By: Jack Terrill

Greetings from NAETC,

This will mark the last article I submit as Shop Chairman at NAETC. As stated last month, I will be leaving about 1 year early on my term to take advantage of the Special Attrition Package (SAP) offer brought forward from General Motors.

This is my fourth term as Chairman in this facility and I would like to take this time to thank the membership for the confidence and faith they’ve bestowed upon me to help drive this organization forward and help to make it a viable part of the organization.

Not only did we survive the bankruptcy, but we also survived to become the last standing Tool and Die facility in North America.

We’ve faced several obstacles over the years, the spin-off of Delphi, the end of Chevy in the Hole, the bankruptcy, the COA, plus several times when we were seemingly teetering on the brink of closure. In each of these times, through tough sets of negotiations and contractual changes, the Shop Committee was able to rise to the occasion and do what was necessary to implement the changes that were needed to maintain our viability.

Now comes an initially unseen move from the corporation that will once again challenge us in a way that we have not seen before. Due to the political climate and some other factors, our workload has been slashed to an unprecedented low volume.

Once again, the Shop Committee has been called to the table to help solve the problems that will grace the membership through this time. As stated in my last article, these are the times when it’s vital to have the experience necessary to work through these types of solutions, to come up with agreements that not only protect the membership, but also puts the facility in a place that will not only survive the storm but keep the facility viable for years to come.

At the writing of this article, we anticipate a voluntary layoff to hit on March 17th. This was originally projected to be on March 3rd, but we have tasked the salary leadership team to provide the membership with as much information as possible in advance, so our brothers and sisters can make an informed decision on whether to take the layoff.

It’s critical at times like these, when decisions that affect not only our jobs but our families as well, that we have all the facts in hand, before making the decision.

So, back to retirement. Thirty of my 46 years have been spent in Flint, close to 25 years involved with the Shop Committee. We’ve seen many changes over this time span. Many of the documents involving change have my name included at the bottom of the document.

To the membership… we can’t be afraid to change. We can’t be afraid to grasp technology and use it to our advantage. The membership needs to lead the change. The survival of the facility depends on it.

We’ve hired over 50 new employees over the past couple years. They have ideas and concepts that we have not been exposed to and the same goes for them coming in here. We need to stay involved and meld together to drive the organization from the floor.

Do not become complacent or look to blame management. The salary team cannot do it alone, and it’s our jobs that are at stake. It’s easy to lay blame and hard to drive change. Do not be afraid to step up and lead. Make this facility the shining star it can be.

After a rough couple of years, I believe we’re turning the corner from that debacle and the impetus is there to drive us to a new level of achievement. The membership is the only group that can make this happen. Leadership needs to come from the floor. Stand up and take charge! Again, your jobs and the livelihood of your families is counting on you.

As some of you know, this retirement was a very hard decision for me to make. My heart lives with this facility and the people in it. In my opinion, this is the greatest facility you will ever have the opportunity to work in.

However, due to my concerns with my family’s health, the decision came clear that I must forgo the last year in my term. It’s time to turn the reigns over, as they say.

If there is any Calvin and Hobbes fans out there, I’ll leave you with this: For me, everything familiar is going to disappear, but there’s a clean sheet of paper to draw on in front of me. It’s a day full of possibilities, in a magical world, and it’s time to go exploring.

Solidarity Forever, my Friends!