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iMail is the revolutionary communications tool which
allows the IAM to spread information to its members quickly and
efficiently. A link to the current iMail is sent directly to
your personal email address, or more often as evethents warrant. Sign
up on the left hand bar of this page to receive iMail in
your inbox or read the most recent iMail below.
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Click on blue text to
read more on the subject.
Thu. February 18, 2010
A last-minute provision put in place by Congress which allows jobless workers to receive up to 15 months of help with COBRA payments is set to expire.
Thu. February 18, 2010
Hawker Beechcraft announced this week that more than 250 high-skill, high-paying jobs will be eliminated when it closes a factory in Salina, KS. A company spokesperson confirmed that half the jobs would go to a facility in Mexico and half to outside vendors.
Thu. February 18, 2010
A Mexican appeals court issued an order that allows the Grupo Mexico mining company to terminate the employment and dissolve the union contract for nearly 1,200 members of the National Union of Mine and Metalworkers (SNTMMSRM) at the massive Cananea copper mine.
Thu. February 18, 2010
The IAM Women’s and Human Rights Department is urging members to take action today in honor of International Women’s Day, Monday, March 8, 2010.
Thu. February 18, 2010
Long-time IAM member John “Buddy” Sugg, 73, died last week after a lifetime of serving fellow IAM members in a variety of roles, including certified alcohol/drug counselor, liaison to IAM members and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), and non-stop supporter of the IAM’s Retirees, Community and Membership Services Department.
Tue. February 16, 2010
Resistance from union households is causing headaches for lawmakers and labor leaders who agreed to support health care reform that included a 40 percent excise tax on employer-sponsored health insurance plans.
Tue. February 16, 2010
According to a New York Times/CBS poll released late last week, only eight percent of the American people want the members of this Congress re-elected. And 81 percent believe the lawmakers should not be re-elected.
Tue. February 16, 2010
Rather then return to the moon, NASA could be forced to send 7,000 workers at the Kennedy Space Center to the unemployment line.
Tue. February 16, 2010
Wages, benefits and pension increases are highlights of a new four-year agreement for members of Local 835 in St. John, New Brunswick who are employed by Clow Canada.
Tue. February 16, 2010
Scranton, PA, Local 847 member Michael Poch has been awarded a $3,200 Union Plus Scholarship to attend the National Labor College (NLC) at the George Meany Campus in Silver Spring, MD.
Tue. February 16, 2010
The IAM has lost two long-time activists from the Western Territory recently; retired Grand Lodge Representative Andy Barnes and District 947 Business Representative Gloria Carter. Both died after battles with cancer.
Thu. February 11, 2010
Connecticut state lawmakers are applauding the landmark decision by U.S. District Court Judge Janet Hall to block Pratt & Whitney from closing a pair of factories in Cheshire and East Hartford, CT.
Thu. February 11, 2010
On February 20-22, 2010, governors from across the nation will converge upon Washington, D.C., for the Annual National Governors Association Winter Meeting. The governors will be meeting to discuss issues vital to each of their individual states, as well as the nation’s future. As tradition dictates, the governors will also be meeting with the president and cabinet members.
Thu. February 11, 2010
Local Lodges are encouraged to send their enrollments early for the 2010 Spanish Leadership programs.
Thu. February 11, 2010
The National Association of State Workforce Agencies survey shows as many as 35 states, in an effort to replenish their unemployment insurance trust funds, will be forcing employers to pay higher unemployment insurance taxes this year. The trust funds are used to pay out unemployment insurance claims to jobless residents.
Thu. February 11, 2010
The deadline to apply for a 2010 IAM Scholarship Award is fast-approaching. Applications must be postmarked no later than February 26, 2010, to be considered.
Tue. February 09, 2010
In a letter to President Obama, IAM President Tom Buffenbarger warns of significant domestic job losses, potential security breaches and the loss of important new technologies if the administration moves forward with its plan to have NASA rely on the private sector to develop and operate the nation’s manned space program.
Tue. February 09, 2010
In a major legal victory for Connecticut’s IAM members, the U.S. District Court issued an injunction against Pratt & Whitney, prohibiting them from moving work and equipment out of their Cheshire and East Hartford CARO operations. The decision by Judge Janet Hall sustains a lawsuit brought by IAM District 26 on behalf of more than 1,000 members working in those locations.
Tue. February 09, 2010
In a telling example of how the government’s official employment numbers don’t paint a reliable picture of the nation’s economy, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently announced the unemployment rate fell from 10.0 percent to 9.7 percent. Meanwhile, the same department reports that 20,000 more jobs were lost in January.
Tue. February 09, 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has existed on eight short-term funding extensions since the funding legislation first expired in September 2007. Meanwhile, the FAA needs updated safety, infrastructure and modernization programs, as well as protections for worker rights.
Thu.
February 04,
2010
The National
Mediation Board
(NMB) this week
mailed telephone
and Internet
voting
instructions to
nearly 100 Delta
Air Lines and
Northwest
Airlines Flight
Simulator
Technicians (Sim
Techs), opening
a three-week
voting period in
the first IAM
election since
Delta acquired
Northwest.
Thu.
February 04,
2010
Just one year
after executives
in the troubled
Financial
Products Unit at
AIG split $168
million in
“retention
bonuses,” the
same group is
poised to get
another $100
million in bonus
money.
Thu.
February 04,
2010
The IAM is
calling on
President Obama
to proceed with
caution during
the
administration’s
ongoing export
control review,
and to not
assume that
easing export
controls will
necessarily lead
to U.S. job
creation.
Thu.
February 04,
2010
Long-time Ohio
State Council of
Machinists
President Harold
Langford of
Galion, OH
passed away
today at the age
of 77. Langford,
a 54-year
member, was also
serving as Local
1151’s
President.
Thu.
February 04,
2010
Members of Local
714 in Winnipeg,
Manitoba, were
all smiles
following the
recent
ratification of
their first
collective
agreement with
Wasaya Airways.
Thu.
February 04,
2010
General
Electric,
exporter of
thousands of
U.S. jobs, is
running a major
ad campaign
called American
Renewal. The
radio,
television and
print ads give
the impression
that GE is now a
champion of
“Made in
America.” One
print ad boasts
“We call it the
American
Renewal. And it
means making
things right
here in America.
The American
Renewal is
happening.”
Tue.
February 02,
2010
More than 250
Service Contract
workers who
provide valuable
support for the
U.S. Air Force
at Nellis AFB
near Las Vegas,
NV, recently
voted
overwhelmingly
for IAM
representation,
citing the
Machinists’
great track
record in
Service Contract
agreements.
Tue.
February 02,
2010
The White House
released its
$3.8 trillion
dollar budget
this week, with
$100 billion
earmarked for
its
highly-touted
jobs program.
The program,
designed to
address the
highest
unemployment
levels in
decades, would
be funded with
25 cents out of
every 10 dollars
the federal
government will
spend next year.
Tue.
February 02,
2010
District 15 DBR
James
Conigliaro, Sr.
was recently
presented with a
Lifetime
Achievement
Award from the
Peggy Browning
Fund, in
recognition for
a union career
that spans more
than three
decades of
fighting for
workers’ rights
and shows no
sign of ending
anytime soon.
President Declares
‘Jobs’ is Top Priority in 2010
Thu. January
28, 2010
 In
response to a State of the Union
speech that was long on
rhetoric and short on specifics, the
IAM renewed its call for a more
coordinated and aggressive
response to the
most serious jobs crisis since the
Great Depression.
“When one-fifth of America’s
workforce is idled to some degree,
the full force of government,
business, labor and academia must be
marshaled to get them back to work,”
said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger
in a response to the president’s
remarks. “But no such comprehensive
strategy was outlined.”
President Obama spoke to a joint
session of Congress and implored
Republicans and Democrats to set
aside partisan differences and make
jobs the nation’s number one
priority going into the 2010 midterm
election season.
“When America’s jobless open
their morning newspapers, they will
know that their national nightmare
will last through 2010. The winter,
spring and summer of their
discontent now will feel
interminable,” warned Buffenbarger.
“And their growing anger and
frustration will find an outlet,
most probably in the 2010 midterm
elections.”
IAM Prepares for
Historic Negotiations at Spirit
Tue. January
26, 2010
 |
Front row,
left to right: Local 839
President Kathy Peterson,
1st Shift In-plant Rep David
Eagle, District 70 DBR Steve
Rooney, BR Becky Ledbetter.
Middle row:
2nd shift In-plant Rep
Howard Johnson, Headquarters
GVP Rich Michalski, IP Tom
Buffenbarger, Local 839
Communicator Dennis
Williams.
Back Row:
IAM General Counsel
Christopher Corson, Grand
Lodge Representative Don
Barker, Aerospace
Coordinator Ron Eldridge,
District 70 BR Mike
Burleigh.
|
The bargaining committee for members
of Local 839 at Spirit AeroSystems in
Wichita, KS, recently completed an
intense week of negotiations preparation
at the Winpisinger Center, where they
are readying for a bargaining session
that could change the face of the
aerospace industry.
