For two years beginning
in 1988 the UAW and GM set Michael Westfall up in an offsite office at Cummings school, a closed Flint school complex, which
GM had purchased for special projects.
The reason for this
was to have Westfall develop programs including a win/win early out retirement pilot program to be used for national negotiations
during the 1990 national negotiations.
Westfall spent a lot
of energy doing this and used the Flint GM truck plant on Van Slyke Road as the model for his genesis pilot proposal.
This truck plant at
the time was the largest truck production facility by volume in the world.
This pilot program was
completed and bargained into existence at the 1990 negotiations.
One form or another
of it has since been transferred all across American industries and it has been a powerful success which has saved the corporation's
hundreds of millions of dollars, allowed older workers to retire earlier and thus open up thousands of jobs to younger workers
who were slotted for the unemployment line.
Few negotiated benefits
have surpassed this program in benefiting positively all elements of automobile production, both labor and management, in
regards to employment redundancies.
All of today's similar programs
owe their genesis to the following program developed and written by Westfall between 1988-1989 and negotiated into existence
in the 1990 national General Motors agreement.
Master Copy
03/14/90
REGIONAL J.O.B.S.
BANK EARLY OUT PROGRAM
Author…Mike
Westfall
INDEX
Page 1-------------------------------------------------Intent
Page 3-------------------------------------------------Program
Outline
Page 7------------------------------------------------
Plant Seniority Chart & Participation Projection
Page 8-------------------------------------------------Additional
Plant Savings Educational
Page 9-------------------------------------------------Cost
Analyses Without Early Out Program
Page 10-----------------------------------------------Cost
Analyses With Early Out Program
Page 11-----------------------------------------------Participation
Analyses
Page 14-----------------------------------------------Early
Outs With Increased Employment?
Page 15-----------------------------------------------Social
Security
INTENT
Rarely does a program come along that would give
General Motors back $30 million for retiring 300 workers but this program could.
This position
paper will flesh out a program to be developed jointly through cooperative labor/management efforts.
A program that will offer innovative, efficient and cost advantageous voluntary
"Early Outs" based exclusively on the seniority system to replace fully or partially the J.O.B.S. Bank program.
Using Flint Truck Assembly as the corporate pioneer this program would exchange
a negotiated number of higher credited service workers with lower credited service J.O.B.S. Bankers displaced from G.M. plants
within our region.
Program costs would come directly from the J.O.B.S. Bank savings derived from this
program. There are presently about 2069 J.O.B.S. Bankers in this region.
Each "Early Out" participant would earn an amount equal to a 30 & out retiree
pension.
Each "Early Out" participant would acquire one year credited service for pension
application for each year they were in the program and retire after they have attained 30 years of service.
All active workers with 20-29 years credited service, regardless of age, will be
allowed to participate and all slots will be filled in order of highest credited service first.
"Early
Out" participants will forever have the cap removed on the amount of personal income they are allowed to earn and will receive
a social security supplement at age 62 derived from program savings set aside in escrow for that purpose.
This escrow fund would guarantee that each "Early Out" participant would receive
between social security and the supplement
( 1 )
what they would have made in social security had
they worked 2080 hours in each year with full wages up until the time they retire under 30 & Out.
The intent of this program from the corporations' perspective is to develop a more
humane and innovative employment-balancing plan that works in tandem with G.M.'s business plan.
A program that would slice costs and help facilitate the changing of the workforce
from an older workforce to a younger and more innovative one.
The
intent .of this program from the union perspective is to clearly reduce the impact of job loss on our workers by painlessly
and voluntarily replacing the higher seniority workers who want out with the lower seniority displaced workers who want in.
In today's world G.M. requires efficiency while the U.A.W. requires job security.
Just
how job enriching and efficient is it in having thousands of highly paid inactive "J.O.B.S. Banker's" sitting around year
after year making a negative contribution when we have thousands of higher seniority workers willing to trade places at a
reduced wage?
This program is the first major step in developing an ultimate tool with which
to equitably balance present and future manpower requirements and by piloting this program at our plant it will save $30,000,000.00
in the process.
(2 )
PROGRAM OUTLINE
1. A number
of "Early Out" slots will be negotiated between the local union and local management at the Flint Truck Assembly.
(A)
Each "Early Out" participant will become an inactive worker.
