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2009 Archived District 725 Events
(Please note that some of the hyperlinks
below may be out of date)
Give The Gift Of USA Membership
Friday December
18, 2009
Whether
you’re ready or
not, the
holidays arrive
every year
toward the end
of big game
season. And if
you’re like many
sportsmen, you'd
rather sit in
the woods until
your fingers and
face go numb
than set foot in
a shopping mall
near Christmas.
So forget big
crowds and the
hassle of
figuring out
what to get the
hunter or
fisherman on
your list - give
the gift that
keeps giving
through every
fish and game
season - the
gift of a Union
Sportsmen’s
Alliance (USA)
membership.
The USA is a
hunting and
fishing club of
the Theodore
Roosevelt
Conservation
Partnership
exclusively for
union members,
retirees and
their families.
A USA membership
costs just $25,
but it carries a
value of more
than $115 with a
free Buck knife,
an outdoor
magazine and
newspaper, a
Beretta gift
certificate, an
online mapping
subscription and
a whole lot
more.
Whether you’re
looking for the
perfect present
for the
sportsman or
woman in your
life or need to
let someone know
what you’d like
to see under the
tree this year,
a USA membership
is the perfect,
hassle-free gift
that's
jam-packed with
value.
Click
here to give
the gift of a
USA membership
today.
District 725 Holiday Hours
Thursday
December 17, 2009
All District Lodge 725 Area Offices will be closed for the holidays at the close of business Wednesday December 23, 2009 and re-open Monday, January 4, 2010.
IAM
Headquarters in
Upper Marlboro,
MD will close
for the holidays
at the close of
business Friday,
December 18, and
re-open Monday,
January 4, 2010.
Best
wishes to all
for a safe and
joyous holiday
season. Enjoy
your union
negotiated
holiday!
Bucks In The Wind
Tuesday
December 15, 2009
The multi-billion dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which was passed by Congress and signed by President Obama in February 2009, contained provisions specifically intended to fund the development of alternative energy sources.
While the stimulus program was repeatedly advertised as an opportunity to kick start the alternative energy industry in the U.S., a recent study of 11 wind farm projects funded with stimulus money found that they were dominated by foreign manufacturers, with a significant portion of their production capacity located outside the U.S.
“That stimulus money could support manufacturing jobs outside of North America, at a time when manufacturing job losses at home are accelerating and the unemployment rate is at double digits, is not surprising,” said IAM Trade and Globalization Department Director Owen Herrnstadt, who cites loopholes in the Recovery Act as one reason domestic manufacturers are losing out.
Herrnstadt points to the need for adopting employment impact statements for government procurement, in an article recently published by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). “The absence of a strong domestic sourcing requirement for all clean energy programs in the stimulus is indicative of how government procurement in general and stimulus money in particular fails to fully utilize taxpayer funds to create manufacturing jobs in the U.S.”
President Urged To Act On Pratt
Factory Closure
Tuesday
December 8, 2009
The IAM is
welcoming the
unanimous
support of
Connecticut’s
Congressional
delegation in
the fight to
prevent Pratt &
Whitney from
closing a pair
of aircraft
factories in
Connecticut and
eliminating more
than 1,000
high-skilled
jobs.
In a joint
letter
to President
Obama, the
delegation took
the unusual step
of urging the
president to
become directly
involved and
“use every
measure at your
disposal” to
block the
decision by
Pratt & Whitney
to shutter the
two factories
and move many of
the
defense-related
jobs to overseas
locations. To
read the full
letter, click
http://www.goiam.org/publications/pdfs/12_07_2009_Pratt_POTUS_12_09.pdf.
“This is a
jobs issue, a
national defense
issue and a
matter of common
sense,” said IAM
Vice President
Rich Michalski.
“Too much of our
manufacturing
capability has
already been
sacrificed in
the name of
short-term
corporate
profits. If our
economy is to
recover, we must
take
extraordinary
steps to
preserve the
fundamental
drivers of
economic growth
and there is no
better example
than
Connecticut’s
home-grown
defense
industry.”
The letter to
Obama, signed by
Senators
Christopher Dodd
and Joe
Lieberman as
well as
Representatives
Rosa DeLauro,
John Larson, Joe
Courtney,
Christopher
Murphy and Jim
Himes, cited
previous
unsuccessful
efforts to
prevent the
closure. “Since
Pratt & Whitney
first announced
these closures
in July, the
workers at the
affected plants
have offered $80
million in
concessions,”
said the
delegation’s
letter.
“Additionally,
the Connecticut
Congressional
delegation
worked closely
with the State
of Connecticut
to come up with
an additional
$100 million to
keep the plants
open.
Unfortunately,
Pratt &
Whitney’s parent
corporation,
United
Technologies,
has rejected
these generous
offers.”
The appeal to
the president is
the latest move
in a state-wide
campaign that
has included
widespread
support from
area labor
unions,
community groups
and state
officials,
including
Connecticut’s
Attorney General
Richard
Blumenthal, who
recently filed a
friend of the
court brief in
support of an
IAM lawsuit
aimed at
blocking the
move.