The future of the U.S. aviation
industry was a frequent topic of
discussion. The workers in Wichita and
Spirit’s leadership share a mutual
interest in outlasting the current
recession and ensuring Wichita remains
the Air Capitol of the nation for years
to come.
“Aerospace is the last great American
industry,” said International President
Tom Buffenbarger, who met with the
committee. “It is vibrant, innovative
and highly productive. We remain the
unquestioned world leaders. What we do
here during the next six months will
chart the course for this industry, our
members and our nation for years to
come.”
During the week-long training, the
committee also met with Headquarters GVP
Rich Michalski, Spirit AeroSystems
President and CEO Jeff Turner and Spirit
AeroSystems Vice President of Labor
Relations Sam Marnick.
Both sides are exploring a completely
new collective bargaining model that
would protect the interests of IAM
members while bringing long-term
stability to employment and production.
If successful, it will mean no more
business as usual, for the union or the
company.
“It is time to move beyond the old
ways of bargaining that have been used
since the 1930s,” said Buffenbarger. “We
must be innovative in collective
bargaining. We must find ways to move
forward where both the company and the
workers benefit together, neither one
profiting at the expense of the other in
adversarial roles. We owe it to our
community, our families and this nation
to find that new way.”
An Idea Whose Time
Has Come
Tue. January
26, 2010
 Ur
Union of Unemployed, or UCubed, launched
11 days ago. And not a moment too soon.
In the Massachusetts Senate race last
Tuesday, Scott Brown won the unemployed
vote by five points and the union vote
by three percent. He won blue-collar
males by 27 percent and he won
blue-collar females by 13 percent. His
victory was propelled, in large part, by
a statewide unemployment rate of 9.4
percent.
Jobless Americans are angry. And
they have every right to be.
They were last in line when
Washington doled out the goodies. Banks,
insurance companies, investment firms
and government contractors got trillions
-- yes, trillions of dollars -- in the
last fifteen months. Now the politicians
have the gall to say, “Wait! We need to
focus on deficit reduction.” What they
really mean is “Wall Street got the gold
mine; you got the shaft.”
It's time to send those politicians a
WARN Notice: Either start putting
Americans back to work or start looking
for a new line of work yourself.
UCubed's jobs activists are sending that
message right now from
www.unionofunemployed.com.
You can send that same message by
clicking
here.
And they are building communities all
across this country. Over 6,200
folks visited the UCubed website and
chalked up 59,200 page views. More
important, jobs activists started 46
cubes in 20 states.
So please pass this link along to all
your friends: www.unionofunemployed.com.
Tell them to send the politicians a
WARN Notice. Urge them to start a cube.
And ask them to join the fight to end
this Grave Recession.
Oregon District 24
to Share in $5 Million Training Grant
Tue. January
26, 2010
IAM District Lodge 24 in Portland, OR,
will share in a $5 million grant awarded
by the U.S. Department of Labor to the
Oregon Manufacturing Extension
Partnership to provide job training in
renewable energy industries. The grant
is part of nearly $100 million of green
jobs training grants authorized by the
Recovery Act of 2009.
According to the grant’s project
description, the aim is to “build a
skilled workforce to support companies
that generate power, and assist local
manufacturers in retooling their
workforce.”
“America needs to train and re-train
our workers to meet and sustain the
skills needed in today’s global
competition,” said Western Territory GVP
Gary Allen. “Congratulations to
Directing Business Representative Bob
Petroff and District 24 for going after
and receiving this job-training grant
money.”
District 24 is part of a joint
venture that includes labor
organizations, training schools and
renewable energy companies. Together,
the partnership aims to expand workers’
skills to adapt to changing needs of
green employers, and will educate and
train unemployed and dislocated workers
with the skills necessary to work in the
green industry.
“Our outstanding award recipients
were selected because their proposed
projects will connect workers to career
pathways in green industries and
occupations through critical, diverse
partnerships,” said Secretary of Labor
Hilda Solis in announcing the grants.
New Mexico Forest
Service Workers Vote NFFE-IAM
Tue. January
26, 2010
More than 250 employees in the U.S.
Forest Service Human Resources
Management (HRM) department in
Albuquerque, NM voted in favor of
representation by the National
Federation of Federal Employees-IAM
(NFFE-IAM). The vote brings the benefits
of collective bargaining and union
representation to 385 employees in the
public-sector bargaining unit.
“Yesterday’s victory could not have
happened without the hard work and
cooperation of many of our union
brothers and sisters,” said NFFE-IAM
National Organizing Director Cassie
Kerner. “I am so grateful to everyone
who lent a hand on this campaign.
Thanks to everyone’s perseverance, the
employees of HRM will now have a
much-needed voice in their workplace.”
The organizing campaign began in the
spring of 2008, when NFFE-IAM began
collecting signatures from HRM employees
who were interested in union
representation. The effort overcame a
number of hurdles over the next several
months, but was eventually able to
finalize a bargaining unit for voting
purposes. HRM employees in Albuquerque
will now be covered by the Master
Agreement negotiated by the NFFE Forest
Service Council.
Special thanks go out to National
Business Representative Gary Johanson,
Organizing Director Kerner, Forest
Service Council President Ron Thatcher,
National Vice President Jozef
Drozdowski, IAM Organizer Terri Friend
and the members of NFFE-IAM Local 2197
for all of their hard work in this
campaign.
U.S. Members
Strike UK-based Renold
Tue. January
26, 2010
Members of Local 1555 in Westfield, NY,
who are on strike against British-owned
Renold Inc., recently received a pledge
of support from the 25-million member
International Metalworkers’ Federation
(IMF). The IAM members at Renold voted
to strike the precision engineering
products firm after rejecting a company
proposal that would eliminate pensions
and cut pay by 20 percent.
“The IMF and its affiliates around
the globe stand together with the
members of IAM Lodge 1555 in their fight
for decent wages and conditions.
Metalworkers everywhere support their
stand against corporate greed by saying
NO to unfair contracts,” said IMF
General Secretary Jyrki Raina in a
letter sent to IAM President Tom
Buffenbarger.
Renold has refused to negotiate to
resolve the dispute and has instead
hired replacement workers in an effort
to break the strike.
New York Local
Delivers Help and Hope
Tue. January
26, 2010
 |
Local Lodge 1580 President,
left, and Communicator Tammy
Ives delivered holiday gifts
that were donated by local
members to area charities.
|
Machinists at Local 1580 in
Wellsville, NY, made the 2009 holiday
season a memorable one by supporting The
Salvation Army, ARC Children’s Home and
the Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals.
“The members at Local 1580 are a
vital part of this community,” said
District 65 Business Representative Ron
Warner. “The idea began last year while
they were in the midst of tough
negotiations. The local ended up
ratifying a three-year agreement with
Dresser-Rand that restored many of the
past sacrifices our members had made to
keep the plant operating. They decided
to build on that success this Christmas
and to thank the people of Wellsville
for their support during those tough
negotiations.”
The lodge’s generous gift-giving was
chronicled in the Wellsville Daily
Reporter. Local 1580 President Chris
Green and Communicator Tammy Ives
reported that collection boxes were
placed around the plant and workers
quickly filled the boxes with food and
toys. About 400 IAM members helped
collect the donations, which were
delivered to the three charities before
Christmas.
“Local 1580 is what community service
unionism is all about,” said Eastern
Territory GVP Lynn Tucker, Jr. “Helping
those who face uncertainty in these
troubled times is at the core of the IAM
motto, ‘Service to the Community.’”
While this is the first year the
members took a collection such as this,
it was clear from their enthusiasm that
it wouldn’t be the last.
Pratt Case Awaits
Judge’s Decision
Thu. January
21, 2010
The IAM’s lawsuit to preserve more than
1,000 jobs at Pratt & Whitney in
Connecticut entered its final phase last
week when attorneys for the IAM and the
company filed final briefs for closing
arguments. The case is now in the hands
of U.S. District Judge Janet Hall, who
oversaw the five-day trial.
The IAM filed the suit alleging Pratt
did not “make every reasonable effort”
to keep jobs in Connecticut as required
in the IAM contract with the company.
Pratt is trying to close an engine
overhaul facility in Cheshire, CT and
the Connecticut Airfoil and Repair
Operations center (CARO) in East
Hartford, CT and move the work to
Columbus, GA, Singapore and Japan.
During the trial, the
Hartford Courant
reports that “lawyers for the union
established that all or nearly all of
Pratt’s top executives were committed to
closing the plants as early as January
15, 2009 – more than seven months before
workers were told of the possibility”
and that a “Pratt executive testified
that the company deliberately concealed
those plans from workers, even when
asked about rumors of them in early
2009.”
Connecticut State Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal also filed a brief in
support of the Machinists union. "Pratt
was contractually obligated to undertake
every reasonable effort to preserve
these Connecticut jobs," the brief says,
as reported on
LegalNewsline. "The
State and the Union have asserted
throughout this matter - and the
evidence has now conclusively shown -
that Pratt failed in this duty.
"Pratt should not be permitted to
eliminate jobs, causing harm to
Connecticut's economy and profound
financial distress to hundreds of
families, in violation of its binding
contractual promises to its workers."