(B) Each
filled "Early Out" slot will transfer one "J.O.B.S. Banker" to an active job.
(C) Each
filled "Early Out" slot will eliminate the corporations' monetary obligation to the resultant eliminated "J.O.B.S. Banker""
slot.
2. Banker
backfill for this pilot program will come exclusively from our specific U.A.W. region and be limited to its geographic area
or miles radius breakdown.
(A) Initial "Early Out" slot participation will be limited exclusively to voluntary
participants from Flint Truck Assembly.
(B) Displaced
worker's within the "J.O.B.S. Bank" from our plant or those plants closest will be absorbed back into the workforce first.
(C) Each
plant may only wish to donate a percentage of their banker's and not totally deplete their local "J.O.B.S. Bank". The method
for garnering bankers for backfill will acknowledge this concern.
3. The funding for the "Early Out" slots will come directly from the "J. O. B.
s. Bank" savings derived from this program.
4.
"Early Out" slot participation will be based exclusively on credited service in order of highest service first.
5.
Participation in an "Early Out" slot will be voluntary.
6. All active workers with less than 29 years credited service will be allowed
to make application for an "Early Out" slot.
(A) Workers with 29 or more years credited service are either already able to retire
or very close to retirement so the potential benefit to the union membership in this sector will be little or none.
(3)
(B) There
will be no age discrimination.
7.
"Early Out" participants will receive wages equivalent to a retiree under the 30 & Out retirement which will translate
today into $20,976.00 per year plus a full benefit package.
(A) $20,976.00 per year includes a $1,500.00 per month wage plus $20.00 per month
earmarked for a $100,000.00 life insurance policy. (Program will assume increased costs if insurance costs rise.) Plus $228.00
total worker and corporation co-pay on social security calculated at $1,500.00 X .0751 = $114.00 X 2 = $228.00.
(B) Employer
paid social security equivalency will be an "incentive for this workers sacrifice. If participant gets another job then the
G.M. social security co-pay of .0751 of equal wages will be exempt as long as participant is employed elsewhere.
(C) Should
the G.M./U.A.W. national agreement improve the pension or benefit package for 30 & out retirees then the formula for this
program will be updated and recalculated accordingly so participants receive equal improvements.
(D) The
"J.O.B.S. Banker" whom replaces the "Early Outer" is presently being paid $38,834.00 per year plus benefits. The $38,834.00
is calculated with and hourly wage of $14.12 + $1.50 C.O.L..A. = $15.62 X .0751 = $1.17 social security + $15.62 = $16.79
hourly wage X 2080 hours = $34,923.00
+ 100
vacation hours at $1,679.00 = $36,602.00 + 40 hours paid absence at $672.00 = $37,274.00 + perfect attendance bonus of $600.00
= $37,874.00 + performance bonus of $960.00 = $38,834.00.
8.
"Early Out" participants will not be penalized on future social security benefits. Participants will receive a social security
supplement at age 62 derived from "J. O. B. S. Bank" savings set aside in escrow for that purpose.
This escrow
fund will guarantee that each "Early Out" participant will receive between social security and the supplement what they would
have made
in social security had they worked 2080 hours in each year with full wages up until the time they retire under the 30 &
Out program.
9. Potential
"Early Out' high seniority slot participants now actively employed at Flint Truck Assembly earn $41,426.00 per year plus benefits.
(4)
(A) $41,426.00
is calculated with an hourly wage of $14.12 + $1.50 C.O.L.A. = $15.52 X .0751 = $1.17 social security + $15.62 = $15.79 hourly
wage + 2080 hours = $34,923.00 + 160 vacation hours at $2,686.00 + $37,609.00 + 40 hours paid absence at $672.0Q = $38,281.00
+ perfect attendance bonus of $600.00 = $38,881.00 + performance bonus of $975.00 (calculated at $15.62 wage & C.O.L.A.
X 2080 hours = $32,490.00 X 3% = $975.00) = $39,856.00 + $1,570.00 to cover additional manpower for extra vacation time off
(calculated at 60 additional yearly vacation-manpower hours at $39,856.00 yearly wage + $7.00 per hour benefit costs X 2080
hours = $14,560.00 = $54,416.00 / 2080 hours = $26.16 X 60 hours = $1,570.00) + $39,856.00 = $41,426.00
10.
