Document jyG4KdJ5mj4jLZjb76ZVRK19p

Monsanto FROM ft SUBJECT J. J. Uihlein--Springfield April 5, 1973 Solvent Operator Arbitration reference TO S. Starr--Springfield ce, J. R. Belschwender R. L. Bourget As we anticipated, the Union attempted to refute elimination of the solvent operators on the basis that a substantial part of their job still remains. Although we clearly showed that cleaning time per batch had been reduced from 100 to SO minutes (15 to 7 1/2 hours per shift), the Union's contention is that the remaining work belongs to the solvent operator since solvent is still being used. Obviously, we look at it differently pointing out that a water flush has been replaced by a solvent flush. The following points may be helpful in presenting our case. 1. The solvent operator was not an integral part of the kettle floor like the CKO, KO and AKO. He had very limited and specific duties. When a kettle was to. be cleaned, it was literally turned over to the solvent operator (C. Kelley's testimony) for an extended period of time to be cleaned. As such, cleaning was not an integral part of the reactor cycle. Interestingly, this was the main argument of the Union in 1964 when the solvent operator classification was established. On the other hand' since flushing is done every batch or every other batch as is the current practice, it is considered an essential part of the cycle. As such it belongs to the kettle floor compliment. 2, While the Union attempted to refute our numbers, the testi mony of.both Kelley and Brodowski was misleading and in accurate. Kelley first claimed 30 minutes/batch to FKF which he corrected to 40 minutes under subsequent direct examination. While his cycle times on all phases of FKSF were accurate, he grossly over-estimated the interim time required to open valves, press start buttons and close kettles. His estimate of 25 minutes "working" time at 5 minutes/operation is more accurately 10 minutes total. Furthermore, his estimates of 2 to 6 hours per flush is totally out of line. It is interesting to note Kelley's glaring inaccuracies in several areas, such as the 30 minute water flush, the time of the blasting (February not January as he claimed), average 88 Building productivity (11 batches/day not 13 as he claimed). Yet on the subject of time to open and close valves, average FKSF cycles, he RSV0025791 M. S. Starr 2 April 5, 1973 sounded quite convincing. As to Mr. Brodowski's "average" time of 52 5' which was given with the same air of authen ticity as Mr. Kelley's testimony, this is 10 minutes better than the lowest time noted after reviewing over 100 logs. A detailed review of 100 typical logs indicated average times of:' FKF Solvent Cleaning Solvent Flushing Cycle 43 minutes 6 40 minutes 110 minutes Per Batch 43 57 55 Co. Nos. 40 60 50 3. The Union's argument over how much work remains is mis leading. Although C. Kelley would have you believe he is overworked, emphasizing that a 40 minute flush was replaced with a two hour operation, the major differences in cycle time between the water and the solvent flush do not require any additional effort on the part of the operator. (See Figure l/) They include the initial and final vacuums which are both automatically terminated after 20 minutes and extending the agitation or hold time by 10 minutes. The most significant change in the operator's work load is in opening a few additional valves and pressing a few buttons. This is a very minor part of the kettle operator's work load and is the main reason why the Union's proposed com promise (eliminate a KO instead of a SO) would have resulted in a most unfair distribution of work load. The SO function would have been looked upon as "featherbedding". By com parison, the solvent cleaning function while not a full job required much more work on the operator's part (four times as many valves, many operations removed from the kettle floor and a higher level of monitoring). 4. With regard to the recovery vessel, again the Union would have us believe that a high degree of attention and work was still required. Kelley made mention of 4 hours per shift. A polymerization reactor having far more requirements upon the operator and running twice as fast as the solvent re covery kettle does not take 4 hours"of attention per shift. (See Figure 2.) Furthermore, 88 Building was reduced from seven reactors to six and'92 Building has eight reactors and turns out 35% more batches than 88 with comparable staffing. X have included some typical log sheets which include solvent cleaning, solvent recovery and polymerization batches to give you some idea of the reduction in data logging. RSV0025792 M. S. Starr 3 April 5, 1973 I trust this information will be helpful and let me know if I can be of any further assistance. /pld attachments T?RVnn?S7Q3 Figure 1 Comparison of Operator Activity FKF & FKSF FKF 1. Close kettle & dog manhole. 2. -- 3. Open charge valve connect quick locking hose. 4. Start pump. Pump stops automatically. 5. Close charge valve, dis connect hose. 6 . Open dump valves. 7. Close dump valve. 8. -- 9. -- 10. Open kettle. FKSF 1. Same 2. Open vacuum valve energize jet. Stops automatically. 3. Close vacuum valve, open charge valve. 4. Raise setpoint, start pump. Pump stops automatically. 5. Close charge valve. 6. Open dump valve. Open nitro gen valve, start pump. Pump stops automatically. 7. Close dump valve, close nitro gen valve. 8. Open vacuum valve. 9. Energize jet. Stops automatically. 10. Open kettle. Opening and closing a kettle requires about two minutes. functions are less than one minute in length. All other RSV007.5794 Figure 2 Estimated Time Per Reactor 1. Prepare catalyst solution 2. Flush with solvent 3. Charge water' 4. Add C-l 5. Close kettle 6 . Evacuate kettle 7. Charge VCM 8. Adjust temperature setting 9. Add A6 solution/flush 10. If reaction goes 1 over setpoint, go to FCW. 11. If reaction goes 2 over setpoint, inject cold water. 12. Repeat #11 13. When reaction reaches 75 PSI, wait 20 minutes and vent. 14. Add antifoam 15. Data logging 16. Open kettle 10 minutes 10 minutes *25 minutes <5 minutes 2 minutes 5 minutes *25 minutes <5 minutes <5 minutes Although opening FCW valves, adding water injection venting require very little, a great deal of moni toring is required since there is a high degree of batch to batch variability and time cannot be accu rately predicted. <5 minutes <5 minutes 2 minutes 'Although operator does not have to be present at all times, he must be there to shut off meters. RSV0025795