Judge Hall is expected to make a
final ruling by the end of the month.
District 141
Members Ratify Hawaiian Airlines Pact
Thu. January
21, 2010
Seventy-five percent of District 141’s
membership at Hawaiian Airlines ratified
a four-year agreement that provides
immediate wage increases of five
percent, followed by raises of four
percent, three percent and three percent
in each successive year of the
agreement. Additional paid holidays, no
increases for health care premiums and a
voluntary separation package were also
part of the new accord. District 141
represents 1,245 employees at Hawaiian
in airport customer service, ramp,
reservations, schedule planning,
purchasing, records and crew scheduling
positions. Complete details of the
ratified agreement are available at
www.iam141.org.
IAM District 142, representing
Hawaiian’s mechanic & related employees,
is in mediated negotiations with the
assistance of the National Mediation
Board for an amended contract.
UCubed Message
Gains Traction
Thu. January
21, 2010
With a new
video,
editorial
and a growing list of partners, the IAM
community service project known as
Ur Union of Unemployed,
nicknamed UCubed, is beginning to
resonate among labor organizations and
unemployed workers, who have created
more than 40 individual “cubes” to share
their experiences and gain the benefits
of collective action.
Using social networking tools like
Facebook and Twitter, the word about
UCubed is spreading from city to city,
worker to worker and from organization
to organization. The AFL-CIO has joined
the effort as a supporting partner, as
have AFSCME, AFT, NEA, IUPAT, CWA and
others. For more information about
joining the partnership, contact
UCubed@iamaw.org.
International President Tom
Buffenbarger recently described what led
to the creation of an organization that
focused exclusively on organizing and
assisting the millions of unemployed and
underemployed Americans. “We have to do
something, and if the government can’t
hear the cries and anguish of American
workers, then we need to magnify that
voice,” said Buffenbarger. “This is
where we hope UCubed will be our
avenue.”
Senate Democrats
Get Wake Up Call
Thu. January
21, 2010
The outcome of the special election in
Massachusetts is being touted as a
victory for Tea Party activists, who
grabbed the public’s attention with a
non-stop smear campaign against the
proposed health care legislation. But an
article by Roger Bybee in In These
Times magazine, argues that
Democrats who buy that reasoning are
missing the boat.
Bybee contends that Martha Coakley's
defeat reflects a fundamental
unwillingness of national Democrats to
clearly distinguish themselves from the
corporate lobbyists swarming around
them. If the Massachusetts experience is
not to be repeated, Bybee says Democrats
will need to answer the age old labor
refrain, “Which side are you on?”
IAM Legislative Director Matt
McKinnon is quoted in the article,
arguing that it was the failure of Obama
and the Democrats to more clearly stand
with the people against corporate
interests that sunk the candidacy of
Coakley against Scott Brown.
Click
here to read
the full article.
California
Machinists Rally for Passage of TRADE Act
Thu. January
21, 2010
 |
(from left) U.S. Congressman
John Garamendi, Chairman of
US House Education and Labor
Committee - George Miller,
IAM Western Territory GVP
Gary Allen (at podium),
Executive Secretary of the
California State AFL-CIO Art
Pulaski is seated at right.
|
A vocal contingent of Machinists
union members took part in a recent
rally in Concord, CA, to support passage
of the Trade Reform, Accountability,
Development and Employment (TRADE) Act
of 2009. The legislation, introduced by
Rep. Michael Michaud, (D-ME), would
revamp U.S. trade policy to provide a
measure of protection for American
workers and include enforceable labor,
environmental and human rights
standards. The legislation would also
create a path to transform existing
"free trade" policies, including NAFTA,
CAFTA, and the WTO.
“Our cheap labor trade policies have
failed to deliver on the promise of
globalization. Instead, they have
created untenable trade deficits, eroded
our manufacturing base, and placed
tremendous downward pressure on wages
and benefits for ordinary Americans,”
said Western Territory GVP Gary Allen.
Also attending the rally were House
Education and Labor Committee Chairman
George Miller (D-CA) and Rep. John
Garamendi (D-CA), who became the 128th
and 129th voting members of the House
Democratic Caucus to endorse the TRADE
Act, giving it a majority of the
256-member caucus.
“We need to push policies that will
reverse the damage caused by previous
trade agreements so that we can create
jobs, not ship them overseas," said
Miller, a 35-year House veteran, who has
opposed all of the major trade deals
dating back to NAFTA, "These trade
agreements – I didn't vote for any of
them. They were wrong then, and they're
wrong now.”
Garamendi said that he would not
support trade deals unless they provide
the protection that every human being on
this planet deserved. “We should not
reward deplorable labor and
environmental conditions abroad only to
see jobs exported at home. There is
nothing 'free' about oppressive labor
conditions.”
“In the last decade the U. S. has
lost over five million manufacturing
jobs; jobs that have historically been
the key to a middle class life,” said
GVP Allen. “We have seen employers move
to places where they can repress worker
rights, disregard the environment, and
engage in illegal trade practices. This
legislation requires that we fix our
failed trade agreements before we enter
new pacts.”
Pratt Case Awaits
Judge’s Decision
Thu. January
21, 2010
The IAM’s lawsuit to preserve more than
1,000 jobs at Pratt & Whitney in
Connecticut entered its final phase last
week when attorneys for the IAM and the
company filed final briefs for closing
arguments. The case is now in the hands
of U.S. District Judge Janet Hall, who
oversaw the five-day trial.
The IAM filed the suit alleging Pratt
did not “make every reasonable effort”
to keep jobs in Connecticut as required
in the IAM contract with the company.
Pratt is trying to close an engine
overhaul facility in Cheshire, CT and
the Connecticut Airfoil and Repair
Operations center (CARO) in East
Hartford, CT and move the work to
Columbus, GA, Singapore and Japan.
During the trial, the
Hartford Courant
reports that “lawyers for the union
established that all or nearly all of
Pratt’s top executives were committed to
closing the plants as early as January
15, 2009 – more than seven months before
workers were told of the possibility”
and that a “Pratt executive testified
that the company deliberately concealed
those plans from workers, even when
asked about rumors of them in early
2009.”
Connecticut State Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal also filed a brief in
support of the Machinists union. "Pratt
was contractually obligated to undertake
every reasonable effort to preserve
these Connecticut jobs," the brief says,
as reported on
LegalNewsline. "The
State and the Union have asserted
throughout this matter - and the
evidence has now conclusively shown -
that Pratt failed in this duty.
"Pratt should not be permitted to
eliminate jobs, causing harm to
Connecticut's economy and profound
financial distress to hundreds of
families, in violation of its binding
contractual promises to its workers."
Judge Hall is expected to make a
final ruling by the end of the month.
District 141
Members Ratify Hawaiian Airlines Pact
Thu. January
21, 2010
Seventy-five percent of District 141’s
membership at Hawaiian Airlines ratified
a four-year agreement that provides
immediate wage increases of five
percent, followed by raises of four
percent, three percent and three percent
in each successive year of the
agreement. Additional paid holidays, no
increases for health care premiums and a
voluntary separation package were also
part of the new accord. District 141
represents 1,245 employees at Hawaiian
in airport customer service, ramp,
reservations, schedule planning,
purchasing, records and crew scheduling
positions. Complete details of the
ratified agreement are available at
www.iam141.org.
IAM District 142, representing
Hawaiian’s mechanic & related employees,
is in mediated negotiations with the
assistance of the National Mediation
Board for an amended contract.
UCubed Message
Gains Traction
Thu. January
21, 2010
With a new
video,
editorial
and a growing list of partners, the IAM
community service project known as
Ur Union of Unemployed,
nicknamed UCubed, is beginning to
resonate among labor organizations and
unemployed workers, who have created
more than 40 individual “cubes” to share
their experiences and gain the benefits
of collective action.
Using social networking tools like
Facebook and Twitter, the word about
UCubed is spreading from city to city,
worker to worker and from organization
to organization. The AFL-CIO has joined
the effort as a supporting partner, as
have AFSCME, AFT, NEA, IUPAT, CWA and
others. For more information about
joining the partnership, contact
UCubed@iamaw.org.
International President Tom
Buffenbarger recently described what led
to the creation of an organization that
focused exclusively on organizing and
assisting the millions of unemployed and
underemployed Americans. “We have to do
something, and if the government can’t
hear the cries and anguish of American
workers, then we need to magnify that
voice,” said Buffenbarger. “This is
where we hope UCubed will be our
avenue.”
Senate Democrats
Get Wake Up Call
Thu. January
21, 2010
The outcome of the special election in
Massachusetts is being touted as a
victory for Tea Party activists, who
grabbed the public’s attention with a
non-stop smear campaign against the
proposed health care legislation. But an
article by Roger Bybee in In These
Times magazine, argues that
Democrats who buy that reasoning are
missing the boat.
Bybee contends that Martha Coakley's
defeat reflects a fundamental
unwillingness of national Democrats to
clearly distinguish themselves from the
corporate lobbyists swarming around
them. If the Massachusetts experience is
not to be repeated, Bybee says Democrats
will need to answer the age old labor
refrain, “Which side are you on?”
