Improved working conditions accompany technological development at Opel Portugal

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A technological and work organisation overhaul at the Opel Portugal motor manufacturing plant in Azambuja over 2001-2 has been accompanied by major improvements in health and safety and award-winning active equal opportunities measures. This article reviews the main developments at the plant.

Over 2001 and 2002, Opel Portugal- part of the US-owned motor manufacturing group General Motors (GM) - has been undergoing an intensified process of modernisation at its Azambuja plant. Along with the introduction of new technology and assembly procedures, there have been efforts to improve safety at work, vocational training and equal opportunities.

Plant modernisation

In 2001, Opel made its largest ever investment in Portugal, with a total technological and logistical overhaul, as a preparation for starting production of a new model of car. This process has led to the creation of new jobs. In December 2002, according to the company, it employed directly 1,095 people at its Azambuja plant and in 2002 had created some 200 new indirect employment positions with the inauguration of a centre that provides the production line with a sequenced supply of pre-assembled modules. In Portugal, Opel has a group of 22 local supplier companies, which supply not only the Azambuja plant but also other European Opel units.

The technological modernisation of the Azambuja facilities has covered all areas of production, making it one of the most highly advanced of Opel's European plants. Notably:

• the assembly line has been expanded and given a full technological upgrade, with the space reorganised
• a new 'solder matrix' has been introduced, and the degree of automation in this department has risen from 22% to 55%;
• robots have recently been introduced in the paint-shop. This has allowed the introduction of a 'quality first time' system and an environmentally controlled management system;
• a new quality-control area has been implemented; and
• in logistical terms, the Azambuja plant is supplied with more than 500,000 car parts per day. In 2000, Opel Portugal inaugurated a supply centre with 'state-of-the-art' technology and some highly innovative equipment in order to manage this flow of parts.

Environment and working conditions

With its high-technology equipment, processes and systems, the Azambuja plant officially conforms to the most demanding standards of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) on quality certification (ISO 9002) and environmental management (ISO 14001). Its systems also operate in accordance with the European Union's strict voluntary environmental certification standard, the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).

With regard to health and safety at the workplace, the Opel Azambuja plant is now recognised as one of the leading facilities in Portugal and within the network of Opel plants in Europe, and has set a number of records for the number of hours without accidents at work. In November 2001, Opel Portugal held an Opel and GM record of 2 million hours worked without industrial accidents, which corresponded to 400 days in a row without 'incidents resulting in days lost'

The Opel Portugal health and safety committee (comissão de higiene e segurança) has contributed to the Azambuja plant's safety record through:

• the inspection and modification of risk situations;
• personnel training;
• campaigns to encourage staff to participate actively by suggesting improvements;
• making two visits per month to each department in the plant to identify and eliminate situations of potential risk;
• involvement in a 'safety centre', where regular training in safety procedures is offered to the various departments in the plant, new recruits and suppliers; and
• regular safety campaigns.

All the various initiatives embarked upon are meant to guarantee the best working environment, not only from the point of view of safety at work but also from the point of view of noise protection and ergonomics. The heath and safety committee works with members of management and the Opel Azambuja workers' commission.

Equal opportunities

At the end of 2001, Opel Portugal was awarded the 'equality is quality' prize - designed to reward good practices by employers in promoting equality of opportunity for women and men - by the tripartite Commission for Equality in Work and Employment (Comissão para a Igualdade no Trabalho e no Emprego, CITE) (PT0201193F).

According to Opel Portugal, it has developed various practical initiatives that underpin a philosophy of extending employment opportunities to qualified candidates and employees, based on non-discrimination in terms of age, race, colour, sex, religion, nationality, disability or sexual orientation. The firm also attempts to implement positive action schemes related to equality of opportunity. In the traditionally male-dominated automobile industry, Opel has appointed women to various positions that have previously been held mainly by men, particularly in paint-shop operations. In addition to such 'hands-on' positions on the production line, Opel Portugal has recruited women in a number of key senior positions, including the management of its engineering central office, which is responsible for industrial engineering, projects, the environment and maintenance. Opel Portugal has taken another pioneering step by appointing a woman as director of its welding division. Women also occupy key posts in the areas of finance and environmental systems, among others.

Finally, it may be mentioned that the various changes outlined above have been accompanied by participation for Opel Portugal employee representatives at European level. The Portuguese workforce has Opel has two Portuguese representatives on the GM European Works Council.

Commentary

The Opel Portugal case illustrates that the introduction of new technologies associated with the reorganisation of work and the work-space, with particular concern for personal development and compliance with environmental and health and safety at work standards, may lead to the creation of jobs and processes of staff motivation. (Célia Quintas and Maria Luisa Cristovam, UAL)