Labor issues you care about in streaming video.

IAM's Political Fight For Families
January 2, 2008 - Iowa is a Midwest make up of farm land, faith and close knit neighbors. At IAM Local 831 in Cedar Rapids family is number one.

A Christmas Story
December 19, 2007 - Police officers, firefighters, EMS workers and the like are the people you only call when you need them the most. But you need to know that these men and women give of themselves both on and off the job.

A Global Solution
December 19, 2007 - Capitol Hill set the stage for a momentous event recently. Two hundred union leaders from sixty three countries met to come up with ways to stop the worldwide attacks on trade unionists.

Iowa Rallies For Clinton
December 18, 2007 - On January 3, 2008, Iowa is going to make headlines as the first state in the nation to hold its presidential primary, the earliest date in history for a primary to be held.

Fingers Crossed At The PEB
December 13, 2007 - This is a story that's been going on for nearly a decade. For the past eight years, 10,000 Amtrak workers have been without a contract or a raise.

United Airlines Forgets Its Roots

December 11, 2007 - United Airlines has come up with a plan. It's going to pay its stockholders a special, one-time per share dividend to keep them coming back for more. But labor leaders wonder why United isn't worried about its employees coming back.

Behind the Candidates
November 27, 2007 - As the presidential election gets closer, you are going to see a lot more of the candidates. But sometimes it's the faces you don't see, like those of the candidate's economic advisors.

The Dogs Take Vegas
November 20, 2007 -More than sixty years ago a Machinist named Joseph Jones founded an organization called the Guide Dogs of America. Through his work he and countless others have given thousands of people the gift of sight.

U.S. Senators Hold Nominees Accountable
November 20, 2007 - The U.S. Senate's Labor Committee recently held a hearing on President Bush's nominees for two powerful positions at the Department Labor.

CAFTA Strikes El Salvador
November 9, 2007 - CAFTA was supposed to change the world. The promise was that this would increase the economies of many countries but workers from both sides of the continent agree, CAFTA didn't deliver.

Rally the Troops
November 9, 2007 - This Fall, the National Labor Relations Board has not been kind to workers in its decisions. The men and women of organized labor want the NLRB to know, they aren't going away quietly.

Hot Days Are Over!!!
November 5, 2007 - The IAM strike at the Kennedy Space Center is finally over! After nearly five months of walking the line, hundreds of Machinists are heading back to work.

Bridging the Gap: Part Two
November 2, 2007 - Last week we aird a story about the millions of Americans who work full time but because of low wages and no benefits, still can't make ends meet. This week, we bring you a story on ways organized labor can help close these income gaps.

2007 Automotive Conference: Thinking Outside the Box
October 30, 2007 - The last few decades have dramatically changed America's industrial landscape. The automotive field is no stranger to this new world. The challenge for the IAM is to harness this power by thinking outside of the box.

Bridging the Gap: Part One
October 26, 2007 - The middle class is caught in a trap. Although most work full time becasue of low wages and no benefits, millions of Americans still can't make ends meet.

NASA On Notice
October 19, 2007 - Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of Ohio took the floor in the US House of Representatives this week in support of the IAM workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Labor's Red Carpet
October 19, 2007 - For the past seven years, the DC Labor Film Fest has been celebrating workers around the world. Premiering at the American Fil Institute Theatre in Silver Spring, this event turns the Hollywood spotlight on what really matters.

Pushing State Politics
October 11, 2007 - The Northern Virginia CLC canvassed the community last weekend in support of Chap Peterson for State Senate.

A New World Order
October 5, 2007 - Globalization is something organized labor has been talking about for years. But nowadays, the issue seems to seep into conversations around the world, no matter your economic status and many are starting to notice its' dramatic effects.

Financing the Future
October 2, 2007 - House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, doesn't paint a promising picture of the country's long term fiscal growth if nothing changes.

A Call To Duty
September 28, 2007 - National Service or working for a non-profit organization may not be something you think of as a job option. But some people are starting to look at it as a key for developing future leaders.

Sharing Bankruptcy Backlash
September 27, 2007 - Unfortunately, most workers know the hardships of corporate bankruptcy. That's why Congress is trying to pass a new bankruptcy bill to protect the men and women who helped build the organization.