IAM Legislative Director Matt
McKinnon is quoted in the article,
arguing that it was the failure of Obama
and the Democrats to more clearly stand
with the people against corporate
interests that sunk the candidacy of
Coakley against Scott Brown.
Click
here to read
the full article.
California
Machinists Rally for Passage of TRADE Act
Thu. January
21, 2010
 |
(from left) U.S. Congressman
John Garamendi, Chairman of
US House Education and Labor
Committee - George Miller,
IAM Western Territory GVP
Gary Allen (at podium),
Executive Secretary of the
California State AFL-CIO Art
Pulaski is seated at right.
|
A vocal contingent of Machinists
union members took part in a recent
rally in Concord, CA, to support passage
of the Trade Reform, Accountability,
Development and Employment (TRADE) Act
of 2009. The legislation, introduced by
Rep. Michael Michaud, (D-ME), would
revamp U.S. trade policy to provide a
measure of protection for American
workers and include enforceable labor,
environmental and human rights
standards. The legislation would also
create a path to transform existing
"free trade" policies, including NAFTA,
CAFTA, and the WTO.
“Our cheap labor trade policies have
failed to deliver on the promise of
globalization. Instead, they have
created untenable trade deficits, eroded
our manufacturing base, and placed
tremendous downward pressure on wages
and benefits for ordinary Americans,”
said Western Territory GVP Gary Allen.
Also attending the rally were House
Education and Labor Committee Chairman
George Miller (D-CA) and Rep. John
Garamendi (D-CA), who became the 128th
and 129th voting members of the House
Democratic Caucus to endorse the TRADE
Act, giving it a majority of the
256-member caucus.
“We need to push policies that will
reverse the damage caused by previous
trade agreements so that we can create
jobs, not ship them overseas," said
Miller, a 35-year House veteran, who has
opposed all of the major trade deals
dating back to NAFTA, "These trade
agreements – I didn't vote for any of
them. They were wrong then, and they're
wrong now.”
Garamendi said that he would not
support trade deals unless they provide
the protection that every human being on
this planet deserved. “We should not
reward deplorable labor and
environmental conditions abroad only to
see jobs exported at home. There is
nothing 'free' about oppressive labor
conditions.”
“In the last decade the U. S. has
lost over five million manufacturing
jobs; jobs that have historically been
the key to a middle class life,” said
GVP Allen. “We have seen employers move
to places where they can repress worker
rights, disregard the environment, and
engage in illegal trade practices. This
legislation requires that we fix our
failed trade agreements before we enter
new pacts.”
IAM Launches
“UCubed” to Help Unemployed
Tue.
January 19, 2010
On Friday, January 15, 2010, the IAM
launched
Ur Union of Unemployed–
known as UCubed - an online
community that aims to unify the
unemployed in a unique and useful
way.
UCubed’s purpose is to assist the
over 31 million Americans who have
lost their jobs in this Grave
Recession by helping them to
organize, work together and get back
to work. Many Americans are
facing the toughest times in more
than a generation. Their job
prospects will depend, in large
measure, on what happens in
Washington.
“More than 35,000 members of our
union have been laid off,” says IAM
International President Tom
Buffenbarger in his welcome letter
on the UCubed website. “Others are
working fewer hours each week
because their employers simply do
not have orders to fill. And the
real recovery, not the false one on
Wall Street, still seems years
away.”
UCubed will organize the
unemployed into community activist
groups known as cubes. Together,
they will turn up the heat on
politicians from the State House to
the White House to act swiftly to
address the current jobs crisis.
Each cube will be organized by zip
code.
To date, the following have
chosen to partner with the IAM in
this community service project: The
AFL-CIO, the American Federation of
State, County and Municipal
Employees (AFSCME), the American
Federation of Teachers (AFT), the
Communications Workers of America
(CWA), IAM District Lodge 34, the
International Union of Painters and
Allied Trades (IUPAT), the National
Education Association (NEA),
NoLimits.org, Totten Communications
and Working America, AFL-CIO.
Cubes have already developed
across the country, and the numbers
continue to grow. Visit UCubed at
www.unionofunemployed.com
and watch as the nation’s unemployed
take back control
Thu. January 14,
2010
Tomorrow,
January 15, 2010, marks
the start of a movement.
The IAM will launch
Ur Union of
Unemployed
– or UCubed for short –
an online community that
aims to unify the
unemployed in a unique
and useful way.
Thu. January 14,
2010
The National
Mediation Board (NMB)
has announced the dates
for a union
representation election
for flight simulator
technicians (Sim Techs)
at Delta Air Lines.
Thu. January 14,
2010
A top labor
relations executive for
Pratt & Whitney
testified in federal
court Tuesday that the
company purposely hid
plans from the IAM to
shut down its Cheshire,
CT, plant.
Thu. January 14,
2010
District 947
IAM members who work at
Coca-Cola plants
throughout Southern
California rejected a
raid by the Teamsters.
Thu. January 14,
2010
The January 15
deadline for
applications for the
2010 IAM Basic Web
Development Course has
been extended to January
22. The class is offered
by the IAM
Communications
Department and will be
held March 21-26 at the
William W. Winpisinger
Education and Technology
Center in Placid Harbor,
MD.
Thu. January 14,
2010
Don’t forget to
tune in this Sunday,
January 17, at 9:30 a.m.
to VERSUS Country
network for the TV show
Escape to the Wild Show
featuring IAM Local 655
member Pat Stashek of
Wisconsin Rapids, WI .
Machinists Leaders Vote to Oppose Health Benefits Tax
Tue. January 12, 2010
The IAM Executive Council voted unanimously to oppose any health care reform legislation that is funded by taxing the value of workers’ existing health care benefits.
“ For decades, IAM members exchanged substantial wage increases for the best possible health insurance,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “Now, in a bizarre turn of events, their insurance premiums will be subject to a 40 percent excise tax if the Senate version of health care reform becomes law. Democratic leaders have the power to stop this travesty and I urge them to do so, quickly and completely.”
“IAM members are rightfully outraged over the bait and switch tactics at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue,” said Buffenbarger. “They were promised health care reform. Now they face health care deformed by backroom deals.”
No single issue brought more union members onto last year’s campaign trail than Republican threats to tax health care benefits and the Democrats’ pledge to protect those benefits.
“Like NAFTA, the health care excise tax is an issue with the potential to reverberate for years,” said Buffenbarger. “Machinists have long memories. And they will long remember who taxed their benefits after pledging on the campaign trail not to do so.”
**Click http://firedoglake.com/2010/01/07/cadillac-flip-flop-obama-was-against-health-plan-tax-before-he-was-for-it/ to view a compelling video about the health care debate.
Tell Congress: No Taxes on Family Health Care Benefits
Tue. January 12, 2010
As the fight to shape a final health care bill moves through Congress, working families can help stop the effort to tax their health care benefits by joining millions of fellow workers in the AFL-CIO’s National Call-In Blitz to the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, January 13, 2010.
Call your Representative using the toll-free number 1-877-323-5246. Tell your Representative that you want health care reform that: Does not tax health benefits for working families; requires employers to pay their fair share and maintains a public option to reduce costs. Click here to send an email message to Congress to oppose the tax on health care benefits for working families.
The House is trying to reconcile its version of health care reform with the bill passed in the Senate. The House version does not have a tax on health care benefits, has a public option and stronger language to make employers pay their fair share of health costs. But without a strong protest from working families, many of these provisions could be dropped if the final health care package tilts more toward the Senate version which has the health care tax provision.
New York DOL Orders Delta to Pay Up
Tue. January 12, 2010
The value and power of an IAM contract was on prominent display in a recent ruling from the New York State Department of Labor (DOL), settling a dispute over how often IAM members at Northwest Airlines in New York would be paid.
The dispute began when Delta management notified IAM members at Kennedy and LaGuardia airports that starting January 1, 2010, all Northwest employees would be paid every two weeks, to bring them in line with Delta employees. For years, Northwest’s IAM members in New York State have been paid weekly, in accordance with their contract and New York State law.
Delta requested a waiver from the New York State DOL to pay Northwest employees less frequently, a move that would allow Delta to pocket all the accumulated interest in the workers' wages. The airline has such a waiver for pre-merger Delta employees.
Under New York state law, if the affected employees are represented by a union, a waiver cannot be granted unless their union agrees. Accordingly, the IAM Legal Department notified the New York State Department of Labor that the Machinists union would not agree to any waiver. In late December, the New York State DOL ordered Delta to continue paying Northwest IAM members as they have always been paid, on a weekly basis.
In the absence of a legally binding contract, Delta would be free to set wages, benefits and working conditions as they see fit, without any input from employees. In this case, the only difference between money in Delta’s pocket or money in the workers’ pockets, was their union contract. Case closed.
85,000 More Reasons for JOBS Now!
Tue. January 12, 2010
 The unemployment rate held steady at 10 percent for the month of December – but only because more people dropped out of the workforce.
