SATURN; I HARDLY KNEW YE

The word came in recently like a bomb dropping. The deal to sell Saturn to Roger Penske had fallen through and the dream of “A new Kind of Company” was over. What a shame. The only concept that “perhaps” could have saved GM and the UAW from the humiliation of bankruptcy was tossed aside and then buried when no one could be found who wanted to build the cars for Penske. Say what? GM has plants setting idled, closed and in various stages of disrepair around the country. And the UAW has thousands of laid-off workers looking for something to. Michigan needs jobs in the worst way. It would seem to be a match made in heaven for our state.
The Saturn Corporation, as it was originally called, was the brainchild of the former CEO of General Motors, Roger Smith. You remember him as the star of Michael Moore’s first movie “Roger and Me” from the 1980’s. The idea was also fully supported by then UAW International Vice President, Don Ephlin. The inspiration began with 99 GM employees, company and union, who traveled the world in search of best practices in the world of car building. They studied the German’s and the Japanese and other companies, who weren’t necessarily auto builders, for the best ways to run a business. They came back with some radical (by our standards) ideas. To join the company, even as an hourly employee, you went through rigorous a three-day interview process, mostly to see how well you worked as part of a team. The original 99, as they were called, realized that team work and team building were one of the keys to the company’s success and all Saturn employees got 40 hours of team related training every year. If you passed the interview, the team, who you would be working with, would call to offer you a job. Once inside the plant, when you desired to move to a new team you went to that team with your resume and work record in your hand. The people that you would work beside every day made the call as to whether or not to bring you into the team. The company was full of good ideas and was an incubator for new processes that could be spread across the entire GM Corporation.
Unfortunately others viewed this new start up company as more of a threat than anything. People within the company and many others hated Saturn. Saturn was the new kid in town and they were yesterday’s news. They weren’t about to let that happen.
In the early nineties I helped the International UAW video tape a presentation on Modern Operating Agreements (MOA’s) and of course Saturn had one. The other presenters were the UAW President from the Ford Flatrock Plant that built the Mazda in a Ford facility and the President from the NUMMI Local in California that was a joint venture with General Motors and Toyota. The presenter from Saturn was the President of UAW Local 1857, Mike Bennett. To say I was impressed by his presentation would be an understatement. I left with the impression that he, some day, could rise to be the President of the International UAW. The Saturn local not only had a five year plan but a ten year plan as well. The only thing they didn’t have a plan for was their own parent company trying to slowly strangle them.
Even while being plotted against, the little company was able to build some of the finest cars ever built. Saturn buyers are easily the most dedicated customers that GM has . . .and GM just cut them all loose. Saturn dealers are easily the best dealers that GM has . . .and GM just cut them all loose. The Saturn dealer experience (another article on its own) is the best that I have ever had at GM and I have had many. Every UAW/GM employee, who has had the Saturn Experience that I talk to, feels the same way. If you want to make General Motors a better company overnight. Make all GM dealers just like Saturn Dealers.
Let’s get back to the original problem. Who can build Saturn’s for Mr. Penske? How about Pontiac Assembly? They are close to suppliers, have a seasoned work force and are in a location that really needs the work. Let’s start a “Bring Saturn to Pontiac” campaign. Pontiac, for many years, was the home to the Pontiac brand. With that gone, Saturn could be the next best thing. Pontiac could use a name change and a new beginning; how about Saturn, Michigan or Saturnac? Some how I don’t think Chief Pontiac would mind under the circumstances. Thanks for listening . . .Tony