Uninsured America
September 26, 2007 - Families USA, a national non-profit voice for health care, just came out with startling statistics about uninsured Americans. According to their data, the health insurance issue in the U.S. is worse than it looks.

Fresh Faces on the Hill: Congresswoman Laura Richardson
September 21, 2007 - IAM member Laura Richardson is the newest additon to Capitol Hill, representing California's 37th District.

Something About A Harley
September 17, 2007 - Machinists never say no to the Guide Dogs and most members won't turn down a Harley ride either. For the IAM, Hogs and Dogs just works.

Protecting Programs That Work
September 14, 2007 - The Alliance for Retired Americans is a substantial voice for senior issues and one that may impact the next presidential race.

Congress's Machinist
September 11, 2007 - The IAM has always had some friends on Capitol Hill. But until now, they never had one of their own. On September 4th, Laura Richardson became the first Machinist in Congress.

IAM's Seal of Approval
September 10, 2007 - At the 2007 National Staff Conference held just weeks ago, the IAM endorsed two presidential candidates...Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Mike Huckabee.

Hot Days At NASA September 7, 2007 - Since June 14, 2007 nearly 500 members from IAM's Local Lodge 2061 have been on strike at the Kennedy Space Center. The place that once helped to launch a man on the moon, can't seem to put a fair contract on the table.

Conversations with the Candidates
Hear what the candidates have to say about jobs, globalization, healthcare and the other domestic issues that matter most to you.

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IAM Files Election Petition for Lockheed Flight Specialists

The IAM today filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for an election to represent 850 Automated Flight Service Specialists (AFSS) employed by Lockheed Martin.

The IAM currently represents more than 15,000 Lockheed Martin employees under thirty-five contracts at forty-six sites nationwide. More than half of these contracts are negotiated under the unique guidelines of the Service Contract Act.

The IAM is the preeminent union in North America for service contract workers with more members in this specialized sector than any other organization.

“The IAM is working closely with the AFSS group at Lockheed Martin to win the right to negotiate the pay and benefits they deserve,” said IAM General Vice President Rich Michalski. “They’ve developed a tremendous communications network since the start of the campaign and we’re looking forward to the election.”

Obama Chided for Maytag Remarks

IAM President Tom Buffenbarger this week called on Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) to stop his public hand wringing over the loss of 1,600 jobs when Maytag moved from Galesburg, IL, to Reynosa, Mexico.

“He didn’t lift a finger to help those people when they needed help the most,” said Buffenbarger. “Even now, he doesn’t have a clue and thinks those jobs went overseas and not to Mexico.”

In recent campaign speeches, Sen. Obama has repeatedly cited the plight of Maytag workers in his bid to win sympathy and support from union members battered by factory closings and lost jobs.

“This is the same candidate who recently labeled unions as ‘special interest’ groups with too much influence in Washington, D.C.,” said Buffenbarger. “For the last eight years, we’ve defended our members’ jobs, pensions and health care benefits against a political agenda that’s been openly hostile to unions and working families. But a Johnny-come-lately candidate won’t solve the problem facing blue collar families.”

FedEx Ordered to Pay Millions to Employees

The Internal Revenue Service has ordered FedEx Corp. to pay back taxes and fines totaling nearly $320 million to ground employees who were improperly classified as independent contractors.

The ruling covers employees of FedEx in 2002, with similar investigations underway for those hired between 2004 and 2006. FedEx disclosed the ruling recently in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The IRS’s ruling is one of many in recent months finding FedEx Ground improperly classifies their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees, allowing them to shift millions of dollars in expenses to the drivers. FedEx’s misuse of the “independent contractor” status has spawned lawsuits in nearly 30 states, which were granted class action status by a federal judge in Indiana recently.

A new report from the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) and American Rights at Work found FedEx is “circumventing federal anti-discrimination laws, avoiding payment of millions of dollars in benefits to 15,000 FedEx Ground drivers and hindering workers’ rights to form unions.”

Click here to learn more about this issue.

