far from the sister plants
have a renewed sense of wellbeing
and hope.
Other community service
projects supported by
employees include plant blood
drives, Detroit’s Capuchin
Soup Kitchen, the FIRST
robotics competition for high
school students and Business
United with Officers and
Youth (BUOY), a partnership
with a Detroit police precinct.
Last September, workers joined volunteers
from several other Chrysler Group plants
to send a relief convoy to aid Hurricane
Katrina victims.
Making a difference in the lives of others
is it own reward, but it’s also good business,
adds Smith, recipient of Chrysler Group’s
2005 Good Neighbor, Good Citizen Award.
“Trust me,” he says. “If people know a
company gives back to its community,
they will buy your products.” ■
www.uawdcx.com TOMORROW FALL 2006 9

Part of the
Rosetta Jackson sees
changes for the better under
the Lean Warehousing system.
When a loyal customer brings
her Jeep Grand Cherokee
in for maintenance to a
Nashville dealership on a Thursday
afternoon and is told she can pick it up
the next morning, in time for the weekend,
it’s not just good luck. Chances are the
promise will be kept due to the diligence
of a worker at the Memphis Parts
Distribution Center — and a new way
of doing business.
Now that Lean Warehousing is up and
running, dealers in the six-state region
served by Memphis PDC are ordering parts
later, receiving them earlier, and getting
world-class quality, with a small error rate
of close to one error per thousand.
As more PDCs transition to Lean
Warehousing, the impact of this level of
service is being felt by dealers and their
vehicle-buying customers across the
country. “To be competitive, we had to
change the way we do dealer business,”
says Rosetta Jackson, shop chair for
UAW Local 1248 at the Detroit PDC.
“Management and union had to come
together on common ground, which is
customer satisfaction, and implement
new processes. The culture had to change,
but it’s a smarter way to do the job.”
JUST-IN-TIME SUCCESS
Lean Warehousing aims to reduce the time
and resources needed to convert orders into
accurately shipped parts. The “lean” part of
Lean Warehousing is about maintaining justin-time
inventory, cutting waste from order
fulfillment and keeping the process efficient
through constant problem solving.
“Continuous-improvement workshops
are making a difference,” notes Butch
Williams, president of UAW Local 1086 at
the Memphis PDC. “When we see a problem,
we do a workshop where we work as a team
to figure out how to fix it. That’s part of what
makes Lean Warehousing different.”
10 TOMORROW FALL 2006 www.uawdcx.com

SOLUTION
PDCs pack more productivity
BY MOLLY ROSE TEUKE
JOHN SOBCZAK
The payoff in greater productivity
should translate into better job security.
“The after-market auto parts environment
is highly competitive,” says Memphis PDC
manager Kevin Vaughan. “We have a lock
on only 5 percent of parts. Our competitors
are able to provide dealers with the other
95 percent, which means we have to work
smarter, leaner and more responsively if
we want to stay in business.”
For Local 1086 member Mary Tyler,
organization of the dock area is a prime
example of working leaner. With just-intime
inventory, parts are delivered to the
warehouse as needed, and usually shipped
within hours. When Tyler started more
than 10 years ago, the day shift had to pack
up its receiving operation every afternoon
to make way for the night shift’s shipping
operation. Today, each shift has a designated
area and workers no longer spend time
clearing the dock. “Now we can go straight
into our work,” says Tyler. “It’s a lot easier
on the workers.”
Part of the new efficiency is 15-minute
batch processing, which lets workers
determine the optimal time for filling orders
by timing a 15-minute sequence. “The point
isn’t to pick as fast as we can,” says Tyler.
“It’s to get an accurate portrayal of how
many lines we can pick in 15 minutes, and
then the lines for the work assignments are
adjusted accordingly. We just went from 42
lines to 36 lines in my area.”
“Management doesn’t determine it,”
says Vaughan, “workers do. If we know our
productivity levels, we can plan our shifts
more accurately and move workers where
they’re needed.”
