Labor/Management Meeting Brings Discussion on Joint Strategic Planning

The leaders of the UMCA and UA Local 140 met in late August for their quarterly labor-management meeting. The focus of the meeting quickly turned to the need for labor and management to do some “strategic thinking” and the need for developing a Joint Five-year Strategic Plan. The goal of the discussion was to start a dialogue and develop a working list of issues that could become the focus of future labor-management committee meetings. Just a few of the topics identified were; The Need to Improve Employee Morale, Better Manpower Allocation, Improved Chain of Command Communication, Foreman Training, Improved Brotherhood, Increase Marketshare, Technological Advancements in tools and material and the need for them to be embraced, and more. At the conclusion of the meeting it had become apparent just how far the relationship between labor and management had progressed over the past six years.  While some tough issues may have been discussed both committees showed complete respect and appreciation for the others perspective.