Today's combined yearly cost of maintaining:
(A)
A high seniority potential "Early Out" slot participant now actively employed at $41,426.00 per year plus benefits in combination
with a displaced worker in the "J.O.B.S. Banker." who is paid $38,834.00 per year plus benefits = $80,260.00 per year.
(B) An
ex-active worker now participating in an "Early Out" slot earning $20,976.00 per year plus benefits in combination with an
ex-J.O.B.S. Banker who is paid $38,834.00 per year plus benefits = $59,810.00 per year.
(C) For
each "Early Out" slot Flint Truck Assembly will enjoy a yearly savings on wages of $20,450.00 plus accumulative interest and
dual educational costs. (For actual plant savings see calculation graph page 10) This $20,450.00 yearly savings is calculated
by subtracting the $59,810.00 combined wage costs of an ex-J.O.B.S. Banker and an "Early Out participant" from the $80,260.00
combined wage costs of an active high seniority potential "Early Out" slot participant and a J.O.B.S. Banker.
11.
For the life of this program there will be a 50-50 split of actual savings after costs. 50% will remain with the corporation
and 50% will revert back to the union or a mutually acceptable third party whose responsibility it will be to invest, monitor
and utilize these funds.
(A) One suggestion for the after cost proceeds of this program on a national scale
is to use the savings as a funding mechanism to upgrade past pensions and put C.O.L.A. on all pensions.
(5)
12. Because
this program is intended to be permanent, a voluntary return to active employment could include certain built in disincentives
such as:
(A) Credited service accumulates for pension credit only
(B) Can
only return certain times of the year according to negotiated windows.
(C) Will
displace low seniority person in the plant, which will result in a "one for one" flow. The displaced worker would go to the
J.O.B.S. Bank.
(D) Will
be frozen on returning to job for one year.
(E) If
participant returns to work it will create either another "Early Out" slot or J.O.B.S. Bank slot.
13. Informational
meetings will be held and printed information made available to further explain this program.
14. When,
"Early Out" participant accrues 30 years credited service they will retire with full pension and full be afforded under the
most recent at time of retirement GM/UAW national agreement for 30 & out retirement.
15. "Early
Out" participants will not be required to seek work for retraining or have any other work related obligation.
16. If
death occurs to participant their spouse will receive all benefits and privileges afforded spouses under the current G.M./U.A.W.
agreement.
17. If
"Early Out" participants becomes disabled they will qualify for total and permanent disability like any other worker or retiree.
18. This
should be a win/win program and we will strive to develop a method to compensate the International U.A.W. for the loss of
dues as the "J. O. B. S. Bank" numbers are reduced.
(A)
Areas of discussion could include monetary educational offsets such as Human Resource Center, Black lake etc. or just an upfront
monetary contribution.
19. "Early Out" participants will forever have the cap removed on the amount of
personal income they are allowed to earn as an incentive for our higher seniority workers to voluntarily participate and make
the wage sacrifice.
20.
Any subsequent program improvements will be made applicable to all "Early Out" participants past & future.
(6)
13-SECTOR PROJECTED
PARTICIPATION ANALYSIS AND FLINT TRUCK ASSEMBLY PLANT SENIORITY AS OF 02/17/90
Seniority Date
Credited Years Service Retirement Year 30 & Out Number in Each Sector Projected % Participation Projected Participants
1947-1960
30-40 1977-1990 429 Total -0- -0-
Sector
#1 149 Emp. 196119621963 292827 199119921993 593060 5%5%5% 323
Sector
#2 879 Emp. 196419651966 262524 199419951996 32046198 32%32%32% 10314831
Sector
#3 193 Emp. 196719681969 232221 199719981999 599935 3%3%3% 231
296
(7)
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL
PLANT SAVINGS
Without
the "Early Out" program our plant will be training for our new product high seniority workers that are soon to retire and
be replaced with new workers that again must be trained.
The "Early Out" program would eliminate the dual educational costs for the participants.
$41,426.00
wage per year / 280 hours = $19.92 X 240 hours (6 weeks) education = $4,781.00.