Everything considered, Memphis is on a
roll thanks in large part to the impact of Lean
Warehousing. In March, the facility received
the 2005 UAW-DaimlerChrysler Excellence
Award for the Mopar Division, symbolizing
its progress in union-management cooperation
and process-driven change. Memphis
showed an improvement of more than
41 percent in outbound lines per hour and
a 20 percent increase in quality last year.
BETTER THAN EVER
DView, Mopar’s updated warehouse management
system implemented as a part of Lean
Warehousing, has had a big impact because it
has greatly reduced errors. Workers now scan
each part at every step, from dock delivery to
shipping. Scan the wrong bin for a particular
order, and DView beeps. Even the most
diligent worker can make a mistake, notes
Tyler, who appreciates the added assurance.
“I like getting the right parts to our dealers,”
she says. “It helps me keep my job, and my
job is my livelihood.”
Tyler also applauds the new racking
system, which is ergonomically designed,
resulting in dramatically less physical wear
and tear. Since Lean Warehousing was
implemented in 2003, the Memphis PDC
has recorded the lowest incident and
severity rates for injuries in Mopar.
But what Tyler appreciates most about
Lean Warehousing is how much cleaner the
warehouse is. “When we redid the racks, we
cleaned out years’ worth of trash,” she says.
“This is a nicer place to work now. Even the
air is cleaner.”
For Jackson at the Detroit PDC, the
shift from an individual to a team work
environment is what transformed her unit .
“The atmosphere is just different,” she says.
“We’re all more involved with decision
making, and that makes the company more
profitable and more competitive. And that
means future jobs.” ■
Crystal Jackson helps to keep
the inventory in order
at the Detroit PDC.
www.uawdcx.com TOMORROW FALL 2006 11

POWER
TO OUR
PEL raises awareness,
sparks political action
BY S.C. BIEMESDERFER
Mack Avenue Engine I’s Sharon Ratliff has
always been one of those people who gets
involved in her union and her community.
She’s unit chair for UAW Local 889, and she always
gets to the polls on Election Day.
Now, thanks to the UAW-Daimler-
Chrysler National Training Center’s National
Paid Educational Leave (PEL) program,
Ratliff has a reenergized political passion.
As this year’s congressional elections
and the 2008 presidential race approach,
she says she’s more motivated than ever to
do her part in the political process.
“With PEL, I have a new level of awareness
about how our industry and our jobs
are affected by economics and politics,”
says Ratliff, a scheduling analyst who was
recently elected to serve as a Detroit precinct
delegate. “This program was definitely
an eye-opener for me.”
Ratliff was one of about 30 employees
who participated earlier this year in a twoweek
session of National PEL, which is
open to elected or appointed UAW leaders
and their management counterparts. They
attend one week of background sessions
conducted by industry experts at the NTC
or at the Walter and May Reuther UAW
Family Education Center at Black Lake,
Mich., and one week of briefings in Washington,
D.C. Those briefings include
meetings with elected officials on issues
that impact the U.S. automotive industry,
like foreign trade and fair labor practices.
In addition to National PEL, there are
one-week local and regional versions that
“ With PEL, I have a
new level of awareness
about how our industry
and our jobs are affected
by economics and
politics.”
— SHARON RATLIFF
include sessions with elected officials.
Local PEL draws workers from a single
facility, while Regional PEL brings together
workers from several facilities to focus on
issues affecting the company, employees
and their communities.
“People don’t always realize how much
the political process can impact our daily
lives,” says Johnny Leonard, a PEL participant.
“It changed the way I see the political
process and our role in it as citizens and as
union members.” Leonard is a maintenance
worker at Centerline National Parts
Distribution Center who serves as chair of
UAW Local 1248’s trustees.
“The program reminds you that we all
have political power, if we choose to exercise
it,” adds Warren Stamping Plant’s Paul
Caucci, president of UAW Local 869. “It
really gives you a sense of the responsibility
we all have to get involved, not just by voting
but by understanding the issues that
affect our industry and letting our elected
officials know where we stand.” ■
Interested? For information about
upcoming National PEL sessions, contact
Phyllis Johnson, UAW, or Valerie Brannas,
DaimlerChrysler, at 313.567.3300. See
your local joint training facilitator for
information about Local or Regional PEL.
