Chrysler Corp., skilled trades openings as of Feb. 28, 1966

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Can you tell me whether the Labor Department came to you or whether you went to the Labor Department in trying to develop this apprenticeship program?

Mr. LANDIS. Our original contact was made by the Labor Department and the Employment Security people coming to us and apprising us of the fact that there was such an act. This is how it was in the beginning, and it has just escalated from that position. This was, I believe, late in 1963.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. From the time they contacted you and from the time, say, the contract was approved, what was the period of time that elapsed?

Mr. LANDIS. Well, I think we have to straighten out which contract. If you are talking about the institutional training, we do not sign contracts under the unemployed area. This is done with the assistance of the Employment Security people and, in some instances, it is under the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, because they pay the institutions for the costs of the operation.

But by and large a contract-I have one here-this skill improvement program that we are asking for 1,000, the original intent date on

that is December 22, 1965. We are still in the process of working that particular program out.

I would say on an average of from 8 to 12 weeks.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. What has been the attitude of the labor organizations which you negotiated with?

Mr. LANDIS. We have had the finest of cooperation, I think you will find, at least in our industry. Labor leaders are as cognizant of the problems as we are. This particular program that I have before me here, the contract is not only signed by our corporation, but in this case it is signed by Douglas Fraser, who is the executive board member and director, national Chrysler department, of the UAW.

So, we have complete cooperation in these programs.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. How did you get your dealers together to work out the program?

Mr. LANDIS. Well, there are eight coordinators in the various States and I have the details of what States they are in. They called dealer meetings in small groups of five or six dealers at a time and the program was explained in depth of what they were attempting to do; 85 percent of our dealers that we have contacted are highly in favor of the program and have so indicated that they wish to get into it.

I have some statistics here on dealers. To date we have 180 participating dealers who have committed at this point for 707 apprentices. We have until June 30 to meet the commitment of a thousand, so it is very easy to see that as far as the commitment is concerned, we are going to reach it.

We do have a problem, however, as far as getting the candidates coming in as fast as we should. I think that there is some concern about the draft.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Could you describe the skills of the people that would be affected by this dealers program? What is the nature of their skills?

Mr. LANDIS. They become regular auto mechanics, and training is divided into two general areas: One is a general mechanic and the other is a specialist in body repair, so there are actually two apprenticeships in the one program, and participants divide up rather evenly. When they finish their apprenticeship, they will be all-around auto mechanics, which today is a very complex job, and it is a highly skilled job, because of all of the complexities. Take the electrical system alone, or the carburetor; those things are all very technical and require a lot of training.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. We had the Secretary of Labor here a week ago. He was mentioning that he was cognizant of some of the problems that the Department has in working out these forms and the administrative complications to which you referred, and indicated some of the steps which were being taken to streamline that procedure.

One of the steps was the reduction in the amount of paperwork which you referred you might make.

Secondly, he talked about reaching a flat rate for Federal supported on-the-job training. He thought that in this way they could expedite

the applications in a more orderly, efficient manner than by trying to evaluate rates for each particular skill. Do you have any comments? Mr. LANDIS. I would certainly believe and agree with him that a flat rate on a formula basis would certainly be an efficient way to handle it. If you are talking about great numbers of sizable numbers in relationship to what formerly has gone on in MDTA, this would be the ideal way to run it.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. I have a question from the minority counsel. He would be interested in your attitudes about a tax incentive.

Senator Javits and Senator Prouty have offered legislation that would provide for a tax incentive to companies that developed on-thejob training programs.

Do you think that this would be a valuable stimulus to the training effort?

Mr. LANDIS. Frankly, Senator, this is out of the realm-I have a colleague here, Mr. Irwin, who is the manager of research and planning for our corporate personnel officer. If you would like to inject him here, he might be able to answer that.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. If he would like to make a comment on that point.

Mr. IRWIN. Senator, that is a complicated question our tax people have looked into. Generally speaking, what we have read of the bills now, there is not a sufficient incentive to give a great encouragement to additional training programs as far as we can foresee.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. As a device, would you support it to stimulate further participation by Chrysler?

Mr. IRWIN. I think it might be appealing to a number of companies, but the incentive probably has to be at a considerably higher level than is contemplated in the pending legislation.

Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Senator Nelson?

Senator NELSON. I realize that the wage would vary substantially around the country, but what is the average wage of a skilled auto mechanic and a skilled body repairman in the Michigan area? That is, annually, if you have it there.

Mr. LANDIS. Sir, I am going to have to beg off and I will tell you why. I have the responsibility in the corporation of dealing with the Government from the standpoint of any training contracts that we sign, but my specific area is technical education for the workmen in the plants.