For additional
information
about the
dispute at Pratt
& Whitney, visit
http://www.goiam.org/publications/pdfs/12_07_2009_PR_Delegation_POTUS.pdf.
Final Push for Healthcare Reform
Thursday
November 5, 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.
Americans need a health care bill that provides
quality coverage for themselves and their
families, a robust public option that makes
coverage affordable, and continued tax-free
benefits.
Take
a stand. Send a
message. Join the AFL-CIO National Week of
Action and tell Congress the time to pass
comprehensive health reform is now. No computer?
Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and
tell your lawmaker to support comprehensive
health care reform.
Young Workers: A Lost
Decade
Tuesday
September 8, 2009
Young workers are significantly less
likely to have economic security and health care than they were 10 years ago,
says a new national survey released by the AFL-CIO.
According to the "Young Workers: A
Lost Decade" report, one in three workers 18-35 years old currently live
with their parents because they either don’t make enough money to cover their
monthly bills, or make just enough with a little to put aside. The study also
found that 31% of young workers have no health insurance, up from 24% in 1999.
Of those, 79% say they either can’t afford it or their employer doesn’t offer
it. Numbers show only a quarter of 18-35 year olds currently belong to a union.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and
Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka say the results are unsettling. As part of
the federation’s annual Labor Day briefing, the leaders announced plans to make
an unprecedented effort to reach out to young workers in the coming months
through broad recruitment and training.
"Young workers are facing the
worst kind of insecurity – struggling to find good jobs and hold down debt while
trying to grow into adulthood," Trumka said. "We owe them better.
Unless we change it, their economic standards are going to define a new norm – a
norm of lower job and living standards. Their future is our country’s future and
we must commit to creating an economy that provides a strong economic future for
all."
To read more about these key
findings, click
here.
Until Further
Notice: A Labor Day Message from IAM President Tom Buffenbarger
Thursday
September 3, 2009
Labor Day has changed dramatically. Massive marches in Detroit,
Pittsburgh and New York City on this day once marked the power of organized
labor. This year, union members will be marching in much smaller parades and
enjoying slimmed-down picnics. Some parades and picnics have been cancelled
altogether.
Those are signs of the times. Here are a few more.
Over 9.1 million Americans—union and non-union alike—are categorized
by the Department of Labor as involuntary part-time workers. They’re the lucky
ones. They still have a job, but are working fewer hours each week. Their
reduced paychecks reflect that fact. So do their shopping habits. By counting
pennies, clipping coupons and juggling credit card payments, they get by—barely.
For more than one million union members and over 14.2 million
non-union Americans, cutting back on spending is no longer an option. It is an
imperative. They lost their paycheck. In far too few instances, it was replaced
by unemployment insurance checks. The government’s three or four hundred dollars
a week hardly covers their mortgage. Paying for groceries, utilities, insurance,
school supplies and clothes has become trickier than Bernie Madoff’s ponzi
scheme.
Another 6.2 million Americans are only marginally attached to the
workforce, according the Department of Labor. They went looking for a job in the
last year but couldn’t find one. In the next few months, these jobless Americans
will start dropping off the radar. Very few will find work. Most will accept the
grim reality that there simply aren’t any jobs available to them.
If you add the 9.1 million involuntary part-time workers and the 15.2
million unemployed to the 6.2 million workers marginally attached to the
workforce, the total number of Americans idled in this recession exceeds 30.5
million! That’s 19.7 percent of the workforce – or one out of five workers.
So here’s my suggestion: Let’s dramatically change the nature of Labor
Day. A member of the Machinists union, Matthew McGuire, is credited with the
idea of setting aside one day a year to celebrate work, and to give people a
chance to enjoy a day off with their family and friends. But with 30.5 million
of us idled to some degree, it seems to me that this is no time to celebrate the
work we do. Instead, lets dedicate this Labor Day to those who are NOT working.
Forget about who belongs to a union and who doesn’t. Remember that we
are all Americans. And let’s do more for the army of the jobless than pray,
“there but for the grace of God, go I.”
Each of us should do some little thing for those who are suffering in
this Grave Recession – cook a meal, drop off a six pack, fix a broken swing, cut
a lawn, or just drop by for a visit. We need to show we give a damn about them
and what they are going through.
And on every Labor Day until we reach full employment again, lets join
in solidarity with our unemployed and underemployed brothers and sisters. And in
those intervening 364 days, let's use our collective strength to persuade our
government that we need JOBS
Now!
IAM Remembers
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
Thursday August
27, 2009
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers lost a
valiant friend and fierce ally. Edward M. Kennedy was a champion of working
families during his 47-year career in the United States Senate. His fingerprints
can be found on virtually every piece of legislation that became law involving
health, education, labor, tax, budget and the armed forces.
