Document NG45LkOVJGqMBRrGZ6nmDyQbD

V L DE 004]jg DRAFT V f BRIEF I N G OVERVIEW OF HUMAN RELATIONS ASPECTS OF BROWNSVILLE PLANT CLOSING IS 1983 Union Carbide was seen as very humane and caring by both employees and Che public. The economic vise was explained, understood and accepted. Union Carbide management was not held culpable. There was great sadness and little bitterness. The difference in policy between salary and hourly caused hard feelings among many of the hourly employees. The news media were welcomed in and kept well informed. Coverage, without exception, was fair. We spent $50MM to expand the plant in 1981, with much publicity. There was some individual criticism of UCC management for the quick change of direction, hopes dashed, and waste of money. Chronology Unlike the Whiting and Torrance chemical plants, thejsa^was little notice of the shutdown and a period of uncertainty as to its duration which extended from January until December 1983. January: Realization that plant economics would not change feet enough to stay on line. February: Policies for temporary lay-offs agreed upon. Also permanent surplusing of 30 March 14: exempt planned Announcement of shutdown on March 28. DE 004139 Rapid force reduction to 66 exempts, a core force for startup in about three months. DRAFT (cont.) Page 2. April - May: June 1: June 6: June-July-August: Placement activities for 30 exempt lay-offs. Non-exempt and hourly expected back. All employees offered "transition" seminars by Bob DuBrul. "Window" for eligible retirees. Decision to "mothball" plant for indefinite period. Two months after June notice of force reduction from 66 to 6 exempt. Hourly and non-exempt already laid off advised to seek other jobs. Job search seminar by Michael Simon Associates began. Available to all 66 remaining exempts. All-out effort to place exempt employees Internally and without. Concerted effort to help hourly employees find employment elsewhere. Individual attention to non exempt employee needs as requested. August 31 layoff of all but neceqm^ry few. September-October- November: All chemicals and flammables shipped out. UCC employment reduced to six. December: Decision by Union Carbide not to retain the plent. Plant for sale. DE 004140 DRAFT (cont.) Page 3. Benefits Exempc: Lay-off announcements were on first day of month, allowing three months on the payroll before termin ation (two months after month of notice). ''Window" for chose eligible for retirement. Standard termination pay plan for salaried employees. Job search seminar by a professional, Michael Simon Associates. Internal placement efforts by Corporate Recruiting Services, and by SCMD Management. Non-Exempt: Lay-off notice six weeks. Hourly: Termination pay plan for salaried employees. Help in local Job market as requested. Laid off as not needed. ^ All: Termination pay plan for hourly plan. Effort by Brownsville Management to advertise their quality and availability within UCC and throughout Texas Chemical Industry. Available seminar on transition by R. J. DuBrul. Note: Stressed emotionel chsnges to be expected and how to cope. As a matter of interests Celenese hourly recruiters race prospects on a scale of l(best) to 7. We are told our ex-employees whom they interviewed all raced 1 DF. 0 04141 DRAFT Page 4. Placement As of August 31, 1983 which was the last day on the payroll for all but a few exempt employees, 78Z of all exempt employees had jobs arranged. Of this group 70 percent were with Union Carbide. As of March 23, 1984, the current statistics for all our employees, as known to us, is as follows: DE 004142 ^ < G-^^-ervOL-o ^f . \rv~> ^ j<l\- 0 ^-jL' *~e~e' ^ '~Kjt- .>> rTM"l 0-^-^\.Vv^uJU.&_ a| *Vou. 3o cI THoS Z 3 fHa iu uOu(0 (ft z c oo Jo e V -*HI S 3U X <H fitf 0 Me XOo 50 X tt ^ <9 M h : H x.c h o o 3 U -o H 41 m e aa a a 8^ ft. S U fid o M a x x.8 h* *o* a s a ft. 8 ~4 WM X HO fXl UU a M8 n o n* <oM> in O CM O rn 0* 00 oo m a 8 8 88 t x u M M a o 3 O D E 004144 Y \ h / i W.W. MCMANUS P.O. BOX 33T0 BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS 78520 Pftonr (512) 631-4501 j/ij/i y ** * /^U23!i 'C' A*r+-J ~ lb> , ^} y**' ***^ *>**-<J c^O V.. DE 004145