Acting Secretary of Labor Visits GILLIG Headquarters

GILLIG welcomed Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su to their Livermore, Calif., headquarters.

Acting Secretary Su's visit highlighted the company's commitment to its workforce, as well as the key role the transit bus manufacturer plays in driving the country toward a more sustainable future.

“Acting Secretary Su’s visit is a recognition of our incredible team. What started as a carriage repair shop in San Francisco in 1890 has evolved into the leading transit bus manufacturer in the United States,” said Derek Maunus, GILLIG’s president and CEO. “We have a company now that is helping transition the transit industry into zero-emissions. This visit allows us to showcase the thousand men and women who have worked so hard to make this company great and who are helping forge this clean-energy transition with their own two hands.”

Acting Secretary Su’s GILLIG Visit

Acting Secretary Su rode aboard a brand-new Battery Electric bus and toured GILLIG’s 600,000-square-foot purpose-built manufacturing plant with company leadership. On the tour, Su met with production workers and was able to observe the craftsmanship of the team and how they are leveraging technology to drive efficiency and quality.

With over 55% of their workforce being a part of one of two unions, the importance of prioritizing American workers and skilled manufacturing jobs as the country continues to transition to zero-emission vehicles were a major focus of the visit.

During a press conference onsite, Acting Secretary Su pointed to the company's strategic choices, from its operational methods to its strong labor relations, including the recent collective bargaining agreement ratified with a resounding 94% yes vote as "proof... that when you do well by working people, you can have a race to the top.”

Su also highlighted GILLIG as a prime example for how American manufacturing can best function and flourish, asserting, "We can and must build a country where working people do well. And when working people do well, companies prosper, and the country is stronger. GILLIG is an example that we want to celebrate," she continued, "an example of exactly how worker well-being and working towards a cleaner climate can go hand in hand."

The Acting Secretary ended her visit to GILLIG with a roundtable discussion with GILLIG leaders and union representatives, where the parties discussed the trust and respect that has been developed with over 50 years of partnership which has contributed to the company’s success.