For the Machinists Union, the seminal event in Ted Kennedy’s career was his
1980 presidential campaign. The IAM, under the leadership of International
President Bill “Wimpy” Winpisinger, created hundreds of local “Draft Kennedy”
committees in 1979; virtually every district directing business representative
and local lodge president led that draft movement. When Senator Kennedy
announced his campaign for the Democratic nomination, those draft committees
became his community organizers. And when the campaign came up short in Iowa,
"I AM for Kennedy" buttons blossomed across the land.
The IAM’s endorsement of Ted Kennedy meant enthusiastic and dedicated
volunteers. And it was those volunteers who manned the phones and handed out
leaflets when the going got tough. Taking on a sitting President in his own
party wasn’t easy, but there were thrilling moments: come-from-behind victories
in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California in the final weeks, a narrow loss in
Ohio on the final day of the primary season, a side-by-side battle on the
Platform Committee, a rules fight on the convention floor, Kennedy’s sail
against the wind speech followed by a walkout of labor delegates led by Wimpy.
The friendship forged in the heat of political battle lasted three decades.
The IAM could always count on Senator Kennedy to do the right thing and Senator
Kennedy could always count on the IAM. Always has, always will.
So, to honor the memory of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, I am asking each
district and local lodge to conduct a silent tribute to him at their next union
meeting. AND, during new business, I ask each district and local lodge to pledge
to fight for the health care reform bill that will now carry his name.
R. Thomas Buffenbarger
International President
Health Care Myths,
Lies and Whoppers
Tuesday August 25, 2009
The extraordinary campaign to defeat
much-needed health insurance reform in the U.S. is heating up again, with
misinformation and fear-mongering reaching near-hysterical levels. Among the
latest attempts is a totally false claim by GOP National Chairman Michael Steele
that the proposed legislation would encourage disabled veterans to commit
suicide rather than be a financial burden to their families and communities.
Steele has also become a leading
shill for another false claim that seniors would face rationing and reduced
care. "…under the Democrats' plan, senior citizens will pay a steeper
price and will have their treatment options reduced or rationed,"
declared Steele, who also said the GOP now wants to protect Medicare after years
of trying to gut the government-run health care program.
"It should be no surprise that
the Republican Party -- which whipped many Americans into a frenzy at town-hall
meetings on health care this month by spreading one lie about reform after
another -- has now taken to scaring seniors who have nothing to fear and much to
gain from reform," said Democratic National Committee spokesperson Brad
Woodhouse in a response to the claims by Steele.
Among the other myths and lies being
promoted by opponents to health insurance reform is that there is no health care
crisis in this country and that the current system is a free market "success"
that should not be tampered with. This view ignores the fact that nearly 40
million Americans have no coverage at all and that insurers regularly deny,
ration and terminate coverage they unilaterally deem to be too expensive or
unnecessary.
Click
here and
here to peruse a list
of the most outrageous claims by the anti-reform zealots and to learn how to
counter these deliberate falsehoods.
The High Price of
Doing Nothing
Tuesday August 25, 2009
If right wing radio demagogues and
insurance industry lobbyists succeed in killing health care legislation, the
average employer-sponsored premium for family coverage could rise from $12,298
in 2008 to $23,842 by 2020, according to a new
study by the longtime charity organization, The Commonwealth Fund.
However, if leaders were able to slow
premium growth by one percentage point in each state, the report shows employers
and families would save an average $2,571 per premium for family coverage by
2020. And, if growth could be slowed even more by 1.5 percentage points, yearly
savings would equal $3,759.
Commonwealth Senior Vice President
Cathy Shoen says the projected increase will be inevitably passed on to workers
and continue to eat away at middle-class incomes. "With health spending
projected to double if we stay on our current path, middle- and lower-income
families are at high risk of losing their coverage or facing long-term stagnant
incomes," says Shoen. "Employers and employees share premium
costs, but we know that take-home pay and retirement savings are being
sacrificed to maintain health benefits. Reforms that slow the growth of
health-care costs could go a long way toward health and financial stability for
working families."
District 725 Delegate Body Meeting
Saturday July 25, 2009
Huntington Beach, CA
11:00 a.m.
The third regularly scheduled District Lodge 725 Delegate Body meeting of
the year will be held on Saturday July 25, 2009 in Huntington Beach,
California. The meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
Local Lodge 906
Strike Ends
Saturday June 20, 2009
On May 7th
2009, 170 of 179 members of Local Lodge 906 in Anaheim, CA voted overwhelmingly
to reject a substandard contract offer from Cytec Engineered Materials and
authorize a strike. Among the many issues that forced the membership to strike
were proposals to establish 12 hour work shifts without overtime pay, the
proposed elimination of all previously accepted past practices, and sweeping
changes to established seniority language .
“The
eight-hour work day is not something to be treated lightly nor is it ours to
bargain away,” said Local 906 Chief Shop Steward Young Ho, who also served
on the negotiating committee. “It is part of the living legacy from
generations of union members who sacrificed and sometimes died for the benefits
we enjoy today.”
In addition to
company demands that employees work longer hours without overtime pay, the
company ignored union proposals to provide adequate training to improve
employees skills and reduce the injury and illness rates.