* Plant new product educational savings per "Early Out"
Participant
$4,781.00
*Plant
new product educational savings per 300 "Early
Out" participants
$1,434,300.00
(8)
FLINT TRUCK ASSEMBLY
LABOR COSTS PER 300 BANKERS & 300 HIGH SENIORITY WORKERS "WITHOUT "EARLY OUT" PROGRAM"
Year 30
& Out Retirements Remaining Workers in Model Remaining Worker Costs @ $41,426.00 30 & Out Backfill 30 & Out Retirement
Backfill Costs Eliminated Banker Slots @ 1 for 2 Retirements Remaining Banker Slots Remaining Banker Costs @ $38,834.00
A B C
D E F G H I
1991 3
297 $12,303,522 3 $116,502 1.5 298.5 $11,591,949
1992 2
295 $12,220,670 5 $194,170 1 297.5 $11,553,115
1993 3
292 $12,096,392 8 $310,672 1.5 296 $11,553,115
1994 103
189 $7,829,514 111 $4,310,574 51.5 244.5 $11,494,864
1995 143
41 $1,698,466 259 $10,058,006 74 170.5 $9,494,913
Total
1991-1995 $46,148,564 $14,989,924 $6,621,197
1996 32
10 $414.260 290 $11,261,860 15.5 155 $50,756,038
1997 2
8 $331,408 292 $11,339,528 1 154 $6,019,270
1998 3
5 $207,130 295 $11,456,030 1.5 152.5 $5,980,436
1999 1
4 $165,704 296 $11,494,864 .5 152 $5,922,185
Total
1991-1999 $47,267,066 $60,542,202 $74,580,697
MODEL LABOR COSTS
1991-1995 (25 & OUT)
* (D)
Remaining worker costs $46,148,564
(F) 30
& Out backfill costs $14,989,924.
(I) Remaining
Banker Costs + $50,756,038
---------------------
$11,894.526
MODEL
LABOR COSTS 1991-1999
* (D)
Remaining worker costs $47,267,066.
(F) 30
& Out backfill costs $60,542,206.
(I) Remaining
Banker costs + $74,580,697.
---------------------
$182,389,969
(9)
FLINT TRUCK ASSEMBLY
LABOR COSTS & SAVINGS "WITH EARLY OUT PROGRAM"
Year 30
& Out Retirements Remaining Early Out Participants Early Out Participants Costs @ $20,976.00 300 Ex-Banker Non Active
@ $38,834.00
J K L
M N
1991 3
297 $6,229,872 $11, 650,200
1992 2
295 $6,187,920 $11, 650,200
1993 3
292 $6,124,992 $11, 650,200
1994 103
189 $3,964,464 $11, 650,200
1995 148
41 $860,016 $11, 650,200
TOTAL
FOR 25 & OUT $23,367,264 $58,251,000
1996 32
10 $209,760 $11, 650,200
1997 2
8 $167,808 $11, 650,200
1998 3
5 $104,880 $11, 650,200
1999 1
4 $83,904 $11, 650,200
TOTAL
$23,933,616 $104,851,800
MODEL LABOR COSTS
1991-1995 (25 & OUT)
* (M)
"Early Out" participant costs $23,367,264
(N) 300
Ex-Bankers now active + $58,251,000
---------------------
$81,618,264
MODEL LABOR COSTS 1991-1999
* (M)
"Early Out" participant costs $23,933,616
(N) 300
Ex-Bankers now active + $104,851,800
---------------------
$128,785,416
( 10)
PARTICIPATION
PROJECTION
To enjoy
maximum participation and success we must develop projected participation guidelines based on participation in past programs
such as 28.5 mutuals and buyouts.
In the 20-29 credited year sector of our plant population there are three distinct
groups of potential participants.
The first group is the 27-29 years credited service sector. This sector began their
working careers with G.M. when the rules of retirement were far different and they had to be age 65 to draw an acceptable
retirement package.
It wasn't until this sector was halfway through their working years that the 30
& Out early retirement was negotiated. This was after this particular segment of workers had entered into long-term mortgages
and other financial commitments.
These workers faced many strikes and layoffs in a very cyclical industry. They
are generally a one worker family and as a rule didn't plan or prepare for an early retirement. This is a group that is in
varying proximity seniority wise to the group of workers who now have 30 or more years credited service, many of which will
not retire. This is also a sector in varying proximity to the 28.5 group that was recently offered early outs, many of whom
also would not go, even with 40 hours pay.
The
potential participation factor for this group should be about equal to the 28.5 program participation or about 5%. As of 02/17/90
we have about 149 workers in the plant population with 27-29 years credited service. 5% of 149 workers equals about 8 participants
in the program on the first wave from the credited service sector. The second possible low participation sector in plant population
in our focus group is the sector from 21-23 years credited service.
