Temps’ status sore point at Chrysler

Alex Gary | ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR | BELVIDERE — The head of the United Auto Workers local representing more than 3,600 workers in Belvidere wants to reopen talks with DaimlerChrysler over its use of 800 workers hired on two-year contracts for a third shift.

UAW Local 1268 President Tom Littlejohn told reporters from Crain Communications Inc., which publishes among other things Crain’s Chicago Business and Automotive News, that the Local 1268 is appealing to the International UAW, asking it to open talks to end the use of the temps.

Littlejohn said Wednesday that he’s been instructed by International UAW officials to not comment further.DaimlerChrysler began a third shift at the Belvidere plant in July to meet the strong demand for the plant’s new products, the 2007 Dodge Caliber and 2007 Jeep Compass. Some industry experts regard the launch of the Caliber as the strongest new domestic car to hit the market in the past three years.

To staff the third shift, though, DaimlerChrysler used a clause in its national contract that allowed hiring temporary workers to hire about 800 people on two-year contracts. The contracts start at about the same pay as in the past but don’t include automatic increases and take eight months for reduced insurance benefits to kick in. The contract also can be terminated at any time during the two years if demand slows, and it has no guarantees of future employment when it ends.

Littlejohn was quoted by Crain’s as saying, “We have language in our national agreement that governs the hiring of temporary workers, and this does not follow those guidelines.”

Neither officials from DaimlerChrysler nor the International UAW would comment on the temporary workers’ contract.

James Doser, a 56-year-old Rockford resident who was hired as a temporary worker in April, said the temporary status and much less protective contract are causing dissension.

“Guys are happy to be there, no question,” said Doser, who has been a UAW member for 32 years at such places as John Deere in Dubuque, Iowa, and Hamilton Sundstrand in Rockford. “There is a lot of grumbling over the lack of hours, and the fact (the two-year contract) obviously violates the national contract.”

Doser originally was hired as a temporary worker who would work 120 days, which basically took him to Labor Day. It’s a common practice as automakers need workers to fill in during summer to cover vacations. In May, though, when DaimlerChrysler announced the third shift, Doser said he was told to sign the two-year deal or find another job.

Doser said he has asked local union officials to file grievances for being forced to change his employment contract and because he feels the two-year deal is a violation of the larger contract. He also is frustrated by the lack of work when he reaches the plant. He said he has not worked a full 40-hour workweek since starting in April.

Continuing problems with the plant’s new automated body shop have caused frequent shutdowns and put the plant thousands of orders behind on the Caliber and the Compass. The third-shift workers, who are paid only for hours worked, unlike their first- and second-shift counterparts, are feeling the effects.

“Most of us thought this would turn into a full-time job, and I thought I might get a chance to retire from here,” Doser added. “A lot of the guys aren’t getting enough work to pay the bills.”

Since seeing Caliber sales grow from 1,397 in February to 12,422 in May, sales of the combination sporty coupe/SUV plunged in June and July because of slow production as workers began integrating the Jeep Compass into production. August car sales are scheduled to be released Friday. The Jeep Patriot is scheduled to go into production in October.

The body shop, with its 700-plus robots, was a key component to a $419 million renovation of the plant at the end of 2005 and beginning of 2006. When functioning properly, it allows workers to ramp up production of different models based on sales without time-draining, costly shutdowns. It’s seen as a key to DaimlerChrysler’s future ability to compete with the Japanese automakers.

“The launch, like every launch, is a process that will take time to reach optimum productivity levels,” DaimlerChrysler spokesman Michelle Tinson said in an e-mail. “We’re focusing our improvement efforts on issues with our robotics programming. Production complexity includes Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot pilots and eight derivatives, as well as an all-new body shop and addition of a third shift.