“We’re not making toys here,” Local 906 member Maria
Rosales-Harrison said. “Our work is vital to our country’s national
defense. They want us to work sixty hours. When will we have time to be with our
families?”
“We understand the economy,” Young Ho said. “But you don’t
ever give up the basic contract language that others before you fought for.”
The labor dispute at Cytec drew support from many Orange County union members
and community activists. More than 250 participated in a solidarity rally in
front of the plant on May 21, 2009. The event was sponsored by the Orange County
Labor Council, and IAM Western Territory General Vice President-elect Gary Allen
was the keynote speaker. He told the group they were on the cutting edge of the
fight to preserve America’s middle class.
“We’re going to last one day longer and we’re going to win this strike,”
General Vice President-elect Gary Allen said. “Those that come
after you are going to benefit from this struggle. You’ve got to keep that in
your heart at all times. You’re not just fighting for yourselves; you’re
fighting for the younger generation of workers.”
On June 16th the union and the company agreed to meet at the offices of Federal
Mediation and Conciliation Services in Santa Ana. After three consecutive days
of mediation, the company modified their proposal, and the membership voted to
accept the revised proposal on Saturday June 20th, the membership voted to
accept the company’s proposal and end the six week strike. The proud strikers
will return to work by July 1st.
District 725 and
Cytec Meet with Federal Mediation
Wednesday June 17, 2009
District Lodge 725 President/DBR Gary Holt reported after two days of
continuous meetings with the company at the offices of Federal Mediation and
Conciliation Services, the company has refused to change their position.
Additional meetings with the company are scheduled for the remainder of the
week.
We will post updates on these meetings on the Strike Update page as
information becomes available.
American Rights At
Work Million Member Mobilization
Monday
June 1, 2009
What is the Employee Free Choice Act?
The Employee Free Choice Act is critical legislation
that would help protect the rights of America’s workers to organize
and form unions. The law would give more workers a way to form
unions and negotiate for better wages, health care and working
conditions.
Why do we need it?
A robust middle class. Economic growth and shared
prosperity. The American Dream. None are possible without good union
jobs that protect workers.
Today’s workplaces are tilted in favor of
lavishly-paid CEOs, who get golden parachutes while hardworking
families struggle to get by. Workers need a fair shake and a chance
to get ahead – but employers intimidate, harass, and even fire
workers who try to form a union.
The Employee Free Choice Act can restore the
balance, giving more workers a chance to form unions and get better
health care, job security, and benefits – and an opportunity to
pursue their dreams.
What are we doing about it?
We’re teaming up with hundreds of groups and unions
to launch a massive campaign to show the new President and Congress
that there are one million people who want
to give hardworking families a chance to get ahead by passing the
Employee Free Choice Act.
One million people demanding a fair deal for
workers. It’s a powerful grassroots call for change. Click
here to
sign the petition.
Check out the latest
You Tube
videos from Employee Free Choice Act
District 725 Launches
Employee Free Choice Act Video
Monday
May 18, 2009
The Employee Free Choice Act is a bill that is currently stalled in the
United States Senate. This bill would make it easier for workers to form unions
in their workplaces, and penalize companies who illegally fire workers for
trying to unionize. Anti-worker organizations have spent hundreds of millions of
dollars to defeat this bill, and a few Senators are beginning to buckle under
the pressure. Contact your Senator today and urge them to support the Employee
Free Choice Act. We need to level the playing field between workers and
management, and we need an economy that works for everyone.
District 725 produced a video about the Employee Free Choice Act. To view the
video on You Tube, click
here.
District 725 Delegate Body Meeting
Saturday April 18, 2009
Huntington Beach, CA
11:00 a.m.
The second regularly scheduled District Lodge 725 Delegate Body meeting of
the year will be held on Saturday April 18, 2009 in Huntington Beach,
California. The meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
AFL-CIO
Launches the Unemployment Lifeline website
Friday
April 17, 2009
If you're out of work, you're not alone. In
March 2009, unemployment in the United States
hit 8.5 percent, a 25-year high—and it's going
to get worse before getting better. America's
working families deserve better. That's why the
unions of the AFL-CIO put together the
Unemployment LifeLine. Click
here to visit the website.
Take Action
Now to Preserve F-22 Raptor Jobs
Thursday
April 16, 2009
Urge Members of Congress and the new
Administration to take immediate action
to release funds already authorized to continue production of the world’s most
advanced fighter aircraft, the F-22 Raptor. Keeping the production line of this
model aerospace program open currently requires no additional taxpayer dollars,
and is not a rescue or bailout. Rather, it will allow us to maintain a healthy
program that delivers considerable economic benefit while providing our Air
Force with appropriate numbers of the best fighter aircraft ever made.
Production of this aircraft is in jeopardy―and with
it more than 95,000 American jobs,
over $12 billion in national economic activity and the air superiority of
America’s Air Force.
Read More & Take Action Here.
