October 26, 2005 - “The Air Transport and Railroad industries are ripe with attractive opportunities to organize tens of thousands of workers,” said Transportation General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “Based on the input from our Local Lodge Presidents, the Transportation Department has developed a new organizing structure, identified targets and is launching aggressive organizing campaigns for all air and rail workers who are not members of an AFL-CIO union.”
Jay Cronk has been named to the new position of Transportation Coordinator and is responsible for all Transportation Department organizing activities as well as other projects assigned by GVP Roach. Additionally, three Grand Lodge Representatives will serve as Territorial Organizing Leaders (TOLs). Each TOL is responsible for one of three geographical regions of the United States; East, Midwest or West.
Airlines and railroads in the United States must organize under the Railway Labor Act (RLA). The RLA requires all of a company’s employees in a classification to be organized nationwide at the same time.
“All three Air Transport District Lodges and Railroad District 19 each have at least one full-time organizer dedicated to the task of growing our union and showing workers the benefits of IAM representation,” said Roach. “With the leads and assistance provided by our Local Lodges, we will be successful.”
