Foe of Japanese Methods Wins Van Nuys UAW Vote

By a narrow margin, workers at a General Motors plant elected as chairman of their powerful negotiating committee a fiery union traditionalist who opposes the Japanese-style production methods being put into operation there, it was announced today.

Pete Beltran, 47, who stepped down as president of United Auto Workers Local 645 to run for negotiating chairman, defeated incumbent chairman Richard Ruppert by 116 votes, said union attorney Sunny Wise. Beltran received 1,605 votes to Ruppert’s 1,489.

The negotiating committee chairman is the most powerful union official on the shop floor. Although the local’s president technically outranks the chairman, the president is often busy with administrative work outside the plant.

Elected president by about 220 votes was former shop chairman Jerry Shrieves, defeating Paul Goldener, president of the local from 1971 to 1978, Wise said. The final vote was about 1,800 to 1,600, she said.

Labor leaders considered the contest important in shaping the future direction of Southern California’s last auto assembly plant, which makes Chevrolet Camaros and Pontiac Firebirds.

Beltran, a union traditionalist, has vigorously opposed implementation of the Japanese style of production called “team concept” at the Van Nuys plant, which was approved by a 53% vote of the workers last year amid reports that the plant would be closed otherwise.

Beltran said he will abide by the team concept agreement but was wary that it might threaten union strength and job security, and could eventually eliminate 800 jobs at the Van Nuys plant.

Ruppert and Shrieves both favored the Japanese work styles.