Future Union Member
Supports Employee Free Choice Act
Thursday
April 16, 2009
Millions of adults
know about the importance of the Employee Free Choice Act, but what about our
children?
Alycia Melvin
clearly knows the score. The seven-year-old granddaughter of District W2
Business Rep. Melvin Montford wrote a letter to her senator, Sen. Kay Hagan
(D-NC), asking Hagan to co-sponsor the Employee Free Choice Act. The letter was
featured on the
AFL-CIO's blog.
Alycia says when
she grows up, she wants to “have a choice” just like her grandparents.
Join Alycia and
thousands of others in the fight to give workers a choice in the workplace.
Click here
to send a message to your member of Congress to support the Employee Free
Choice Act today.
National Solutions
Needed for Healthcare Crisis
Thursday
April 9, 2009
The time to revamp
America’s defunct healthcare system is now said IAM International President Tom
Buffenbarger during a live online discussion with high profile business, labor,
healthcare and government leaders in Madison, Wisconsin.
The forum was part
of the third "Summit Conversations on American Healthcare for the 21st
Century." Buffenbarger was part of a roundtable discussion on the high costs
of U.S. healthcare and the effects it has on workers’ wages, their standards of
living, the economy, and businesses.
Other participants
included former Congressman Dick Gephardt (D-MO); Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI);
Ann Converso, president of United American Nurses; John B. Torinus Jr., CEO of
Serigraph Inc.; David Norton of Johnson & Johnson and John Arensmeyer, CEO of
Small Business Majority. Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and
Republican presidential candidate Tommy G. Thompson hosted the event along with
the University of Wisconsin School of Law.
Buffenbarger provided for the group a look at America’s healthcare crisis from a
labor perspective. "We’ve asked our members what they want," he
said. "And we’ve talked about two key words: cost and quality."
"Right now in
the United States, as compared to our trading partners in the G-20, we’re asked
at every bargaining table, whether it’s a small employer, a medium employer, or
very large employer, to solve a national crisis – at a local bargaining table.
We can’t do that. So, we begin, in the field of labor relations as it relates to
healthcare, at a confrontational table from the beginning," said
Buffenbarger.
U.S. healthcare
spending now accounts for 16 percent of GDP and is expected to rise to 25%
by 2025. There are currently 46 million Americans without health
insurance, and four out of five of those individuals are in working
families.
Jobless Numbers
Continue to Set Records
Thursday
April 2, 2009
The number of new unemployment
insurance claims, as well as the number of people still receiving unemployment
benefits jumped unexpectedly last week, says the U.S. Department of Labor.
According to the department, the
number of initial jobless claims rose to 669,000, compared to the
previous week’s figure of 657,000. Analysts say the total was higher than
expected, and continues to set the record as the highest in more than 26
years.
The number of laid-off workers
claiming benefits for more than a week jumped from 5.57 million to 5.73
million. That figure was also more than what analysts expected, and sets a
record for the 10th straight week.
The latest numbers come one day
before the Labor Department is expected to release total unemployment numbers -
which includes individuals not receiving benefits - for the month of March.
Corporate
‘Compromise’ Would Gut Free Choice Act
Thursday
April 2, 2009
A trio of well-known corporations are trying to derail the
Employee Free Choice Act with their own watered down version of labor
"reform." The CEOs of Starbucks, Costco and Whole
Foods are shopping the halls of Capitol Hill with a bill they claim is a “fair
compromise” to the Employee Free Choice Act.
The companies are proposing that the
system for joining a union stays as-is, with employers still being given ample
time to harass and intimidate workers before an election and no guarantee of a
first contract. The bill even goes one step further by making it easier for
corporations to get rid of a union after workers vote to join one.
"The legislation being brought
forward by Starbucks, Costco and Whole Foods is nothing more than an attempt to
distract from what Employee Free Choice is really about," says IAM
International President Tom Buffenbarger. "Their proposal does absolutely
nothing to level the playing field between workers and management. Under their
plan, workers are no better off than they are now. They’ll still be subject to
low wages, inadequate health care, and an uncertain retirement. Their
‘compromise’ is, frankly, useless."
The Employee Free Choice Act does
exactly what the title of the bill says it does: puts the power of choice into
the hands of the employees – not companies. Employees, not companies, will be
able to decide for themselves whether to join a union. CEOs will have to make
room at the table when it comes time to talk wages and benefits.
Solis Secures
Labor Secretary Post
Thursday
February 26, 2009
Working families can find solace in knowing they have one more
advocate fighting on their behalf in Washington, DC.
After nearly two months of procrastinating interrogations, background scrutiny,
and back-and-forth correspondence, the Senate has finally confirmed Rep. Hilda
Solis as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.
The show of support by millions of Americans overcame the sideshow put on by
some Senate Republicans not in favor of her commitment to defending workers’
rights, including the right to form a union without employer interference.
As Secretary of Labor, Solis will fight to improve skills development and job
creation programs, assure workers get the pay they have earned, address the
retirement security crisis, and improve working conditions. She also understands
that giving workers a voice and the freedom to organize is the key to rebuilding
our economy.
