The local electrical workers union in Windsor, Ont. is preparing to dispatch hundreds of its members to a project at Chrysler’s Assembly Plant, which involves the installation of a conveyor system for the production of a new minivan.
"A couple of years ago we didn’t know if Chrysler was going to exist in this area, so having this kind of money put into the plant and new development is a great feeling for the workers," said Karl Lovett, business manager, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in Windsor.
"It’s huge. The magnitude will be the biggest since 1983. The impact it’s going to have on the area, and there will be spinoffs, from coffee shops to people wanting to buy new cars."
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) began exterior construction on its Windsor Assembly Plant on Dec. 16, 2014, using a 600-ton crane to start installing 200 pieces of structural steel to create a new conveyor enclosure on the plant’s roof.
The conveyor enclosure will be more than 20 feet tall and house the plant’s new skillet line, which is a global standard for FCA facilities.
"They (FCA) are looking for more than 500 electricians there," said Lovett.
"The IBEW in Windsor will be getting them all. They will come through us."
Lovett said the IBEW in Windsor has about 525 active members, so he will be sourcing electricians for the project from local union halls across Ontario, including Sarnia, London, Kitchener, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Toronto, Sudbury, Ottawa and Kingston.
"At a moment’s notice, if I need 50 or 100 guys, I can call on the locals and they can mobilize men for me, get them down here and put them to work," he said.
To prepare for the arrival of the electricians at Chrysler’s Windsor Assembly Plant, Lovett has been getting commitments from local hotels and restaurants for special rates.
According to Lovett, the new skillet conveyor line moves the vehicles along the line and adjusts or comes down to the height of the person working the conveyor.
The skillet conveyor line is designed to provide optimal ergonomic positioning, which makes it easier and more comfortable for the workers.
FCA says the design of the new conveyor line allows workers to function in the ‘Golden Zone,’ which is a 60-degree window in front of the operator that is ideal to present parts.
This means workers don’t have to reach to levels that are above and below their most efficient position.
Lovett said the electricians who go through their apprenticeship in Windsor are highly skilled and trained to work in the automotive and industrial sectors.
"There are not a lot of people that have the same talents we do and do the same training," he said. "We train in the motor controls, conveyor systems, communication, fibre optics and data lines. In a plant like that, we are looking at magnificent systems and we have the specialized equipment that can put that stuff in. It’s a different skill set."
In addition to the basic government trade school training, apprentices in Windsor are required to go to night school two times a week at the IBEW’s training facility. During the four-year apprenticeship, they receive extra training in conduit bending, wire pulling, motor controls and program controls.
As a result, the Windsor apprentices not only become licensed electricians, they also earn a flat weld license.
The work on the new conveyor line will start on Feb. 16 and is scheduled for completion on May 24.
The project is part of the many improvements planned for the Windsor plant in preparation for production of a future model. Additional projects will be completed during 14 weeks of downtime beginning in February.
The Windsor assembly plant currently occupies 4.4 million-square-feet of floor space and employs 4,600 workers, who produce the Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town & Country, Ram Cargo Van, and Lancia Grand Voyager.
The plant received a Silver designation in World Class Manufacturing (WCM) in March 2014, after demonstrating clear know-how and competence in the manufacturing methodology. It was the first FCA North America facility to earn this designation.
WCM is a methodology that focuses on reducing waste, increasing productivity, and improving quality and safety in a systematic and organized way. It engages the workforce to provide and implement suggestions on how to improve their jobs and their plants.
Chrysler was bailed out by the White House in 2009 and escorted through bankruptcy reorganization with the help of loans from U.S. and Canadian taxpayers.
Chrysler Group celebrated 30 years of minivan production in 2013 with more than 13 million vehicles sold.
The Windsor facility was built in 1928 with production of its signature minivans beginning in 1983.
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