Now, I can talk wages with you of plant people, but I would hesitate to talk in the area of auto mechanics. Again, I say I will be pleased to send to the committee the information that you would like on it. Senator NELSON. Did I understand you correctly that there has been some difficulty in recruiting trainees on the part of your dealers?

Mr. LANDIS. That is right. We have no problem with recruiting the dealers. As I mentioned, about 85 percent of those we have contacted are anxious to get into it. We are having difficulty in some places in getting candidates to fill the jobs. Particularly-and you may be interested, Senator-in Boston, we are having difficulty in get

ting people to come into the program. They are recruited through the Employment Security people

Senator NELSON. I was not here during your testimony and have not read it, so this may be repetitious. What is the term, length of time of the mechanics program?

Mr. LANDIS. It is a 3-year program in most instances.

Senator NELSON. And it is on-the-job plus some schooling?

Mr. LANDIS. They get 4 hours a week at night that they go to school, and they get 40 hours on the job.

Senator NELSON. What are they being paid during the course of this training program?

Mr. LANDIS. They start at 50 percent of the journeyman's wage in the area. Generally speaking, they would be getting, I would think, about $1.75 to $2 an hour at the beginning. Then there is a graduated increase; as they put the hours in, they get a graduated increase of payment. Of course, at the end of their apprenticeship, they immediately go in as journeymen and are at the regular journeyman's

rate.

Senator NELSON. And there is, I take it, a general shortage of skilled auto mechanics around the country?

Mr. LANDIS. It is extremely scarce. difficult time getting auto mechanics. gram.

All dealerships are having a This was a very valuable pro

Senator NELSON. If it is not already in the record, I think it might be helpful if you could send to the subcommittee for the record some statistics showing what the annual wage of the automobile mechanic and skilled body repairman is, if you have it, in various parts of the country. I think it would be of some value to the subcommittee. Mr. LANDIS. We will do this immediately.

(The information referred to follows :)

(From Bulletin No. 1452, June 1965, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor)

INDUSTRY WAGE SURVEY-AUTO DEALER REPAIR SHOPS, AUGUST-OCTOBER 1964 APPENDIX B. OCCUPATIONAL DESCRIPTIONS

The primary purpose of preparing job descriptions for the Bureau's wage surveys is to assist its field staff in classifying into appropriate occupations workers who are employed under a variety of payroll titles and different work arrangements from establishment to establishment and from area to area. This permits the grouping of occupational wage rates representing comparable job content. Because of this emphasis on interestablishment and inter-area comparability of occupational content, the Bureau's job descriptions may differ significantly from those in use in individual establishments or those prepared for other purposes. In applying these job descriptions, the Bureau's field economists are instructed to exclude working supervisors, apprentices, learners, beginners, trainees, handicapped, part-time, temporary, and probationary workers.

BODY REPAIRMAN

(Automobile-collision serviceman; fender and body repairman: bodyman.) Repairs damaged automobile fenders and bodies to restore their original shape and smoothness of surface by hammering out and filling dents, and by welding breaks in the metal. May remove bolts and nuts, take off old fenders, and install new fenders. May perform such related tasks as replacing broken glass and repairing damaged radiators and woodwork. May paint repaired surfaces.

(Lubricating man.)

GREASER

Lubricates, by means of hand-operated or compressed-air operated grease guns and oil sprays, all parts of automobiles or trucks where lubrication is required, using proper type lubricant on the various points on chassis or motors; and drains old lubricant from lubricant reservoirs and refills with new. perform other related duties, such as checking radiator water level, checking and adding distilled water to battery, repairing tires, etc. May also perform duties of washer.

MECHANIC, AUTOMOTIVE

May

Repairs automobiles and trucks, performing such duties as disassembling and overhauling engines, transmissions, clutches, rear ends, and other assemblies on automobiles, replacing worn or broken parts, grinding valves, adjusting brakes, tightening body bolts, alining wheels, etc. In addition to general automotive mechanics, this classification also includes workers whose duties are limited to repairing and overhauling the motor.

Class A. Repairs, rebuilds, or overhauls engines, transmissions, clutches, rear ends, or other assemblies, replaces worn or broken parts, grinds valves, bores cylinders, fits rings. In addition, may adjust brakes or lights, tighten body bolts, aline wheels, etc. May remove or replace motors, transmissions, or other assemblies. May do machining of parts.

Class B. Adjusts brakes or lights, tightens body bolts, alines wheels, or makes other adjustments or repairs of a minor nature; or removes and replaces motors, transmissions, clutches, rear ends, etc., but does no repairing, rebuilding, or overhauling of these assemblies. Workers who are employed as helpers to mechanics are excluded from this classification.