Pensions Increase
from $57 to $64 in New Goodrich Contract
Tuesday
February 24, 2009
IAM members of Local 755 and 964, who are employed at Goodrich Aerostructures
in Chula Vista and Riverside, California, recently ratified a new agreement that
increases the pension multiplier from $57 to $64 and provides $6,800 in lump sum
payments over the course of the three-year agreement.
The members at Goodrich manufacture engine cowlings and thrust reversers for
aerospace companies, including Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce and General
Electric.
The new contract, which covers 822 members, includes a ratification bonus of
$1,400, followed by lump sum payments of $2,750, $2,250 and
$1,800 payable in March of each year. In addition to the pension
improvements, the COLA formula was maintained and a new short term disability
plan was added. Employee contributions for medical coverage remain unchanged
for 2009, followed by modest increases in premium contributions in the following
years.
"Congratulations to District 725 PDBR Gary Holt and his team, along with
the negotiating committee members, for a job well done on this contract,"
said Western Territory GVP Lee Pearson. "Thanks also to GLR Bobby
Martinez, Aerospace Coordinator Frank Santos and Loren Almeroth of the IAM
Strategic Resources Department for their hard work in forging a great agreement
in these tough economic times."
Boeing Reassures its Workers... in India.
Thursday
February 5, 2009
As with any workforce
currently staring down the barrel of potential job cuts, some jobs are
safer than others. But if you work for Boeing – the U.S. aircraft
manufacturer – the key, apparently, is to work in India.
The Times of India reports the plane maker has assured its
workers there that they will not be among the 10,000 workers set to lose
their jobs this year.
Boeing’s chief executive Jim McNerney announced last week the company
plans to reduce its workforce by 6 percent. The cuts include 4,500
Seattle-area commercial plane workers who will receive layoff notices by
the end of this month.
Boeing says it must lay off workers in order to stay competitive.
There’s no word how many of the remaining 5,500 cuts will be in the U.S.
Sim Techs at MCAS
Miramar Approve New Contract
Tuesday February
3, 2009
Highly skilled Electronic Simulator Technicians at MCAS Miramar in San Diego,
CA, recently ratified a new contract with service contractor Cubic Worldwide
Technical Services. The technicians are members of IAM Local 1125 in San Diego,
CA.
The three-year agreement provides for raises of $1.26-$3.69 in the first year,
followed by a four percent general wage increase in each of the following
years. Additional provisions boost the health and welfare contribution in each
year, and add a HMO plan that will reduce employee premium contribution costs.
Lead positions were established for each shift, with a ten percent pay premium.
Other provisions include no-cost life insurance and a four percent 401(k) match.
"Congratulations to District 725 Area Director Virginia Cobb for a
well-negotiated agreement," said Western Territory GVP Lee Pearson.
"These members are highly skilled, and will benefit from the security this
contract provides, especially in our current trying economy."
Cubic Corporation's Defense Group provides a variety of training systems and
support, including air and ground combat training systems and tactical
engagement simulator systems.
Executive Orders Undo
Anti-Labor Policies
Tuesday February
3, 2009
In the opening days of his term and against a backdrop of economic turmoil,
President Barack Obama made clear his support for labor unions and America’s
working families.
The president signed a series of executive orders he says will “level the
playing field” for workers simply trying to get ahead.
The announcement came on the same day the U.S. Commerce Department released data
showing the nation’s gross domestic product shrank 3.8% during the final quarter
of last year. It was reportedly the quickest economic contraction since 1982.
“The recession is deepening, and the urgency of our economic crisis is
growing,” said President Obama. “Every day it seems there is
another round of layoffs, and another round of families' lives turned upside
down. Labor is not part of the problem, it is part of the solution.”
The three orders undo policies put in place by the former Bush Administration.
They do the following:
Require federal contractors offer jobs to current workers when contracts
change.
No longer require federal contractors post notice that workers can limit
financial support of unions serving as their exclusive bargaining
representatives.
Prevent federal contractors from being reimbursed for expenses meant to
influence workers deciding whether to form a union and engage in collective
bargaining.
In keeping with his promise, President Obama also formally announced the
creation of a new White House task force to focus on the problems of the middle
class. The group, led by Vice President Joe Biden, will explore ways to expand
opportunities for education and training, improve the work-family balance,
restore labor standards, and protect retirement security.
“With this task force, we have a single, highly visible group with one
single goal: to raise the living standards of the people who are the backbone of
this country,” said Biden.
The task force has its own web site:
www.astrongmiddleclass.gov. The
site not only posts information, but also asks for ideas.
