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Product Quality Improvement Partnership

Product Quality Improvement (PQI) is a joint UAW-Chrysler commitment to involve all employees, especially UAW-represented employees, continuously improving the quality of the products and services produced at Chrysler facilities.

Since 1980, PQI has grown and evolved with the needs and requirements of Chrysler and the UAW-represented employees and their customers.

PQI/POD Roles and Responsibilities

At all PQI chartered locations, there are UAW and Chrysler facilitators who oversee all partnership activities and are responsible for submitting PQI reports on time. At many partnership locations, there is also a separate PQI Trainer, a separate PQI Communicator and a separate JAOP (Joint Activities Operating Principles) Facilitator.

The primary responsibility of the PQI Trainer is instructing team members and others about the importance of working together, problem solving and problem resolution. The primary responsibility of the PQI Communicator is being responsible for the Individual Quality Participation Process (IQP’s), all meeting minutes and in-house joint communications. The primary responsibility of the JAOP Facilitator is training in the Operating Principles and facilitating Continuous Improvement Workshops (CIW).

PQI also supports Lean and WOM (Workplace Organization Model) and in many facilities PQI is involved in Smart Training, Problem Solving Boards, Lean and other WOM-related activities.

The Product Quality Improvement Partnership is a joint initiative between the UAW and Chrysler that taps the wealth of experience and know how of the people on the front lines – where quality counts most. In all, the involvement of UAW workers saved Chrysler $163 million in 2007.