12 TOMORROW FALL 2006 www.uawdcx.com

Training
UP
WOM PHASE 1 HELPS TEAMS GET SMART
BY OTESA MIDDLETON MILES
LEFT: GETTY IMAGES; RIGHT: JON MURESAN
As the saying goes, there’s no “I” in “team.” And coming
together as a team at the UAW-DaimlerChrysler
Technology Training Center is what the 40-hour Phase 1
Workplace Organization Model (WOM) training is all about.
Darnell Bates, a UAW Local 51 member who works at Mack
Avenue Engine II, completed Phase 1 training in the fall of 2005
as part of the plant’s transition to the Smart Manufacturing team
structure. “It helps all the members get an understanding of what
it is to be an effective team,” says Bates, who started at
DaimlerChrysler in 1995 as a part-timer and is now a team leader.
By the end of June, approximately 14,000 workers had
completed the training. The UAW-DaimlerChrysler National
Training Center developed the curriculum and coordinated Phase
1 and Phase 2 training. Although most workers are trained at their
locations, some participate at the NTC, the Technology Training
Center or an NTC Regional Family Training Center.
John Stallings, UAW coordinator for the training, says the
sessions empower workers. “When you get everybody supporting
each other, it makes a big difference,” he says. “When people
know they play a part in the decision making, it makes them feel
good about what they’re doing.”
ACTIVE LEARNING
The training itself is highly interactive, according to LaMar Harris,
senior process specialist for Union Relations and management
coordinator for WOM training. On Smart teams, the members
make the decisions, which helps the production process move
efficiently. “The goal,” Harris says, “is to produce a quality
product cost-effectively.”
Once a plant begins WOM training, all its workers will
complete Phase 1, which includes two days of training on
“soft” skills, such as communication and conflict resolution.
The first phase also includes two days of technical skills training
and visual management techniques, using sight cues to help coworkers
immediately recognize all standards, including quality
standards, production standards and process standards. With
sight cues, workers should be able to look at any process on the
floor and know, based on the way the area looks, if something
isn’t right — for example, if a fluid level is incorrect.
The Phase 1
WOM is a hot
topic at the UAW-
DaimlerChrysler
Technology
Training Center.
The last day of training simulates a production operation. Using
the new skills they learned in the previous four days of training,
workers transform a problematic operation into a smooth one.
“They use Smart tools and people skills to brainstorm and get
input from everyone,” says Harris. “They improve the process.”
ROLE REVERSALS
Stallings, who has been at Chrysler almost 34 years, says he is
excited about the Smart team training because it simplifies
troubleshooting. One big reason it’s easier for Smart teams, he
says, is that team members learn each other’s jobs.
Teams have one leader and an average of four to six members
who frequently rotate duties to understand every role. Job rotation
improves quality because each member knows what should be
happening at each step of the process.
After completing the training, says Mack II’s Bates, workers
are ready to go back to their plants and put what they’ve learned
into practice. “That will help the company survive in the
automotive world,” he says. ■
www.uawdcx.com TOMORROW FALL 2006 13

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 >
Mistake-Proof Power
But light as the fixture is, Moore
suggested that one of the handles be moved
to make the job easier on workers with a
shorter reach. Working with an engineer,
he got the job done. And Moore couldn’t
be happier.
ALL-AROUND WIN-WIN
Reactions like Moore’s make a lot of
sense to Dan Lewandowski, UAW JAOP
and Smart facilitator at Toledo North.
Lewandowski will be helping to migrate
Smart Manufacturing techniques throughout
the plant as Nitro production hits
high gear. “Mistake-proofing is a winwin
for the company and the union,”
he says. “It makes things easier for the
workers and they won’t get in trouble for
making mistakes. It also gets costs down
for the company.”
Among the significant innovations that
will be coming to workstations throughout
the plant are Smart tools like Pick Lights. In
workstations with parts that have a similar
appearance, a green light will appear near
the correct part for the next vehicle.
John Moore hard at work
building a Jeep Liberty.