Preserve Raptor Jobs
Friday January
30, 2009
American Jobs, National Security,
and Billions of Dollars at Stake
Production of the world’s most
advanced fighter aircraft, the F-22 Raptor, is in jeopardy. Your help is
needed to urge the Obama Administration to save more than 95,000 American
jobs and more than $12 billion in national economic activity. Keeping the
production line of this model aerospace program open is not another bailout;
rather, it simply requires that the new administration release funds already
authorized by Congress to continue a successful program. By law,
President-elect Obama must decide whether to continue the Raptor program during
his first weeks in office. Please sign the petition to send the message to
Congress that Obama must approve continuing the Raptor program, and send a
letter to the White House urging the Administration to preserve F-22 Raptor
production to protect American jobs, our economy, and national security!
Click
here
to visit the IAM's MNPL Action Alert.
Click
here to sign the petition at
PreserveRaptorJobs.com
IAM Scholarship Deadline Looms
Friday January
30, 2009
This scholarship competition is open each year to members of the IAM and
their children throughout the United States and Canada under the procedures and
rules of eligibility explained in this Announcement.
The 2009 Scholarship Competition begins in August 2008 and runs through
February 27, 2009. Beginning in August 2008, applications will be accepted for
the 2009 Scholarship Competition. Applications will be available to seniors in
high school and IAM members and may be downloaded and printed from here.
An application can also be obtained by mail from the IAM Scholarship Department
after printing, completing and mailing the request form on this web page or in
the 2008 Fall IAM Journal issue.
The IAM Scholarship Fund, which is used exclusively to make possible these
awards, was established by the delegates to the 1960 IAM Grand Lodge Convention.
For more information click
here.
Public Support Strong for Employee Free Choice Act
Thursday January
15, 2009
Support for free choice remains strong, despite anti-worker campaigns aimed
at disarming U.S. employees of their right to unite for better wages, better
working conditions, and better health care.
A new
survey shows 78% of those polled support the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA)
– legislation that protects workers who wish to form a union.
The survey covered individuals from across the country and across party lines.
Even after the barrage anti-Free Choice Act ads, seventy-four percent of those
who identified as moderate or liberal Republicans were in favor of the Employee
Free Choice Act.
The report also shows 64 percent of those polled support strengthening penalties
against companies who illegally intimidate or fire workers trying to form a
union. And, 61 percent favor binding arbitration if a company will not agree to
a first contract.
“I am not at all surprised by the numbers,” says IAM International
President Tom Buffenbarger. “In today’s economy, where companies are
wheeling and dealing their numbers at the expense of their employees; forcing
them to submit to low pay and less than adequate health care coverage. It’s high
time workers get to do some negotiating of their own.”
Don’t forget to sign a “Million Member Mobilization” card to support The
Employee Free Choice Act. The AFL-CIO will present the cards to President-elect
Barack Obama and the new Congress to demonstrate the widespread support for
stronger laws to protect the right to choose a union and bargaining a first
contract free from unfair employer tactics.
Cards were sent to every IAM local and district lodge in the United States.
Signed
cards should be returned to local or district lodge representatives who will
then forward them to their respective territory offices. For information about
the Employee Free Choice Act, including a fact sheet and other background
information, click
here.
To sign an online version of the AFL-CIO card, click
here.
U.S. Jobless
Figure Tops 11 Million
Tuesday January
13, 2009
The U.S. economy is in a
free-fall and taking millions of U.S. jobs down with it.
The Department of Labor reports the unemployment rate soared to 7.2%
last month – the highest since World War II. According to the department,
2.6 million people lost their jobs last year
alone, bringing the total number of people currently without work to a whopping
11.1 million.
The manufacturing sector continues to experience the steepest losses with a
record number of plant closings and mass layoffs. Factory job losses totaled
791,000 in 2008, with nearly half of the
decrease occurring near the end of the year.
Unfortunately, all signs indicate things will only get worse before they get
better. Boeing announced it will put 4,500
people out on the street by the end of 2009. The same goes for AK Steel, which
expects to let go of about 45 Ohio workers after announcing a five percent pay
cut for 1,500 salaried workers just last month. The list goes on.
President-elect Barack Obama says the latest numbers are “sobering.” He’s
proposing an $800 billion stimulus package, which includes an emphasis on
infrastructure and energy. Obama asserts his plan will create between three and
four million jobs by 2010, with manufacturing and construction experiencing
particularly strong growth.
Congress is currently analyzing and debating the particulars of the proposal. A
final package is expected to hit Obama’s desk shortly after he is sworn into
office.
District 725 Delegate Body Meeting
Saturday January 17, 2009
Huntington Beach, CA
11:00 a.m.
The first regularly scheduled District Lodge 725 Delegate Body meeting of
the year will be held on Saturday January 17, 2009 in Huntington Beach,
California. The meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
Call For
Endorsements and Nominations by Local Lodges Chartered in the United
States, Puerto Rico and Guam
Monday
January 5, 2009
In accordance with IAM&AW Official
Circular 835 issued January 1, 2009, the following information is hereby
communicated to the membership:
The IAM&AW has
issued a official call for endorsements of nominees for the offices of
International President, General Secretary-Treasurer, six (6) General Vice
Presidents, delegates to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of
Industrial Organizations and members of the committee on law, in accordance with
Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution.