The U.S. Department of Labor reports the economy shed 85,000 jobs last month. But, had 661,000 people – discouraged by the downward economy – not given up looking for work, the jobless rate would have been 10.4 percent.
Throw in part-time workers who would prefer a full-time position but can’t find one, and the unemployment rate soars to 17.3 percent.
“The need for jobs in this country becomes clearer with each turn of the calendar month,” says IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. “While the unemployment rate appears to be dropping, the truth is the only thing that’s really dropping is the confidence of the American people that they’ll soon get back to work.
“Millions of Americans are withering away while folks in Washington sit on their hands. What we need is less policy debate and more immediate action to stimulate the economy and create JOBS Now!”
Sit-In Heroes Returning to Greensboro
Tue. January 12, 2010
 Three of the four students who faced extraordinary abuse and harassment in 1960 when they sat down at a whites-only lunch counter in Greensboro, NC, will return to the city as guests of honor when the AFL-CIO holds its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance.
The January 14-18 event, which draws labor and civil rights activists from across the nation, will include workshops, speakers, community service activities and a review of civil rights progress since the 1960 sit-in.
While the Woolworth’s department store that was the scene of the sit-in was torn down in 1993, the three civil rights pioneers who made their stand there are still kicking and will be honored at a special event on January 16 to mark the 50th anniversary of their action.
Register Now for 2010 Metal Trades Training Program
Tue. January 12, 2010
The IAM Collective Bargaining Department will hold its “Metal Trades Training Program” May 2-7, 2010 at the William W. Winpisinger Education & Technology Center in Southern Maryland.
This Program is being offered to all IAM Locals and Districts affiliated with Metal and Atomic Trades Councils. All potential participants must have prior approval from their District or Local Lodge President.
These classes will cover subjects that can be used by representatives to enhance and strengthen the skills of strategic planning, decision making and leadership. It is also set up to help representatives deal with Jurisdictional Dispute Resolution and learn more about the Metal Trades Department/Metal Trades Council By-Laws, Constitution and communications.
The Participant Registration Form must be completed and returned to the IAM Collective Bargaining Department before March 5, 2010. To download the Registration Form, click here. Please contact Jim Price, Coordinator, Collective Bargaining Department, at 301-967-4569 for additional information.
Jobs Fight at Pratt Gets National Attention
Thu. January 07, 2010
CBS Evening News this week featured the efforts by IAM and its members to preserve more than 1,000 jobs at a pair of Pratt & Whitney facilities in Connecticut which the aerospace company says are not profitable enough to remain open.
The news segment, Fighting Closure in Connecticut, is part of a larger look at the jobs crisis facing the nation, where unemployment and underemployment affects nearly 30 million Americans.
The CBS story about Pratt includes a photo essay and comments from Connecticut IAM members who made Pratt & Whitney one of the largest and most successful aerospace companies in the world.
“There’s going to be a lot of people losing their jobs when our plant closes,” said Estella Pesapane, who is quoted in the CBS story. “There’s a thousand of us but there's a ton of people who work around our plant, like restaurants and stores. That's at least another 4,000 people. People don't think about this kind of stuff unless it happens to them. People need to pay attention to what's happening in this country.”
Despite billions in U.S. defense contracts (paid for by U.S. taxpayers), Pratt & Whitney claims it has no choice but to move jobs from Connecticut to low-cost Asian locations, in order to be closer, they say, to a new and growing customer base.
In addition to requesting assistance from President Obama, the IAM filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the shutdown, arguing that Pratt failed to honor its contract with the Machinists, which requires Pratt to make every reasonable effort to keep the facilities open.
IAM Moves Closer to First Delta Election
Thu. January 07, 2010
On December 22, 2009, the National Mediation Board (NMB) granted the IAM’s request to declare that Delta and Northwest Airlines’ flight simulator technicians (Sim Techs) are operating as a single carrier.
The ruling sets the stage for a representation election among the nearly 300 Sim Techs. Additionally, the NMB agreed with the IAM’s arguments that the Sim Techs were their own separate and distinct classification and, therefore, eligible for their own representation election independent of other classifications.
The IAM’s application was filed on August 13, 2009, but the process was delayed because Delta had argued that flight simulator technicians should be included in the currently un-represented mechanic and related classification. The NMB rejected Delta’s claims and found that both Northwest and Delta have historically treated their Sim Techs as a separate craft or class apart from their mechanic and related employees.
If Delta had been successful in mixing the Sim Techs with mechanics, the Northwest Sim Techs would have lost their union representation without a vote and Delta Sim Techs would have lost an opportunity to make up their own minds about union representation.
“Delta tried to prevent Sim Techs from voting on whether or not they want to be represented by the Machinists union,” said Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr. “Nobody knows what is best for Delta employees other than the employees themselves. Delta tried to silence the Sim Techs, but the IAM fought so they could have the opportunity to make a choice.” The NMB will now investigate, finalize a list of eligible voters and set an election date. Eligible voters will receive voting instructions directly from the NMB mailed to the last address they had on file with their company. Voting will be conducted by telephone and through the Internet.
An application requesting a single carrier ruling for the combined airlines’ security guards was also filed on August 13, 2009, but the NMB has not yet made a determination in that case. The IAM will file single carrier applications for fleet service, customer service and stock clerks when Delta and Northwest are operating as a single carrier for each of those classifications’ representation purposes. Each classification must have a separate single carrier ruling before an election can take place for that classification.
Obama Signs COBRA Subsidy Extension
Thu. January 07, 2010
An extension of the 65 percent COBRA subsidy was signed into law by President Obama on December 19, 2009. This extension extends the eligibility window for the subsidy until February 28, 2010, and also increases the subsidy period for laid-off workers to 15 months of coverage, up from the current nine months.
Under the new bill, any worker who loses his or her job before February 28, 2010, would now be eligible for the subsidy, and the subsidy will now provide 15 months of coverage as opposed to the original nine months. Workers whose coverage has already terminated after nine months of subsidy will be given the opportunity to re-enroll for the extended coverage.
All other provisions of the original bill remain intact. Health care premiums will be discounted by 65 percent and the worker would be required to pay the remaining 35 percent to maintain their health care coverage.
The government subsidizes their contribution directly with the employer and does not bill the actual employee for the full cost of the benefits.
The law also gives qualified individuals a “second chance” to elect COBRA coverage if they turned it down previously. The plan is required to notify laid-off workers of a second COBRA enrollment period. Additionally, laid-off workers can change to a plan that costs less than their original plan, if it is offered to active employees. If a company denies the premium reduction to individuals on COBRA, an expedited appeal process is available through the Department of Labor.
For more information on the COBRA subsidy, visit the special Department of Labor (DOL) website at www.dol.gov/cobra. There are also Benefits Advisors on staff at the DOL, who can be contacted at 866-444-3272.
CanJet Workers in Nova Scotia Join the Machinists
Thu. January 07, 2010
Dispatch workers at charter carrier CanJet Limited in Halifax, Nova Scotia, have joined the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
The new members provide all flight planning, routing and weather forecasts for the pilots of the charter airline. “This is a foot in the door for us with this airline,” said District 140 General Chairperson and Organizer Ian Morland. “This department is expanding and other workers with this airline have expressed interest in joining our union.”
CanJet is a charter airline that serves Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and the Maritimes. The IAM is the largest union at Halifax International Airport, representing workers at Air Canada, Servisair, Cara Foods and Air Labrador.
Human Rights Seminar Rescheduled for April
Thu. January 07, 2010
The IAM Human Rights Seminar originally scheduled for February 28 - March 5, 2010, will now be held April 11-16, 2010, at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, MD.
Participants currently enrolled in the February class will be re-enrolled in the April class by the Winpisinger Center and do not need to resubmit registration forms. Lodges who haven’t sent in enrollments for the class should use the new registration form (click here for the form) and return them to the Winpisinger Center by February 4, 2010.
Training will include guidance in establishing lodge Human Rights Committees and making existing Committees more effective. The curriculum for this basic class was designed to provide a greater understanding of human rights issues and to promote invaluable discussion among the participants.
For further information, contact the Winpisinger Center at 301-373-3300.
Herbert Delivers Needed Reality Check
Thu. January 07, 2010
New York Times columnist Bob Herbert has a well deserved reputation for cutting through the clutter and getting to the heart of an issue. In a column published this week, Herbert rejects the happy talk of recovery and vividly describes the ongoing impact of what he rightfully calls “The Great Recession.”
“Staggering numbers of Americans are still unemployed and nearly a quarter of all homeowners owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. Forget the false hope of modestly improving monthly job numbers,” writes Herbert. “The real story right now is the entrenched suffering (with no end in sight) that has been inflicted on scores of millions of working Americans by the Great Recession and the misguided economic policies that preceded it.”
Click here to read “An Uneasy Feeling.”
Class-Action
Lawsuits Continue at
Wal-Mart
On the heels
of a $40
million
settlement
with its
Massachusetts
employees
regarding
wage-and-hour
violations,
Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc.
now finds
itself hit
with another
class-action
lawsuit.
