A September 11th Message from Tom Buffenbarger

A decade ago, in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th attacks, I expressed the outrage of our union at what had just occurred. I explained in a message to IAM members that “It was our planes that were used as weapons of mass destruction. It was our members who were forced to endure the unimaginable nightmare. It was our members who were among the murdered.” I pledged then that “we will have our vengeance.”

U.S. Senate Funds C-17 Program, Saves 30,000 Jobs

Thirty-thousand workers across America, including thousands of IAM members, are thankful that a bipartisan group of senators approved the continued funding of the C-17 Globemaster cargo plane.

Boeing Contract Settlement for District Lodge 24, District Lodge 70 and District Lodge 751

IAM Members Rally for New Contract at Boeing

Several thousand IAM members and their families turned out on August 24 in SeaTac, WA, to send a strong message to the Boeing Company that “It’s Our Time, This Time,” as negotiations for a new agreement moved into the final stages.

Round-the-Clock Bargaining Begins at Boein

IAM negotiators entered the Doubletree Hotel in SeaTac, WA, today for the start of traditional round-the-clock bargaining with representatives of the Boeing Company. At stake is a new contract covering nearly 27,000 Machinists in Washington state, Oregon, Kansas and California. All bargaining subcommittees and Main Table negotiators expect to meet throughout the day and into the evening.

Hawker Beechcraft Plans Mexican Assembly Plant

Wichita, KS, June 24, 2008 - In a move that will send economic shock waves across Kansas for generations, Hawker Beechcraft is planning to build a tip-to-tail aircraft assembly plant in Chihuahua, Mexico. The company plans to move from manufacturing small parts to full aircraft assembly after 2012.

Machinists Open Contract Talks with Boeing

May 13, 2008 - With soaring profits and more orders for new aircraft than it can handle, the Boeing Company should be looking to its 27,000 Machinists with a combination of gratitude and partnership. Instead, Boeing used the opening round of contract negotiations to propose an end to the traditional pension plan for new hires.

Clock Ticking on Tanker Decision

April 29, 2008 - With less than two months remaining before the Government Accountability Office is set to rule on a formal objection filed by Boeing, opponents of the U.S. Air Force’s decision to award a $40 billion tanker contract to Airbus and Northrop Grumman are stepping up the pressure.

Machinists Ratify Space Center Contract

Cape Canaveral, FL, November 4, 2007 - Members of Local 2061 today ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with United Space Alliance (USA), ending a four-month strike by nearly 500 workers at the Kennedy Space Center.

Pay and Pensions Highlight New Pact at BAE Systems

October 2, 2007 - Nearly 450 members of Local 2768 in Irving, TX, who assemble and test electronic equipment for Boeing aircraft, ratified a new three-year agreement with BAE Systems over the weekend.

Contract for 5,700 at Cessna Expires Sept. 16

September 11, 2007 - With less than a week to go before the contract expires for 5,700 members at Cessna Aircraft Co., the prospect of a strike at the Wichita-based plane maker becomes more real every day.