All candidates
must be qualified pursuant to the requirements of Article III, Section 3 of the
IAM Constitution.
Instructions:
Upon receipt of this circular each Local Lodge shall serve notice upon its
members by shop bulletin, mail or otherwise, that at the last (or only) regular
meeting in the month of January, 2009, the Lodge may, by a majority vote of
those voting, endorse for nomination one (1) candidate for International
President, one (1) candidate for General Secretary-Treasurer, six (6) candidates
for General Vice Presidents, five (5) candidates for the committee on law (one
shall be from Canada) and three (3) candidates for delegates to the AFL-CIO.
A failure to nominate the required number of candidates shall invalidate the
nomination or endorsement for that office, committee or delegation, in
accordance with the provisions of Article III, Section 4 or the Constitution.
Pursuant to the
requirements of Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution, on or before 12
o’clock midnight, January 31, 2009, the Recording Secretary shall forward to
the General Secretary-Treasurer by registered or certified mail a correct list
of all endorsements for nomination and the offices for which the members are
nominated, together with their Lodge numbers and card numbers, pursuant to the
requirements of Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution.
Keep Up
Pressure for Employee Free Choice Act
Friday
January 9, 2009
Corporate interests are already ramping up their campaign to derail
the Employee Free Choice Act in the 2009 Congress. IAM members should
keep up the pressure to get their Senators and Representatives in
Congress to co-sponsor and vote for the bill.
Take Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D). She seems to thinks it’s not
necessary for the men and women of her state to earn more money and
receive better benefits. The Associated Press reports Lincoln is
considering voting against the Employee Free Choice Act. The senator
told reporters she doesn’t feel there’s a need right now for the
legislation, which would ensure that workers have a free choice and a
fair chance to form a union.
“I find Senator Lincoln’s views regarding a bill that would protect the
wages and benefits of America’s hardworking men and women
inconceivable,” says IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger.
“According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the state of Arkansas’s
average weekly wage ranks 44th in the nation. It appears to me the men
and women of that state need as much economic help as they can get.
Union membership is the best way to preserve family-wage jobs and
benefits and a right that every American should have.”
IAM members can help pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) by signing
a card to support EFCA and click here to send a message to your Senators
and Representative to urge them to co-sponsor the legislation in the
2009 Congress. EFCA “Million Member Mobilization” cards were sent to
every IAM local and district lodge in the country.
Signed
cards should be returned to local and district lodge
representatives, who will then forward them to their respective
territory offices.
For information about the Employee Free Choice Act, including a fact
sheet and other background information, click
here. To sign an online version of the AFL-CIO card, click
here.
Learn more
about the Employee Free Choice Act
Monday
January 5, 2009
America’s workers are
struggling to make ends meet. Paychecks are shrinking and health care is
skyrocketing while CEOs earn millions. In today’s economy, we need
policies that give workers a fair shake.
The
Employee Free Choice Act will make it easier for men and women to
join a union in their workplace. The legislation would give workers a
fair and direct path to form unions through
majority sign-up, help employees
secure a contract with their employer in a reasonable period of
time, and
toughen penalties against employers who violate their workers'
rights.
The Employee Free Choice Act
can restore the balance, giving more workers a chance to form unions and
get better health care, job security, and benefits – and an opportunity
to pursue their dreams.
The Employee Free Choice Act
will:
Strengthen penalties
against employers who break the law. Too many unscrupulous
employers get away with breaking labor laws because the current
penalties are too weak. The Employee Free Choice Act would increase
penalties against employers who illegally fire or retaliate against
pro-union workers during an organizing campaign or an effort to obtain a
first contract.
Read more about strengthened penalties.
Allow employers or
employees to request mediation if they’re unable to negotiate a
first contract. Under current law, anti-union employers often drag
workers through lengthy negotiations by delaying bargaining sessions,
withholding relevant information, and putting forth bogus proposals.
Even though these tactics are illegal, there are no effective deterrents
to prevent “surface bargaining.” The Employee Free Choice Act will
strengthen workers’ ability to achieve a first contract within a
reasonable period of time.
Read more about mediation & arbitration.
The Employee Free
Choice Act would allow workers to form a union through “majority
sign-up.” If workers know they want a union, we should have
laws that let them have it. The Employee Free Choice Act would require
an employer to recognize its employees’ union when a majority has signed
union authorization cards. Under current law, management can refuse to
recognize a union even when 100 percent of employees have signed
authorization cards. After a majority of workers have signed cards, an
employer can still call for a separate election. Under the current
system, then, the employer gets to decide whether a separate election is
necessary. The Employee Free Choice Act would give this choice to the
workers.
Read more about majority sign-up.
The IAM's i-Mail is an Internet based communication tool that was
launched recently. IAM members can receive a short email containing a
hyperlink to the most recent news items involving IAM members, Local Lodges
and District Lodges. Published once or twice a week, i-Mail also highlights
the best web sites in the labor movement. Don't delay,
sign up for i-Mail today!
Click here
to see archived District 725 Calendar of Events
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