According
to Workers
Independent
News,
Wal-Mart
warehouse
workers in
Chicago have
announced a
class-action
lawsuit
asserting
that the
hiring of
workers from
temporary
staffing
agencies is,
in effect,
stealing
their wages.
It was
only a year
ago that
Wal-Mart,
the largest
retailer in
the world,
agreed to
pay $640
million to
settle 63
wage-and-hour
lawsuits,
which was
quickly
followed
earlier this
year by a
$54 million
settlement
in Minnesota
and then a
$172 million
settlement
in
California.
Click
here
to read full
story or
here
to listen.
Virginia
Woodworkers Get International Support
Thu.
December 17, 2009
Approximately 800 trade union
delegates at the recently concluded
Builders and Woodworkers
International Congress in Lille,
France, voted to accept an emergency
resolution submitted by the
Machinists union calling on
furniture giant IKEA to honor the
rights of workers at an IKEA
subsidiary in Danville, VA, seeking
to join the IAM.
The resolution, also supported by
GS, the Swedish woodworkers union,
identified a list of difficulties
facing the workers, including:
firing workers who were injured on
the job; surveillance of workers and
union organizers; favoritism based
on gender and race and denying
workers access to information
regarding their right to organize
and form or join a union of their
own choosing.
The resolution passed unanimously
and will be presented to IKEA by the
Swedish Union
Ohio Local 912
Honors Longtime Members
Thu.
December 17, 2009
|
Several hundred active
and retired members of
Local
912 in Cincinnati, OH,
took part in the local’s
Awards
and Dinner Meeting to
honor longtime members.
|
IAM Aircraft Engine Lodge 912 in
Cincinnati, OH, held its annual
Awards and Dinner Meeting last week,
honoring 183 retired members who
represented more than 5,000 years of
combined service and solidarity.
“This dinner is one of the more
special events held by our lodge
each year," said Local 912 President
Matt Louiso. "The retirees get the
opportunity to come back and visit
with old friends and the younger
members get to meet the veterans who
fought battles long ago to achieve
the wages and contracts they now
enjoy."
Overwhelming
Public Support for NMB Rule Change
Thu.
December 17, 2009
|
More than 11,000 cards
and comments from IAM
members have been
delivered to the
National Mediation Board
in support of the
proposed rule
change governing union
representation
election.
|
On November 3, 2009, the National
Mediation Board (NMB) announced a
proposed rule change to allow union
representation elections for air and
rail workers to be determined by the
majority decision of those voting,
as occurs in every other union
representation and public election
in the country. Currently, in air
and rail representation elections
employees who do not participate in
the election are counted as no
votes. The NMB invited public
comments on their proposal and set a
January 4, 2010 deadline.
Shortly after the announcement,
the IAM launched a campaign in
support of the NMB’s proposed change
to provide a fair voting process.
The Machinists union urged members
to contact the Board to express
support for the change, and
encourage friends and family to do
the same.
This week the National Mediation
Board posted on its website,
www.nmb.gov, a
tally of comments it has received
thus far, including more than 11,000
comments from IAM members and
supporters in favor of the change.
The NMB also posted support
letters from three Minnesota state
legislators, 19 labor organizations,
and dozens of other individuals.
This is in addition to support
letters signed by 191 U.S.
Representatives and 37 U.S.
Senators.
Supporters can still inform the
board of their position through
January 4th. Information is posted
at
www.goiam.org/nmb.
Jeff Doerr Named
to IAM Law Committee
Thu.
December 17, 2009
|
The IAM Executive
Council has approved the
appointment of District
19 General Chairman Jeff
Doerr to serve on the
IAM Law Committee.
|
International President Tom
Buffenbarger today announced that
the IAM Executive Council has
approved the appointment of Railroad
District 19 General Chairman Jeff
Doerr to serve on the IAM Law
Committee. Doerr will fill the
position previously held by recently
deceased Law Committee member Jeff
Goen.
“We welcome Jeff’s appointment
and we all look forward to working
with him,” said Buffenbarger. “His
years of experience and proven
commitment to the welfare of this
union make him an ideal choice to
carry on the important work of the
Law Committee.”
Initiated in 1990 as an IAM
member of Local 1833 in Minneapolis,
MN, Doerr worked 15 years as an
aircraft mechanic for Northwest
Airlines before turning wrenches on
SOO Line locomotives as a member of
Local 112 in St. Paul, MN. A long
time IAM activist, Jeff served in
numerous local and district
positions before being named as a
General Chairman for District 19 in
2008.
Legislation
Introduced to
Strengthen ‘Buy
American’
Thu. December
17, 2009
Much needed
legislation
to create
jobs and
strengthen
Buy American
provisions
advanced
this week in
the House of
Representatives,
where the
Jobs for
Main Street
Act (HR
2847) passed
by a vote of
217 to 212.
The $154
billion
measure,
introduced
by Wisconsin
Democratic
Representative
David Obey
with Buy
America
provisions
by Iowa
Democratic
Representative
Bruce Braley,
includes
funds for
highway,
transit and
water
projects as
well as
money to
help
communities
retain
teachers and
firefighters.
The bill,
which did
not get a
single GOP
vote, also
contains $41
billion for
a six-month
extension of
unemployment
benefits and
$12 billion
to renew
COBRA health
insurance
subsidies.
In the
Senate,
Wisconsin
Democratic
Senator Russ
Feingold
this week
introduced
the Buy
American
Improvement
Act (S.
2890),
legislation
that would
significantly
strengthen
the Buy
American Act
of 1933,
which
requires the
federal
government
to buy
American-made
goods
whenever
possible.
The
senate
legislation
would
prohibit
agencies
from
invoking a
range of
waivers that
have been
used to
sidestep the
original law
and allow
the purchase
foreign-made
goods and
services.
The
legislation
would also
require that
products be
at least 75
percent
American-made
in order to
qualify
under the
Buy American
Act (current
law sets the
qualifying
content
standard at
50 percent).
Additionally,
the bill
would
requires
federal
agencies to
consider
short-term
and
long-term
effects on
domestic
employment
before
granting any
waivers
under the
Buy American
Act and
require
federal
agencies to
publish all
requests for
waivers,
waiver
decisions,
and
justifications
for waivers
granted.
Machinists Call
for Bankruptcy Reform
Thu.
December 17, 2009
|
Memphis Local 2763
Secretary-Treasurer John
Kalkstein (left) and
Vice President Kenneth
Vicknair (right) met
with Tennessee
Democratic
Representative Steve
Cohen (center) to
discuss issues facing
workers at
Northwest-Delta Air
Lines.
|
Transportation GVP Robert Roach,
Jr. testified this week before the
House Subcommittee on Commercial and
Administrative Law and called for
changes to existing bankruptcy laws
that have been used to extract
massive concessions from workers
while restricting their right to
employ the self help provisions in
their agreements.
“If employees are called upon to
sacrifice in order to resurrect
their bankrupt employer, then
bankruptcy law must require that
everyone from the break room to the
board room shares the pain,” said
Roach at the hearing titled
Protecting Employees in Airline
Bankruptcies. “In recent
airline bankruptcies, much of the
financial sacrifices made by
employees were diverted into the
pockets of the people responsible
for the company’s failure.”
The IAM’s complete testimony is
available at
www.goiam.org/transportation.
The Machinists union believes
there is an immediate need for
bankruptcy reform that should apply
to all private sector workers
covered by collective bargaining
agreements.
“Recent court rulings should be
overturned to allow airline workers
the right to engage in self help if
the bankruptcy court terminates
their collective bargaining
agreement,” said Roach. “The right
to self help fosters good-faith
bargaining by ensuring that the
bargaining parties understand the
consequences of failing to reach a
negotiated agreement.”
Washington Wakes Up to Jobs Crisis
Posted Thu. November 12, 2009
It appears last week’s sobering unemployment numbers have finally
jolted lawmakers in Washington to the reality of the nation’s
ongoing jobs crisis.
Court Rules for Connecticut AG in Pratt Jobs Fight
Posted Thu. November 12, 2009
The battle to save more than 1,000 jobs at two Pratt & Whitney
plants in Connecticut took a favorable turn this week when a federal
judge ruled state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal can join an
IAM effort to block the company from moving about 1,000 Connecticut
jobs out of state and overseas.
Service Contract Workers in Nevada Vote IAM
Posted Thu. November 12, 2009
The Western Territory scored an important organizing victory
recently with an election that drew overwhelming support from more
than 200 workers employed by Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) of
Indian Springs, Nevada. The win gives the CSC workers the
opportunity to bargain for raises under Service Contract Act
guidelines, which cover employees working for employers holding
contracts with the federal government.
Susan Grundmann Confirmed as MSPB Chair
Posted Thu. November 12, 2009
The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Barack Obama’s nomination of
Susan Tsui Grundmann to serve as Chairwoman of the Merit Systems
Protection Board (MSPB).
Nebraska Rail Local Celebrates 110th Anniversary
Posted Thu. November 12, 2009
Local 180 in North Platte, Nebraska, one of the oldest lodges in the
IAM, is celebrating their 110th anniversary. The members work at the
largest switching rail yard in the world, Union Pacific’s Bailey
Yard.