“ Mistake-proofing is a
win-win for the company and
the union.” — DAN LEWANDOWSKI
Reaching into the bin breaks a light screen
and tells the computer the right part is
being installed. But if an operator forgets to
pick that part or picks a part out of another
bin, the bin shows a red light and the
vehicle will not move on until that part is
returned to its bin.
Hundreds of errors that can be
prevented by Pick Lights have been
identified, says Lewandowski. And that’s
just one of the places where errors are being
hunted down and eliminated.
In underbody welding, Mickey
Viertlbeck is enthusiastic about a new
system of error-proofing. The newly
retired UAW Local 12 member explains
that the hot-stamp steel being used in the
Nitros is significantly softer than the steel
used to make the Liberty, requiring even
more precision in welding. Viertlbeck says
that an innovative system of lights, barcodes
and LED displays now helps his former
team position ladders (underbodies)
correctly for robotic welding. Bad welds,
he says, are now very rare.
SMART LAUNCH —
SMOOTH LAUNCH
Viertlbeck was part of the launch team for
the Nitro, spending every weekend leading up
to the launch in the plant, cleaning out the
front structure GEO underbodies each Friday
and then running test Nitro bodies through
them. Orion Gregory, known as “O.G.” in
the plant, got involved in the Nitro launch
even earlier; he built Nitros from scratch at
Jeep and Truck Engineering in Detroit after
going through pilot training.
“I was probably the first person in the
world to drive a Nitro,” says O.G., a Local
12 member. That’s not bragging, he says,
just the truth. He was also one of the first to
pass along suggestions about how to
improve the Nitro, based on what he
learned in pilot training. “We came back to
Toledo and created our own pilot room
here to refine the car — and we brought the
engineers with us.” O.G. used his skills as a
14 TOMORROW FALL 2006 www.uawdcx.com

final inspector to find as many problems
as possible and get them fixed before the
launch. “I was trained for this moment,”
he says of the launch, adding that he would
participate in another one in a heartbeat
because it was so interesting.
“People worked hard to make this
work,” says launch team member Cindy
Nudi, a team leader from Local 12. “I made
the extra effort because I built it as if my
mother or child might buy it.” In fact, the
people at TNAP hope their hard work
makes Nitros so perfect that they blast off
car lots all over the country. ■
Top: Dan Lewandowski (right)
and Brett Chany admire a shiny
new Nitro. Right: Workers’ input
keeps the line running
in high gear at Toledo.
TOLEDO ROLLS OUT THE LATEST WRANGLER
The 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has opened its doors — all four of them — making it the only four-door
convertible on the market. Adding space for those long-desired two additional doors on the Jeep classic was all about pride
and productivity. In 2003, Toledo Parkway assembly workers showed their adaptability when the century-old manufacturing site
switched to newer, smarter manufacturing methods. The transition was so successful that it paved the way for Jeep to build the
all-new Unlimited at the new Toledo Supplier Park. Upholding the Wrangler experience of open-air, off-roading excellence, the
Unlimited delivers space and versatility to people who love the original Wrangler but want even more.
FEATURES:
• One-of-a-kind, four-door, open-air experience, with room for five passengers
• Offered in three models: Unlimited X, Sahara and Rubicon
• Comes in either two-wheel or four-wheel drive
• 3.8-liter V-6 engine features 205 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft.
of torque with improved fuel economy
• Offers nearly triple the rear cargo space
• Variety of open-air driving options with Jeep’s Freedom
Top and a standard Sunrider soft top, which
includes a “sunroof” feature
• Available in markets outside
North America
• The first Jeep Wrangler with
an available diesel option
ROY RITCHIE
— Jaclyn Greenberg
www.uawdcx.com TOMORROW FALL 2006 15

In the Loop
Summer
Cruisin’
Car enthusiasts
have had a good
year. June brought the Chrysler Employee
Motorsport Association (CEMA) Charity Car
Show as well as Wild Wheels@Work (see “The
Mod Squad,” on page 8). The fun continued at
other locations, including the 18th Annual Jeep
Father’s Day Car Show at the Toledo North
Assembly Plant. In Indiana, thousands enjoyed
the 17th annual Kokomo Cruz-In. In September
the Cruz’N 2006 Car Show at the Sterling
Stamping Plant showed off 600 vehicles, and
workers at St. Louis South and St. Louis North
Assembly Plants held their first Chrysler Cruz’N.
