By having District 751 facilities and maintenance
employees perform modification work, Boeing saved over $30,000
while implementing a much-needed change to the 737 moving line
that makes the workplace safer and more productive.The suggestion that improved efficiency and cut costs came from a shop floor mechanic who works the line every day. The mechanic was irritated at the inconvenience of having to step over the rolling utilities track that is pulled along with the moving line. By simply turning the mechanism around and pushing it, the trip hazard was eliminated. In addition, the work area became more productive by reducing the extra steps workers took as they maneuvered carts and parts around the extensive track. Making the suggestion even better was the fact that District 751 members were able to perform the changes - saving Boeing at least $30,000.
While supervision immediately embraced the suggestion, they assumed an outside contractor would be used rather than turning to our own facilities and maintenance employees to perform the work. When Union members on the Renton Facilities/Maintenance Subcontracting Committee learned of the revision work, they determined it could be done in-house quicker and for a much lower price. Once all the facts were presented, management agreed our members could make the changes at nearly half the cost of the outside vendor.
The change was a preemptive move before
an accident could occur. The previous system had members stepping
over the hydraulic push every time they left the plane. Tool boxes
and parts had to be rolled around the enormous hydraulic chain.Lee Gotti, who serves on the Union Facilities Committee and was instrumental in this case, noted, "Our committee knows the capabilities of our facilities workers and strives to keep all work in-house. In this instance, we checked out the work, got the right people involved and were able to cut the cost in half. The best part is we kept the right people doing the work - our members."
Lee added, "In most cases, if we know about the work before a subcontracting form is turned in, we can gather the facts that show the Company our members can perform the work at a lower cost and stay on schedule. In fact, we have not only stayed on schedule, but in many cases have sped up the jobs."
Otis Williams, chair of the Renton Committee, also helped ensure the work stayed in-house, and noted, "The success of this facilities committee is having good hourly people who work well together coupled with management that is willing to work with us. We know our members and their skills and capabilities. Having skilled craftsmen on-site and available gives us an advantage over subcontractors who have to bring someone to the plant. If one crew is busy, we check with others, but always focus on keeping all work in-house."
In this case, 751 members were able to modify one line per weekend to ensure there was no interruption in production. Management was pleased with the cost savings and how quickly the modifications were complete - not to mention making the work environment safer and more productive.