From June to November 1994, the design team held weekly four-hour meetings to develop the SDWT design plan and agreement. The teams are responsible for communicating with other teams' members on difficulties, customer satisfaction or problems, objective peer appraisals, maintenance needs of tools and equipment, training team members, safety and scheduling leave. They also assist in resolving disagreements between team members and poor performance problems. In these times of budget reductions and downsizing, working smarter is becoming a way of life. SDWTs are the division's method of working smarter.
Responsibility is what the design team assumed.
To insure that all legal areas were considered, the team invited MTC Cheif Steward Dennis Turbett, to advise them on union legalities. The MTC Executive Council encouraged the union's involvement. This is a contemporary move that changes the normal policy and procedures practices, but not just for the sake of change. It's change for the betterment of the system. SDWTs are contemporary, pliable and show foresight for the future.