Sponsored by PQI and UAW Locals 110, 136 and
597, this was the first Cruz’N in St. Louis, but as
with all Chrysler Group car shows, planners predict
it’ll become a much-anticipated annual event.
B.E.S.T. Gets Better
Bringing Excellence to Safety Teams is getting
bigger and better thanks to the expansion of the
UAW-DaimlerChrysler safety crusade to the shop
floor. Hourly workers are being introduced to the
B.E.S.T. process through a three-hour interactive
workshop called Orientation to a Safe Work
Climate. The workshop, also aimed at management,
describes the role all employees play in keeping
themselves and others safe. The first three locations
to complete Phase 2 B.E.S.T. training were Trenton
Engine and the Center Line and Marysville National
Parts Distribution Centers, with a goal to finish
training all employees. The standardized safety
process has already helped to dramatically
reduce injuries at Chrysler Group facilities.
Features
in a Flash
Online video is the
hottest thing on
the Internet, with visitors flocking to sites like
www.YouTube.com and Google Video where
millions of film clips are now available. And the
National Training Center’s Web site is right on top
of the trend. Our UAW-DCX in a Flash feature, at
the top right of our home page at www.uawdcx
.com, now contains more than three dozen Flash
videos that you can view with a click of your mouse.
They include vintage Chrysler Corp. ads (check
out an animated Groucho Marx advertisement for
DeSoto-Plymouth dealers), drag-racing clips,
music videos and much more. Drop by and see
what’s new. And don’t forget your popcorn.
Walking Together
Bolstering its reputation as a
March of Dimes supporter,
the National Training Center
set the fastest pace among Detroit-area UAW-
DaimlerChrysler locations which raised more
than $143,000 for WalkAmerica 2006. With 69
walkers, the NTC had the best participation rate
and far surpassed its goal by generating $32,678
to help prevent birth defects and infant mortality.
More volunteers maintained the NTC checkpoint
along the eight-mile walkathon route in Detroit.
Other locations that helped lead the UAW-
DaimlerChrysler effort were the Sterling Heights
Vehicle Test Center, Marysville National Parts
Distribution Center and Pilot Process Verification
Center. To read about the effort at Mack Avenue
Engine Complex, see “Mack Ave Makes a
Difference,” on page 9.
UAW-DAIMLERCHRYSLER
NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER
2211 East Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, MI 48207
313.567.3300
Fax: 313.567.4971
E-mail: rrussell@ucntc.org
www.uawdcx.com
JOINT ACTIVITIES BOARD
GENERAL HOLIEFIELD
Vice President
Director DaimlerChrysler
Department UAW, Co-Chairman
JOHN S. FRANCIOSI
Senior Vice President
Employee Relations DaimlerChrysler
Co-Chairman
JAMES R. COAKLEY
Administrative Assistant
to Vice President
Director DaimlerChrysler
Department UAW
KEN MCCARTER
Vice President
Union Relations
DaimlerChrysler
JOHN BYERS
Co-Director
UAW-DaimlerChrysler
National Training Center
MICHAEL R. JESSAMY
Co-Director
UAW-DaimlerChrysler
National Training Center
RON RUSSELL
Communications Administrator
BOB ERICKSON
Communications Specialist
TANISHA DAVIS
Senior Staff Writer
Tomorrow is produced five times a year by The
Pohly Company, 99 Bedford St., Floor 5, Bos ton,
MA 02111, 800.383.0888, www.pohlyco.com, on
behalf of the UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Training
Center. Copyright 2006 by UAW-DaimlerChrysler
National Training Cen ter. All rights reserved. Repro -
duction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or
illustration without prior written permission from the
publisher is strictly prohibited.
UAW-DAIMLERCHRYSLER
NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER
2211 East Jefferson Avenue
Detroit, MI 48207
NON PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #88
LONG PRAIRIE, MN
This newsletter is printed by a union
printer on union-made recycled paper.