Historic Health Care Legislation Clears the House
Posted Tue. November 10, 2009
In a giant step toward providing all Americans with quality and
affordable health care, the House of Representatives passed a
comprehensive health insurance reform bill late Saturday night.
U.S. Jobless Rate is Worst in 26 Years
Posted Tue. November 10, 2009
Unemployment in the U.S. climbed to the highest rate since April
1983, prompting IAM President Tom Buffenbarger to liken the crisis
to ‘Midnight in America.’
Just in Time for Veterans Day
Posted Tue. November 10, 2009
As the nation prepares for a day of remembrance and celebration of
the men and women who risk their lives in service to our country,
lawmakers approved new legislation providing predictable health care
funding for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
IAM Talks Tech Careers with Maryland Students
Posted Tue. November 10, 2009
Instructors and staff from the William Winpisinger Center showcased
high-tech union careers at the 2nd annual Youth In Technology
Summit, held October 31, 2009, in La Plata, MD.
Machinists Expand Membership at Toronto Airport
Posted Tue. November 10, 2009
Two hundred employees of Toronto Ground Airport Services are the
newest members of Local 2323 in Malton, ON, following a hard-fought
organizing win.
Renowned Economist Offers Recession Prescription
Posted Tue. November 10, 2009
With more than 31 million Americans still facing rising
unemployment, poverty and foreclosures, PBS host Bill Moyers
interviewed renowned economist James Galbraith, professor of
economics at the University of Texas, about how to get the U.S. out
of the current economic crisis.
Crunch Time for Health Care Reform
Posted Thu. November 05, 2009
It’s third and goal to go as the U.S. Congress gets ready to vote
within days on historic legislation that will reshape the health
care industry in the United States. With health care premiums
growing at three times the rate of wages and 14,000 Americans losing
their health insurance every day, now is time to act.
Federal Employees to Receive Retirement Credit
Posted Thu. November 05, 2009
Included in the recent legislation that repealed the National
Security Personnel System (NSPS) was a little noticed but extremely
important provision extending credit for accrued sick leave to
federal workers enrolled in the Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS).
Indiana Machinists Featured on Extreme Makeover
Posted Thu. November 05, 2009
When the popular ABC-TV show ‘Extreme Makeover’ chose the
Cowan-Brown family in Miami County, IN, for the program, IAM members
of Local 2069 stepped in to help.
Stimulus Program Shows Initial Results
Posted Thu. November 05, 2009
The $787 stimulus package passed earlier this year is being credited
with creating or saving over 640,000 jobs, most in education and
construction. A great start, says IAM International President Tom
Buffenbarger, but far from the kind of recovery American families
are in need of now.
Lounsbury Machinists Ink New Deal with Chevy Dealer
Posted Thu. November 05, 2009
Members of Local 2418 in Newcastle, New Brunswick, have ratified a
new collective agreement with Lounsbury Chevrolet. The three-year
agreement provides wage increases of two per cent in the first year
retroactive to September 1, 2009 and two six-month increases of one
per cent in each of the remaining two years.
NMB Proposes Election Changes for Air, Rail Workers
Posted Tue. November 03, 2009
The National Mediation Board (NMB) this week took the first step
toward overhauling the union representation election rules for air
and rail workers in the United States.
The Geography of a Recession
Posted Tue. November 03, 2009
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor
Statistics, there are more than 31 million people currently
unemployed.
Arizona Members Ratify New Contract with Raytheon
Posted Tue. November 03, 2009
Nearly three quarters of the membership of Local 933 in Tucson, AZ,
turned out for a contract ratification vote on October 31 and
approved a three-year accord with Raytheon Missile Systems by an
overwhelming margin. The new agreement covers more than 1,700
workers and runs through 2012.
IAM Mourns Local 709 President Jeff Goen
Posted Tue. November 03, 2009
The IAM and Local 709 in Marietta, GA, are mourning the untimely
passing of Local Lodge President and DBR Jeff Goen, 55, who died on
Oct. 30, after a brief illness.
2009 IAM Photo Contest Winners Announced
Posted Tue. November 03, 2009
The results of the 2009 IAM Photo Contest are in!
COBRA Subsidy Set to Expire
Posted Tue. November 03, 2009
A subsidy that paid 65 percent of COBRA premiums for unemployed
workers is set to expire December 31st – that’s if Congress fails
to pass legislation to extend it.
Boeing Gambles on Failed Strategy
Posted Thu. October 29, 2009
After sucking hundreds of millions of dollars in tax incentives from
the state of South Carolina, the Boeing Company this week concluded
a months-long charade of indecision by announcing it will build a
second 787 Dreamliner assembly line in Charleston, South Carolina.
The decision by Boeing executives is the latest move in an
outsourcing strategy, which is credited for delaying the launch of
the problem-plagued 787 by more than two years.
President Signs Defense Bill, NSPS Repealed
Posted Thu. October 29, 2009
President Obama signed the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act
this week, which included a provision to repeal the controversial
National Security Personnel System (NSPS). The bill also contained
several provisions impacting retirement benefits for the federal
workforce.
Sole Survivor – The Amazing Story of Flight 349
Posted Thu. October 29, 2009
Individuals often look back upon retirement. Retired IAM Organizer
Phil Bradley, 83, recently spoke to a local newspaper about his
experience 50 years ago when he was the sole survivor of an airline
crash, and how he continues to honor his fellow passengers.
AFL-CIO Gears Up for Major Health Car Push
Posted Thu. October 29, 2009
The AFL-CIO is calling for all hands on deck as House and Senate
lawmakers prepare for the final stretch in health care reform.
Minnesota Rail Member Urges Support for JOBS Now!
Posted Thu. October 29, 2009
IAM Railroad Local 112 committeeman Royce Braaten of Minneapolis,
MN, is talking the talk and walking the walk in an effort to help
millions of unemployed Americans get back to work.
Ambutrans Workers in Toronto Ratify First Agreement
Posted Thu. October 29, 2009
Members of Local 1295 in Toronto, ON, who transport non-emergency
ambulatory patients for Ambutrans have ratified their first
collective agreement.
Senate Bows to Calls for Public Option
Posted Tue. October 27, 2009
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says he will present the Senate
with a health reform bill that includes a public option, but one
that allows individual states to opt-out.
Seattle Newspaper Distorts IAM Talks with Boeing
Posted Tue. October 27, 2009
With articles and editorials worthy of a supermarket tabloid, the
Seattle Times appears to be taking a lead role in the campaign to
blame Boeing workers for any decision by the company to establish a
new production line in South Carolina.
Lockheed Agrees to $1.4 Million Settlement over Firings
Posted Tue. October 27, 2009
It’s no secret that companies frequently discharge workers engaged
in organizing drives, confident that the time it takes to resolve an
Unfair Labor Charge (ULP) will far exceed a worker’s resolve and
financial ability to keep fighting.
IAM Mourns Service Contract Pioneer Roger Kendrick
Posted Tue. October 27, 2009
Retired District 166 Directing Business Representative Roger
Kendrick passed away on October 22, 2009, at his home in Titusville,
FL, after a short illness. Kendrick, 70, was an IAM member for 34
years, and retired in 2000 after a 23-year career as DBR in District
166 in Florida.
Biden and Carnahan Meet with Missouri Machinists
Posted Tue. October 27, 2009
Midwest Territory GVP Philip J. Gruber recently met with U.S. Vice
President Joe Biden and Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan
at an event in St. Louis, MO.
On November 3, Make History in New Jersey
Posted Tue. October 27, 2009
In just one week, on November 3, union members in the Garden State
will have an opportunity to cast ballots for candidates and issues
that will affect them for years to come. In an effort to educate
members about the issues and how workers will be impacted, the New
Jersey State AFL-CIO is holding a series of Election Day rallies on
Tuesday, November 3, 2009.
Support Grows for Public Option
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
A new Washington Post-ABC News survey on health care reform shows
support for the public option is rising.
Scardelletti Testifies for High Speed Rail Workers
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
The merits and challenges of high speed rail service in the United
States were debated recently at a House committee hearing in
Washington D.C., where visitors frequently filled the hearing room
to capacity.
IAM Retirees Demand Real Health Care Reform
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
Dozens of IAM retirees marched on Capitol Hill last week, calling
for health care reform that includes a robust public option without
a tax on benefits.
Mass Layoffs Impact 248,000 in September
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
New jobs numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor show employers
took 2,561 mass layoff actions involving 248,006 workers during the
month of September ...
Register Now for Advanced Federal Program
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
Seats are still available for the Federal Employees ‘Advanced
Federal Program’ to be held December 6-11, 2009, at the William W.
Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, but lodges interested
in participating must act quickly.
Support Grows for Public Option
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
A new Washington Post-ABC News survey on health care reform shows
support for the public option is rising.
Scardelletti Testifies for High Speed Rail Workers
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
The merits and challenges of high speed rail service in the United
States were debated recently at a House committee hearing in
Washington D.C., where visitors frequently filled the hearing room
to capacity.
