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UAW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and GM Announce Joint $6M Project

7 April 1999

UAW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors Announce Joint $6 Million Family Services Project for Metro Detroit

    DETROIT, April 6 -- Detroit's three major auto firms, in
partnership with the union representing auto workers, announced today a $6
million family services project to aid working parents in caring for infants,
toddlers, pre-schoolers and school-age children.
    "This important family initiative is the result of progress our union and
the auto industry have achieved together through collective bargaining," said
Stephen P. Yokich, President of the International Union, UAW.  "We've worked
together with the auto industry to develop these 'people programs' because
they benefit our members and the industry as a whole."
    The UAW and DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors announced formation
of the Alliance for Children and Working Families today at the Northwest YMCA
in Detroit.  The Northwest YMCA will operate an expanded summer camp program
for school-age children as part of the Alliance's activities.
    Also participating in the announcement were UAW Vice President Jack
Laskowski and DaimlerChrysler Senior Vice President for Government Affairs W.
Frank Fountain Jr.; UAW Vice President Ron Gettelfinger and Ford Vice Chairman
and Chief of Staff Peter J. Pestillo; and UAW Vice President Dick Shoemaker
and General Motors Vice President, Group Executive Gary Cowger.
    The joint family services initiative is the largest commitment of its
kind, targeted at a single metropolitan area.  The Alliance will offer nine
family service programs, developed in response to a needs assessment survey of
65,000 Detroit-area auto workers.
    "Addressing the needs of our workers and their families also makes good
business sense," said DaimlerChrysler Senior Vice President Fountain.  "When
parents know their kids are being well-cared for, there's less stress in the
workplace and a more productive environment for everybody."
    "The education and social development of all children is a very high
priority," said Ford Vice Chairman Pestillo.  "Programs such as these enhance
the overall quality of life for the entire family."
    "If we don't make time for ourselves and our families, it does neither us
nor General Motors any good," said General Motors Vice President Cowger.  "We
need to balance our lives."
    The Alliance for Children and Working Families will provide a range of
services in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.  The programs include training
and technical assistance for existing child care providers; a "Summer of
Service," featuring supervised community volunteer projects for young
teenagers; development of new programs in areas of greatest need, such as
summer camps and after school programs; and the availability of emergency
in-home day care and emergency back-up child care for children of working
parents.
    The primary beneficiaries of Alliance programs will be 60,000 Detroit-area
employees of DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors.  Many aspects of
Alliance activities, however, such as training and technical assistance for
child care providers, will benefit all parents who use such services,
regardless of where they are employed.
    Funds for Alliance activities will come from the UAW-DaimlerChrysler
National Training Center, the UAW-Ford National Programs Center and the UAW-GM
Center for Human Resources.  Each center will contribute funds based on the
number of employees participating from each firm.
    The three joint centers, which operate a variety of training, safety and
human resources programs, receive a fixed contribution for each hour worked by
UAW-represented employees, under the terms of UAW labor contracts with each
company.