In an article appearing in Industry Week magazine this week, Peter Alpern features the Philips manufacturing plant in Sparta, Tennessee. 

Following an article naming the plant as one of North America's "Ten Best Plants,"  this piece features the relationship between union and management as they address complex competitive issues.

The issue of focus in this edition of the magazine is health care.  The Sparta facility started as "Thomas Lighting" in 1963 and operated under that name until 1991, when it became Genlyte.  Transitioning to Philips in 2008, the facility continues to produce flourescent lighting products with a stable workforce that includes some of the individuals who joined in the '60s.  

Alpern asserts that "Unions and management are never supposed to coexist in a pleasant atmosphere. Like dogs and cats or parties on opposite ends of the political spectrum, manufacturing has come to expect its unions and management heads to relate in a permanent state of contentiousness."

The Industry Week article states that such antagonism is far from the case at Philips in Sparta, stating that "union and management...partner productively on several key issues."

In addressing the significant competitive risk posed by rising healthcare costs, Alpern writes "The two parties partnered on an initiative of risk assessments and blood analysis among all workers. Colonoscopies were given out for free, while an on-site nurse practitioner was made available for workers and family alike for several hours a day. Programs were established to address diabetes, smoking cessation and weight loss."

Plant Manager Dave Uhrik is quoted in the article, saying employees were especially interested in these initiatives because "Employees want to know how to keep this facility competitive."

The article indicates that the plant used health risk assessments for early detection of problems and to get in front of significant health issues before they happened.  "That first year of risk assessments found over 100 workers diagnosed with serious health concerns. Of the 86 colonoscopies conducted, 11 came back with either cancerous or pre-cancerous conditions."

According to Alpern, some of those assessments saved lives.  Jerry Pryor, IBEW Business Manager for the plant is quoted as saying "If it hadn't been for that health fair, I would have died within two years.  I thought I was too young."

According to SHRM statistics on the subject, risk assessment participation at levels greater than 30% are exceptional.  The Philips plant in Sparta has over 90% participation in risk assessments.  According to the article "only nine workers required follow up appointments with a physician, as opposed to more than 100 six years ago."

Read the complete story of 2009 IndustryWeek's Best Plants winner Philips Professional Luminaires at Spreading the Light: Though the lighting market continues to change, so does Philips' Sparta, Tenn., facility, adopting flexibility and new competencies.