What's Working

Master Lock and UAW Local 469 Bring Jobs Back to Milwaukee

With the proliferation of so-called free trade agreements and the opening of new markets in a global economy, outsourcing has been the manufacturer’s trick of choice to help keep production costs low and profits higher.  But a race to the bottom in terms of wages and benefits doesn’t just hurt U.S. workers.  Employers are beginning to realize that domestic union labor can actually provide more bang for their buck.

Some companies are starting to bring back work from other countries. Milwaukee’s own Master Lock has brought back production work from China and is now running its floor at full capacity for the first time in 15 years.

 “First and foremost, it’s about quality,” says Mike Bink, recording secretary of the UAW Local 469. “We’ve always been able to compete. We’ve got lots of quality in the skilled trades and it reflects in our product.”

Bink (pictured), a tool room machinist, has worked at Master Lock since 1979. He has seen work shift to China and Mexico in the late 1990s and subsequently seen the U.S. workforce shrink from more than a 1,300 employees to less than 300 in the late 2000s. Assembly work went to Mexico and some production work went to China.

But in 2010, work performed in China started shifting back to the Milwaukee plant. There are currently 337 union employees at Master Lock, and that number should grow as the company adds new equipment to increase capacity and adds another shift to make cylinder and key components for their famously indestructible locks.

“There are a lot of bad things one could say about what happened in the past, but we’re here now and we’re growing,” Bink says. “It’s a credit to the company and the union that there’s a commitment to a presence in Milwaukee.”

Now that presence is growing again, and it is a great example of how responsible companies can partner with their workforce and take the high road towards prosperity. 

Read more coverage about work coming back to Master Lock’s Milwaukee plant in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel articles “Reassessing China” and “Reversing the Flow.”

The Employer Connection

WRTP/BIG STEP is known around the region and the state for its work in helping people find family-supporting jobs – and careers – in the construction and manufacturing fields. This work is important, especially as the state continues efforts to retain and attract jobs.

With all these good efforts, sometimes WRTP/BIG STEP’s work with employers is overshadowed. But it is no less important. Providing services to employers that help them stay competitive and thrive allows them to grow, which means more jobs.

The employer connection is something that is unique to WRTP/BIG STEP.

Using a needs assessment of the manufacturing climate in Wisconsin conducted by WRTP/BIG STEP staff – the most recent completed in 2010 – industry coordinators are able to connect interested manufacturers to the programs and resources that will enable them to effectively implement changes in areas such as modernization, energy efficiency, and current and future workforce needs.

Those efforts are making an impact.

In its inaugural post, “What’s Working” highlighted WRTP/BIG STEP’s efforts, in collaboration with Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington Workforce Development Inc. and Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC), to get needed training to more than 300 incumbent workers at seven area manufacturers.

“We act as a convener of these manufacturers in an initiative like this,” says Joe Nicosia, industry coordinator at WRTP/BIG STEP. “We already have relationships with these employers and the labor representatives, so when we find resources that can help them become more competitive and can benefit their employees, there is trust already built in. They know we can help them and that we’ll get the job done.”

The seven manufacturers – all union represented – have identified needed training in technical skills, such as CNC machining and maintenance, and industry essential skills, such as team building, train the trainer, and problem solving.  The Department of Workforce Development is providing funding for the training, which will take place throughout the 2011, though its Industry Partnership initiative for the M-7 region in Southeastern Wisconsin.

In addition to playing the role of convener of the employers, WRTP/BIG STEP will be providing the training for the industry essential skills, while partner WCTC will provide training for the technical skills.

By receiving training, some incumbent workers will have the opportunity to advance in their careers, possibly opening up jobs for new employees.

“What’s Working” will bring updates and success stories as the training unfolds throughout the year. As always, stay tuned.

The Fruits of Collaboration? Good Jobs.

At WRTP/BIG STEP, collaboration is the way of life. Collaboration with labor unions and employers, with public agencies and lawmakers, with community members and community-based organizations. The organization’s success hinges on the success of its collaboration with these community partners.

The “Strengthening Diversity on Urban Forestry Service Delivery” program is one example of the collaborative efforts among different agencies and organizations to create and implement a successful program that benefits community members. WRTP/BIG STEP is working with the City of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, AFSCME District Council 48, and the Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance to recruit a class for the second year program.

“The collaboration between major city partners was invaluable in providing a quality training experience for the participants,” says Carrie Hersh, WRTP/BIG STEP’s training manager.  “It allowed each of us to use our strengths instead of having unnecessary replication.”

The fruits of that collaboration are what make the process so important: jobs for people who need them.

The Urban Forestry program enjoyed a successful initial class in 2010. All 13 participants who completed the training found employment upon graduation. In fact, some were hired before they finished the course.

Ray Rivera, one of the top climbers in the class, had the choice of several employers who wanted his services before he graduated.

“What’s better than actually getting to pick who you work for? It’s a great feeling,” he says.

Ray was so pleased with the course that he agreed to speak to interested recruits about his time in the program and the opportunity it gave him.

“The training you receive is everything you need and a little more to actually go start working in the field.”

Over the course of the seven-and-a-half month Urban Forestry training, participants receive hands-on training in tree climbing and pruning, equipment operation and maintenance, tree identification, and safety instruction. Graduates earn industry recognized credentials, an important part of finding employment in a family-supporting job after graduation.

Learning from the successes and challenges of the first class, which graduated in December, WRTP/BIG STEP is working closely with program partners to ensure that positive changes are integrated for an even more successful 2011 class.

To learn more about the inaugural class of Urban Forestry, visit WRTP/BIG STEP’s youtube channel and check out videos featuring participants.

Introducing What’s Working: Building Good Jobs in Wisconsin

Jobs.

It’s the political buzzword of our time. But anyone who’s been unemployed knows that it is more than a word. So does the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO.

In this space, we will be telling you the story of how labor unions and labor-affiliated organizations continue to work hard for the people in our state. “What’s Working” will offer a glimpse into the efforts to get people into family supporting jobs and to help responsible employers thrive.

Organizations like the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership (WRTP)/BIG STEP, which was founded through the collaborative efforts of workers, the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, and stakeholders throughout the region, work to get community members into family supporting jobs. The work done by such organizations is critical for workforce development.

 

Since the early nineties, WRTP/BIG STEP has worked cooperatively with labor unions and employers to get people to work in family supporting jobs. As a workforce intermediary, WRTP/BIG STEP is a connecting point for community members to gain access to training opportunities in the manufacturing and construction fields.

Training courses are industry driven and developed by unions and employers who hope to hire community members to fill their needs. The focus on working closely with union-represented employers gives graduates access to opportunities to gain employment in places where they will be paid a fair wage and have access to benefits like health insurance and retirement plans.

WRTP/BIG STEP also provides services to employers to help them become more competitive and thrive in the state, keeping jobs – good jobs – here.

For instance, industry coordinators have worked collaboratively with the Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington (WOW) Workforce Development Board to secure funding to bring technical and essential skills training to more than 300 incumbent workers at seven union-represented manufacturers throughout the state this year. This effort will help workers advance in their careers while also helping these employers maintain and possibly expand their workforce.

You can read more about WRTP/BIG STEP and their efforts at their website, www.wrtp.org, and continue to follow their successes here.

In the coming months, we’ll bring you examples of what WRTP/BIG STEP and labor unions are doing in our communities around the state.

Stayed tuned to find out what’s working.