A collaborative partnership between labor and contractors is essential for growth. Together we maintain focus on, safety, productivity, and training while delivering a safe, professional and productive workforce.
In recent months labor and management have collaborated through three different labor-management meetings held across the region to discuss lessons learned and training requirements, including site-specific requirements. A collaborative labor-management meeting also provides a forum for contractors and local agents to discuss recruitment opportunities and concerns about labor demands and upcoming projects.
The SSMRC team is dedicated to advocating for our members and partnering contractors. We often do so through social-media platforms and advertisements. We also advocate through sponsorships and various manufacturers’ associations.
2022 has proven to be a challenging and prosperous year for our members and contractors alike. Labor demands have increased throughout the year, and new work opportunities have presented themselves across the region. One Central Region opportunity, the Ford BlueOval project in Stanton, Mississippi, is just around the corner.
With the new projects and labor demands heading our way, the Central Region has been in full recruitment mode. Within the region, we have been involved with workforce development as partners with numerous organizations.
Agents are actively taking advantage of recruitment opportunities within their local areas by attending job fairs, visiting community colleges, and/or engaging in top-down/bottom-up organizing. Currently, membership numbers are on the rise. However, retaining new recruits can be a challenge, and retention plays a big role when organizing.
New capital projects heading our way include:
Bay Minette, Alabama – Novelis Incorporated has announced the plans to build an aluminum recycling and rolling mill plant at the Bay Minette mega-site industrial park. Kickoff is set for December 2022, and project duration is expected to be 31 months, ending in June 2025.
Madison, Alabama – Toyota Motor Manufacturing has made plans for a 114,000-square-foot expansion to produce both combustion and hybrid-electric four-cylinder engines. Requests for quotes are expected to go out in December, with kickoff during the first quarter of 2023.
Clarksville, Tennessee – Microvast Incorporated is in the process of site selection in Clarksville and plans to build a $504 million battery separator manufacturing plant. Requests for quotes are expected in June 2023, and project completion is expected in December 2025.
If you would like further information on the projects mentioned above or any projects you’re interested in, please feel free to reach out to Jeffrey Smith at jsmith@ssmrc4070.org.