Undercover drug raid strains union, management relations at GM plant

By Eve Tahmincioglu / The Wilmington News Journal

Harvey Thomas had visions of making General Motors Corp.'s car
assembly plant in Wilmington, Del., a model of cooperation between
labor and management.

But today, things at the plant, which makes the Chevrolet
Malibu, are far from harmonious.

While GM and Thomas were preaching the virtues of trust, the
company was conducting an undercover investigation of the plant.
The 16month drug probe led to the arrest of 12 workers last month
in a dramatic police raid.

Operatives hired by the company described by workers as
attractive young women got to know employees, schmoozing with
them during work hours and at local bars after work. The raid
netted a quarter pound of marijuana, 6 grams of cocaine and small
amounts of methamphetamine and PCP.

While workers and union officials say they don't condone drug
abuse, some are upset by the secretive nature of the investigation.

"I feel they built us up for this big trust," said Paul Webb, a
spot welder at the plant. "It's a shame. It proves trust is a
oneway street. GM wants us to trust them but they will never trust
us."

Gary Prucino, an assembler for 20 years, said the raid put
workers' safety in jeopardy. He argues it would have been better if
all the alleged drug dealers had been arrested at their homes.

"Who knows if anybody had a gun," Prucino said. "They could
have opened fire when they saw the police."

Thomas, who knew about the probe while it was being conducted,
has done some damage control by speaking to workers about their
feelings in the aftermath. He recently sent out a letter to all
workers' homes calling them "great people doing a great job."

Still, he thinks the raid was worth it, and that some workers
are overreacting. Indeed, if the investigation was long and the
raid splashy, GM says that is part of the point: The company wanted
to send a message of zero tolerance for drugs in the workplace.

"I still believe what I believe," Thomas said about his
philosophy of trust. "But we're talking about drugs."

The undercover investigation was conducted by ASET Corp., a
private security firm based in Dayton, Ohio. GM decided to hire
ASET after a tip from one employee at the plant more than two years
ago. GM then approached the county police. ASET handled the
undercover probe but kept police apprised of progress and handed
over all the narcotics they obtained.

"It was something brought to our attention by GM," said Sgt.
Patrick Crowell with New Castle County Police, which conducted the
raid along with GM officials.

Companies like GM and government agencies are increasingly
enlisting the help of private security firms to help deal with
drugs in the workplace. In many cases, local law enforcement does
not have the budget or manpower for lengthy undercover
investigations.

But some workers, union officials and workplace experts said
GM's recent probe went too far. They contend that drug problems
should be tackled jointly by management and the union.

For years, GM and the UAW have offered substance abuse programs
inhouse that have been among the most effective in the auto
industry, said Jean TroutmanPoole, professor of labor studies at
Indiana University.

Auto workers can get confidential counseling for any type of
substance abuse through GM's employee assistance program. If a
worker is caught doing drugs, he or she goes through a disciplinary
process and then receives help, which can include detox and
rehabilitation programs covered by insurance.

Some view the probes as often doing more harm than good.

Joseph Brennan, president of UAW Local 435, said GM management
could have enlisted the help of the union to find suspected drug
dealers. He also questioned the validity of the charges made, given
that the investigation did not turn up bigtime drug dealers, and
the tactics used during the investigation.

"They got close to workers by enticing them in a sexual way,"
he said. "You know how guys think. Here comes an attractive young
lady who is continually flirting with them. Then they try and get
them what they want."

GM has conducted similar investigations at 10 of its plants
since 1994.

Not all workers think the raid will have a lasting effect on
morale. Walter McKnight, a 30year veteran at the plant, said trust
and morale were affected "a little bit. But I don't think that will
affect quality."

And some employees were happy with the probe and its outcome.
"GM should have done it years ago," said Claudia Stayton, a GM
worker for 20 years.

Copyright 1997, The Detroit News