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| Local 42's Continuous Improvement team with Edward Honsinger of the UAW National Ford Department, October 2026. |
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October 19–23, 2026 — Local 42’s Continuous Improvement team spent a week working with Edward Honsinger, Executive Program Director for Continuous Improvement & Total Cost in the UAW National Ford Department, to strengthen our CI program at Volkswagen Chattanooga. Brother Honsinger was here on behalf of UAW Vice President Dickerson.
Local 42 Continuous Improvement Team
- CIP – Production StandardsJimmy Key
- CIP – Production StandardsJonathan Dann
- CIP – Continuous ImprovementDavid Gleeson
- ETC – Training (T3)William Cook
- ETC – Training (T3)Francisco Echevarria Gonzalez
- ETC – Training (T3)Justin Friar
- Bargaining Rep.Joshua Epperson, UAW Local 42
The week opened with Plant Chairman Tony Bodewes and Regional Servicing Rep. Jim Bledsoe.
What the week covered
- The contract: a review of Appendix J and the August 2026 Sub Council report.
- Lean tools: the Lean Academy, Kaizen, 5S and Gemba, plus a session with a Ford CI specialist.
- Our people: Team Leader roles and responsibilities, Team Leader training modules, and the selection and deselection process.
- Looking ahead: taking part in a future Lean/Kaizen event and keeping communication on track as the program moves forward.
- On the floor: a safety briefing and a plant tour.
Brother Honsinger thanked the team for the passion they brought to the table and said he’s confident this committee will bring the very best for our membership.
Thank you to everyone who took part. Questions about continuous improvement or production standards? Talk to any member of the team.
