High Speed Steel
Veteran
- Feb 14, 2004
- 1,375
- 136
What is up with this.....????? amfa posturing itself to adapt to maintaining Overhaul capabilities? It is funny that they now are taking a new approach. Are they trying to "mirror" the Industrial Unions? Is their "mIliTaNt sTanCe", decaying before your very eyes.................It appears so :huh:
LEAN
On Friday February 18 the Local 9 Leadership and senior management met to discuss LEAN at the Maintenance Base. The goal was to reach a common understanding of what LEAN is and lay down a collaborative effort by union and company to support positive necessary changes at SFO. The S200 business plan has earmarked over $80 million in cost savings due to LEAN initiatives. In addition to these savings, revenue growth in the Turbine Shop is to be viable with these measures for more capacity. The union is aware that LEAN follows with much skepticism on the floor. We have seen many programs come and go with little fruit to bear. EMSYS, Introspect, 20% Solution, and Best Maintenance are some of the names we are aware of. All these programs had cost. The concerns which are valid deal with the cost and effectiveness of such programs. Is LEAN the same? The processes we have now are results of years and years of planning, experience, and evolution. This is by no means taking the position that what we have now in Airframe, Turbine Shop, and Components is the absolute in efficiency and cost effectiveness. The parts supply system is an example of something that has appeared to be broken for a long time. We all know we have serious problems in several areas. Be it parts shortages, engineering support, management support, or our own cynicism and resulting lack of urgency, there does need to be the acceptance for positive change. If we fail to see that we need to constantly look for better ways of doing our job than we will fall victim to inefficiencies, waste, and passiveness.
What is LEAN? LEAN is a system successfully used in the Toyota Production System (TPS). This idea seeks to reduce waste, redundancy, and inefficiencies. The Toyota and GM NUMI plant in Fremont is a success story for LEAN with their production line of cars and trucks. One facet which may make it successful is a positive collaborative partnership between the company and the United Auto Workers Union (UAW). Recent contact AMFA has had with the UAW appears to show that LEAN may be a system which will help many areas. The three areas we have seen at UAL which have gone through LEAN include SFO Landing Gear Shop, ORD 747 A Checks, and the SFO Tire Shop. AMFA has talked with members on the floor in each area. The results are mixed as there are some gains and some questions. The SFO Tire Shop appears to have stalled in its change over. Furthermore, all successful LEAN programs at other companies show witness to streamlining management and moving more responsibility to the work force. At UAL, AMFA has seen neither.
With the subject of LEAN AMFA has a predicament. The company is actively asking for help from knowledgeable members and union support. Even with support for the LEAN concept, the union knows LEAN will not work unless the members from the floor embrace and champion it. To achieve this, members must have trust, commitment, and stability. Senior management needs to ask these questions. What can they do to rebuild trust? What can they do to show commitment? What can they do to prove our careers have stability? To date, these questions of foundation have not been asked. This is something AMFA is willing to discuss in the current 1113 negotiations.
-------------------------
amfa: The YUGO of the labor movement
Where bargaining means YOU GO....!
LEAN
On Friday February 18 the Local 9 Leadership and senior management met to discuss LEAN at the Maintenance Base. The goal was to reach a common understanding of what LEAN is and lay down a collaborative effort by union and company to support positive necessary changes at SFO. The S200 business plan has earmarked over $80 million in cost savings due to LEAN initiatives. In addition to these savings, revenue growth in the Turbine Shop is to be viable with these measures for more capacity. The union is aware that LEAN follows with much skepticism on the floor. We have seen many programs come and go with little fruit to bear. EMSYS, Introspect, 20% Solution, and Best Maintenance are some of the names we are aware of. All these programs had cost. The concerns which are valid deal with the cost and effectiveness of such programs. Is LEAN the same? The processes we have now are results of years and years of planning, experience, and evolution. This is by no means taking the position that what we have now in Airframe, Turbine Shop, and Components is the absolute in efficiency and cost effectiveness. The parts supply system is an example of something that has appeared to be broken for a long time. We all know we have serious problems in several areas. Be it parts shortages, engineering support, management support, or our own cynicism and resulting lack of urgency, there does need to be the acceptance for positive change. If we fail to see that we need to constantly look for better ways of doing our job than we will fall victim to inefficiencies, waste, and passiveness.
What is LEAN? LEAN is a system successfully used in the Toyota Production System (TPS). This idea seeks to reduce waste, redundancy, and inefficiencies. The Toyota and GM NUMI plant in Fremont is a success story for LEAN with their production line of cars and trucks. One facet which may make it successful is a positive collaborative partnership between the company and the United Auto Workers Union (UAW). Recent contact AMFA has had with the UAW appears to show that LEAN may be a system which will help many areas. The three areas we have seen at UAL which have gone through LEAN include SFO Landing Gear Shop, ORD 747 A Checks, and the SFO Tire Shop. AMFA has talked with members on the floor in each area. The results are mixed as there are some gains and some questions. The SFO Tire Shop appears to have stalled in its change over. Furthermore, all successful LEAN programs at other companies show witness to streamlining management and moving more responsibility to the work force. At UAL, AMFA has seen neither.
With the subject of LEAN AMFA has a predicament. The company is actively asking for help from knowledgeable members and union support. Even with support for the LEAN concept, the union knows LEAN will not work unless the members from the floor embrace and champion it. To achieve this, members must have trust, commitment, and stability. Senior management needs to ask these questions. What can they do to rebuild trust? What can they do to show commitment? What can they do to prove our careers have stability? To date, these questions of foundation have not been asked. This is something AMFA is willing to discuss in the current 1113 negotiations.
-------------------------
amfa: The YUGO of the labor movement
Where bargaining means YOU GO....!