IAM Retirees Demand Real Health Care Reform
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
Dozens of IAM retirees marched on Capitol Hill last week, calling
for health care reform that includes a robust public option without
a tax on benefits.
Mass Layoffs Impact 248,000 in September
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
New jobs numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor show employers
took 2,561 mass layoff actions involving 248,006 workers during the
month of September ...
Register Now for Advanced Federal Program
Posted Thu. October 22, 2009
Seats are still available for the Federal Employees ‘Advanced
Federal Program’ to be held December 6-11, 2009, at the William W.
Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, but lodges interested
in participating must act quickly.
IAM President Addresses Business Aviation Convention
Posted Wed. October 21, 2009
IAM President Tom Buffenbarger highlighted the importance of the
nation’s business aviation industry in an address to the 62nd
Annual Convention of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
The Twisted Saga of Mercury Marine
Posted Wed. October 21, 2009
When the nominations for the 2009 Corporate Hall of Shame are
unveiled, it should come as no surprise to see Mercury Marine and
parent company Brunswick Corporation leading a very crowded pack.
CLUW Convention Elects New Leadership
Posted Wed. October 21, 2009
The Coalition of Labor Union Women’s (CLUW) 15th Biennial Convention
concluded in Los Angeles, CA, after four days of collaborating on
ways to strengthen the labor movement and nurture future female
union leaders.
IAM Dedicates Memorial to Anna Samick
Posted Wed. October 21, 2009
Friends, family
and co-workers gathered at the William W. Winpisinger Education and
Technology Center to dedicate a memorial to Anna Samick, the first
female business representative to teach at the Center and one of the
IAM’s pioneering female union leaders.
Connecticut AG Battles Pratt & Whitney over Job Cuts
Posted Wed. October 21, 2009
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is fighting back
against claims by Pratt & Whitney (P&W) that his “friend of the
court” brief in support of an IAM lawsuit against Pratt & Whitney is
both partisan and unnecessary.
Rita Rogers Honored at NAACP Banquet
Posted Wed. October 21, 2009
Rita Rogers, the first woman to hold the position of Business
Representative in District 70 was honored recently by the Wichita
branch of the NAACP with their Ronald A. Walters Civic Leadership
Award.
iMail articles for Thursday, October 8, 2009
iMail articles for Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Senate Committee Votes Down Public Option for Health Care
Posted Thu. October 01, 2009
Senate lawmakers voted down two amendments this week to include a
public option in a bill that would reform our nation’s health care
system.
By an 8-15 vote on the first measure and 10-13 vote on the
second, members of the Senate Finance Committee rejected proposals
that would have created a public option for health care to bring
much-needed competition into the U.S. insurance industry.
Among the Democratic senators who voted against the bill were
Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), Thomas Carper (D-DE), Kent
Conrad (D-ND) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).
“The insurance industry is all about bottom lines when it should
be about helping people. The sole purpose of having a public option
is to reverse that,” said IAM International President Tom
Buffenbarger. “Tuesday’s vote was essentially a vote to see whose
side senators are on. And, for those who voted against the
amendments, the answer is loud and clear.”
Communications Conference Honors Award Winners
Posted Thu. October 01, 2009
Winners of the 2009 IAM Newsletter and Website Contest, Kalaski
Award and Kourpias Award were honored at a special ceremony at the
2009 Communications Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Winners included District Lodge 751 and Local Lodge 1781 who took
top honors in General Excellence for newsletters and NFFE-IAM
Federal District 1 and Local Lodge 1759 who won top honors for
General Excellence for websites.
John
Harrity, left, with IP Buffenbarger, right, a 30-year member of
District 26 in Connecticut, won the Robert J. Kalaski Award, given
in honor of distinguished and effective communication efforts
promoting the mission of the labor movement. As the spokesperson for
District 26, Harrity developed a relationship with state and
national media that made sure the IAM’s message was heard clearly
during the overseas outsourcing phenomena that swept Connecticut.
Most recently, Harrity has been front and center in the fight to
block Pratt & Whitney from moving two more plants out of the state.
Jane Carrigan,
right, with IP Buffenbarger, right, was awarded the George J.
Kourpias Award for excellence in labor journalism. Carrigan is an
anchor and reporter for the Global Television Network in Vancouver.
She received the award for her unbiased coverage of the men and
women of Air Canada, Local Lodge 764, during a 2008 winter storm
that crippled the Vancouver Airport.
“IAM Editors, Web
Stewards and Communicators serve a vital role in getting our message
out to members and the public,” said IAM Communications Director
Rick Sloan. “We honor their courage and hard work, and extend a
well-deserved thank you for everything they do.”
For a complete list
of winners, click
here.
G.E. Ignored Offers to Save Albuquerque Engine Plant
Posted Thu. October 01, 2009
The IAM this week accused General Electric Aviation with failing
to seriously consider viable proposals that would have preserved
the G.E. Aviation facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “Despite
a legal obligation to weigh alternatives, it is clear the
decision by G.E. to close this plant was made long ago,” said
Ernest “Red” Dow, Local 794 President and Directing Business
Representative. “G.E never expressed the slightest interest in
proposals or possible partnerships that could have kept this
facility open and operating in Albuquerque.”
General
Electric announced this week that the plant would close during
the third quarter of 2010, with termination of more than 400
long-time employees beginning in July 2010.“Not only did G.E.
reject proposals to modernize the current facility, they also
refused to consider alternative uses for the facility, including
conversion to the development of clean energy products or
systems,” said IAM Western Territory Vice President Gary Allen.
The impact of
the decision by G.E. to move the work to non-union locations in
other states will impact far more than the 400 workers directly
employed at the facility. As many as 1,300 area jobs and more
than $30 million in annual economic activity are dependant on
the facility.“For nearly 40 years, this plant has been
successful and profitable for G.E.,” said Dow. “These workers
and this community feel utterly betrayed and disgusted with G.E.
for this abrupt and self-serving decision.”
Toronto Machinists Ratify First Agreement at Blok Loc
Posted Thu. October 01, 2009
Members of Local 235 in Toronto, ON, have ratified their first collective
agreement with Blok Loc Limited, a manufacturer of metal inserts for
concrete blocks used in home and commercial construction.
The three-year agreement provides wage increases of four percent
over the life of the contract as well as an additional sick day and
an extra week of vacation for those with ten or more year’s
seniority with the company.
“The wages were all over the map and this agreement has brought
about a degree of conformity in that vital area,” explained District
78 Directing Business Representative Gary Hynes. “The lack of
seniority was also a major concern for these workers and this
agreement now provides seniority clauses in the new contract
language.”
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009
Posted Thu. October 01, 2009
The IAM is joining the Workforce Alliance to help pass the
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009, HR 3221. This
legislation will provide community colleges and the broader
workforce development system with the necessary resources to provide
much-needed job training and related services to millions of U.S.
workers. The act incorporates President Obama’s American Graduation
Initiative, announced last July, which calls for significant
investments in innovative community college programs aimed at
helping more Americans receive a postsecondary degree, certificate,
or industry-recognized credential. President Obama is calling for
five million new college graduates by 2020 – the highest graduation
rate in the world. A highly-skilled workforce will help put the
country on the road to economic recovery.
The House just passed the bill, and now the action moves to the
Senate. Members can help working families upgrade their skills by
sending a
letter to your Senators demanding they strengthen and support
the
Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 right now.
GoIAM 3.0 Launches at Communications Conference
Posted Tue. November 30, 1999

The 2009 IAM Communications Conference kicked off this week with the
theme “The New Cutting Edge.”
Delegates from across the U.S. and Canada met in Vancouver,
British Columbia, to discuss the union’s strategy for staying on the
forefront of 21st century communications.
“There is no question about what’s more important to the local
lodge,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger to the
full room of local and district Communicators, Educators and Web
Stewards. “It’s all in communication. The passing of information is
the future.”
Speakers included General Vice President Rich Michalski as
Chairperson of the Conference, Canadian General Vice President Dave
Ritchie, General Secretary-Treasurer Warren Mart, and former Senator
Hillary Clinton’s Chief of Staff Tamera Luzzatto.
The
highlight of this year’s Conference was the unveiling and launch of
GoIAM 3.0, the new IAM Web site at www.goiam.org.
In addition to a new look and user-friendly layout, features include
an interactive video wall and the ability to comment, rank and share
stories. The IAM’s electronic newsletter, iMail, has been converted
into a blog. And, the new site includes improved searching
capabilities through the use of keywords, also known as “tags.”
“Our goal is to bring IAM communications into the 21st century
and better stake our claim in conversations important to our members
and working families,” said IAM Communications Director Rick Sloan.
“Right now, there are conversations taking place all over the Web on
everything from jobs to the Employee Free Choice Act to health care.
Incorporating social networking tools such as a blog, comment
fields, story rankings and content sharing will ensure our message
is heard – at viral speed.”
Along with the new site, the IAM has also launched official
Face book and Twitter pages. For important union news and updates,
visit us on our Face book fan page by going
here. To follow us on Twitter, visit
www.twitter.com/machinistsunion and click “follow.”
(click on address)
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