Register Now for MLK Observance in Memphis

More than 500 labor and civil rights activists will take part in the 2008 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday Observance in Memphis, TN. This year’s observance will take place from January 17-21 and mark the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King, who traveled to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers there.

The week-long observance, coordinated by the AFL-CIO Executive Civil Rights Committee and the federation’s Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Department, also includes workshops, guest speakers and community service activities in addition to the annual Martin Luther King, Jr., parade in downtown Memphis on January 21.

Hotel rooms for this historic event are still available at the rate of $109 per night by contacting Hyatt Place Hotel directly at 901-680-9700 or toll free at 888-492-8847. Be sure to identify yourself as a participant in the MLK Holiday Observance. Additional information and registration forms for the observance are available online at http://www.aflcio.org/issues/civilrights/MLK.cfm.

New Poll Lists Top Voter Concerns

A host of domestic issues, including the economy and health care, are the most pressing issues for Americans as the 2008 election season kicks off this week with the Iowa caucuses, according to polling released by the Associated Press and Yahoo News.

Fifty-three percent of respondents listed health care as an “extremely important” issue in the 2008 elections, up from 48 percent in November. The poll found 65 percent of Americans favor universal health care coverage, compared to just 34 percent who favor the current system.

The economy was also a top concern, with 52 percent of those polled rating it as “extremely important,” up from 46 percent in November. Nearly 50 percent of Americans listed Social Security and gas prices as “extremely important” as well, ahead of such issues as the war in Iraq and terrorism.

On both the economy and health care, a majority of those polled overwhelmingly favored Democrats to handle those issues over Republicans.

Bush Kills Health Care Hope for Millions

President Bush signed legislation maintaining current funding levels for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through March 2009, despite broad bi-partisan support to expand the program and provide more children with health insurance.

The President twice vetoed legislation that would have expanded SCHIP by $35 billion over the next five years, continuing health care coverage for more than six million mostly low-income children while providing coverage for an additional four million children.

House Democrats have said they will continue to fight for the expansion of SCHIP. “The health of our children is of the highest priority to the Democrats in the Congress of the United States,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “Let it be clear that Democrats will not rest until 10 million children in America have access to health care, and that it is paid for. Let it be clear that we will persist with this effort.”

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2006 IAM Newsletter & Website Contest Awards
Newsletter Award entries are judged on Layout & Design, Best Feature and General Excellence. Local lodges and Districts are judged separately.

The goal of the USA is to create an outdoor hunting and fishing club exclusively for union members and their families. TRCP Launches Union Sportsmen’s Alliance

IAM members can now purchase union gear online at the IAM Store.

IAM Journal
Fall 2007

Choices!Americans can choose to register to vote or not, select a political party or remain independent; follow the campaigns closely or tune in later; switch off the debates or debate with friends over the merits of various candidates; and, finally, choose to cast a ballot or stay home.

The 2008 Convention website is online. The site features updates, travel tips, convention news reports, info for the media, and official convention gear. Check it out.

IAM Member Benefits mean money-saving discounts for IAM members and their families.

Your union source for Sharp® and Océ® copiers, high-speed duplicating and archiving equipment, fax machines and Hasler® postage equipment, along with over 35,000 items you can order online.

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Enter member ID PS16626766 when ordering online or call 1-877-289-9437. When ordering, you must reference code: PS16626766 to receive your union discount.

See who works for you, how the IAM is structured, and what services the IAM offers.
Go to: IAM2007

Read the International Metalworkers' Federation magazine 'Metal World'

FlatRateTech is an organization “created for and by Ford and Lincoln Mercury service technicians solely to speak as one loud voice rather than 50,000 smaller voices.” according to their website The fast-growing site offers forums for Ford customers, technicians and dealers to exchange information.

IAM
Executive Council

Tom Buffenbarger
International President

Warren L. Mart
Secretary-Treasurer

Lee Pearson
GVP Western Territory

Dave Ritchie
GVP Canada

Robert Roach,Jr.
GVP Transportation

Lynn Tucker
GVP Eastern Territory

Robert Martinez
GVP Southern Territory

Richard Michalski
GVP Headquarters

Philip J. Gruber
GVP Midwest Territory