IUE-CWA and 'Lean Manufacturing' Save Ohio Jobs

Thanks to cooperative efforts between General Motors and IUE-CWA to make production more efficient, GM will invest $69 million in its DMAX diesel engine plant in Morraine, Ohio. The investment will preserve more than 1,000 manufacturing jobs.

IUE-CWA President Jim Clark stood with John Buttermore, GM Powertrain vice president of global manufacturing, and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland as the announcement was made on Feb. 5 that DMAX will produce its new 6.6-liter V-8 turbo diesel truck engine at the Morraine plant. The state also invested $300,000 to keep the work in Morraine.

"The efforts of our members to deliver good quality parts has a lot to do with our getting this," Clark pointed out. He explained that Local 84797 members have been deeply involved in a jointly administered union-management "lean manufacturing" process through which the efficiency of the facility is constantly monitored and workers have input into the redesign of work stations.

"The workers' voice is heard," Clark said, "and the changes that are made make the operator's job easier so he can perform better without having to work harder. This shows that with the right collective effort between management and the union, you can have successful manufacturing in the United States."

DMAX, jointly owned by GM and Izuzu, was built in 1998 and currently produces an engine that meets 2007 federal emissions standards. The plant is retooling to make a new version of the engine that will meet 2010 emissions guidelines.

Though no new jobs have been promised, IUE-CWA Automotive Conference Board Chairman Willie Thorpe said it would depend on demand and volume of production. "We're optimistic," he said.