Many of the 21-23 years credited service sector are still making house payments
and the biggest thing on their mind isn't retirement but feeding their young families and holding that job so they can eventually
get enough seniority to where they can afford to retire.
( 11)
While
some in this sector would participate many more would rather see as many higher credited service workers retire as soon as
possible so they would be in a better condition seniority wise.
As of 02/17/90, there were about 193 workers in our plant population with 21-23
years credited service. It is realistic to consider participation for this group to be a little less than the participation
rate of the higher seniority 28.5 program of a few months ago.
Since 5% participation was experienced in the 28.5 program we could experience
about 3% participation in this program from this sector. 3% of 193 potential participants equal about 6 actual participants.
Finally we arrive at out "target group" which spans the credited service of between
24-26 years.
These
workers were the first of the baby boomers and had 30 & Out retirements almost from the beginning of their working years.
They are the first generation of autoworkers that were able to plan on retiring earlier and they adjusted their financial
plans, mortgages and savings around it. They also saw the potential promise of even earlier retirements that were negotiated
for their fellow U.A.W. brothers and sisters at G.M.'s foundries. They have been exposed to the laundry lists of early outs
including 28.5 programs, mutual retirements, etc. and there will be no "non-participation" new program shock for this sector.
This sector has been better educated and has in most cases been a two-worker family
with double the income of their older union brothers and sisters.
This
sector experiences daily, if not hourly, changes they don't understand and changes that run against their nature.
These
workers have prepared to get out, they can afford to get out and they want out.
(12)
This target
group with the 24-26 years credited service is where the real participation will take place.
It is
not unrealistic to expect participation in this sector to be around 32%. We currently have about 879 workers in this sector.
32% of 879 equal 281 participants.
If
a real educational campaign was put on for this program it could potentially increase all segments of participation significantly.
Under the assumption of these projections we can expect to see about 296 actual
participants between the credited service of 21-29 years.
It
is understood that we are cutting new ground and there is no participation information based on past participation at other
locations.
We
therefore must base our assumptions on similar programs and understand that based on the laws of seniority the program will
automatically find its low credited service point based entirely on slots negotiated and voluntary participation.
( 13)
EARLY OUTS WITH
INCREASED EMPLOYMENT?
If our
plant opened up the "Early Out" slots necessary to accommodate the projected 290 participants from 24-29 years credited service
referred to in the participation chart on page 7 and in 1993 or 1994 needed to bring in 290 or more new workers to accommodate
the new product would this program still be monetarily beneficial?
Yes! Because this program backfills the "Early Out" slots "J.O.B.S. Bankers" displaced
from many plants in our region that the corporation has a contractual responsibility to maintain with full wages.
The corporation
would not be hiring new workers even if our plant needed to hire large numbers today or in the future.
The revolutionary significance of this program is that the efficiency of its mechanism
warrants its use and guarantees full financial benefit even in a level employment mode.
The simple fact is that there are substantial benefits for everyone because there
are higher seniority workers who are willing to voluntarily take a temporary wage reduction in order to get out early.
( 14)
SOCIAL SECURITY
A. A 43
year old worker in 1989 that didn't use the "Early Out" program and had earned $30,908.00 in 1989 and for each year until
30 & Out retirement at age 48 would draw at age 62 an average benefit per month of: $715.00
B.
A 43 year old worker with 1989 earnings of $30,908.00 retiring would earn per month at age 62 in Social Security payments:
$610.00
C.
A 43-year-old "Early Out" participant with 1989 earnings of $39,908.00 and established future average yearly earnings of $18,240.00
("Early Out" program earnings), who formally retires at age 48 would earn per month in Social Security payments at age 62:
$680.00
X.
Under 30 & out, worker must begin drawing Social Security payments at age 62.
X. At age 62, participants pension formula is recalculated by multiplying the benefit
class code X participant's years credited service. This will be in addition to social security payments,
X.
If today's "Early Out" participant is age 43, with 25 years service and goes out with a benefit class code of $26.00 and then
retires through the program at 30 years this calculates out to $26.00 class code X 30 years service = $780.00 pension per
month at age 62. At this time participant will also pick up $680.00 in monthly Social Security benefits for a monthly total
of $1,460.00.