Labor issues you care about in streaming video.

The Battle of Valley Ford
February 12, 2008 - In January, America's midwest turns cold and windy. That becomes more obvious if you're spending January on strike like the workers in Hazelwood, Missouri.

Our Skills, Our Kids...Seattle
February 7, 2008 - As the America's Edge Tour wound its way across the USA, support for its message swelled and a stop in Seattle gave the tour even more of a push.

Our Skills, Our Kids...Wichita
February 6, 2008 - From St. Louis to Wichita, that's where the IAM's America's Edge Tour headed next. To see the faces and hear the voices of those people who have made Wichita the Air Capital City of the world.

Our Skills, Our Kids...St. Louis
February 4, 2008 - After the Space Coast and a visit to the South, it was time for the IAM's America's Edge Tour to visit the heartland.

Our Skills, Our Kids...
February 1, 2008 - The IAM lead a seven day, eight state tour across the country to talk to thousands about the importance of educating the next generation and making sure our kids have a future.

The Pivotal Powers
January 30, 2008 - Pick up a newspaper or tunrn on the television and you will probably quickly find a story about China, India or one of the other countries experiencing new growth. The changing faces of these countries touches us here in America, but many wonder if it's a good or bad thing for the U.S.

Stimulating The Economy
January 28, 2007 - Right now it's the question on everyone's mind. How do we fix the economy? Many believe a temporary solution is needed right away to stop the United States from slipping into a devastating recession.

Behind The Chinese Miracle
January 24, 2008 - For the past few decades China has seen unprecedented growth. Unfortunately, many of these workers in the country aren't reaping the benefits of this expansion.

There's No Place Like Home
January 18, 2008 - Hurricane Katrina may have hit the Gulf Coast more than two years ago but for many the nightmare continues.

Taking The Lead
January 15, 2007 - It's an election year and already things are in full swing. So far both of the candidates chosen by the IAM membership are taking the lead and making headlines around the world.

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.

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President Buffenbarger Rips into Obama

Before a raucous crowd of Hillary Clinton supporters in Youngstown, OH Tuesday night, IAM President Tom Buffenbarger ripped into Senator Barack Obama, taking aim at Obama’s lackluster record as a state Senator and his unwillingness to fight for working families.

“He took a walk every time there was a tough vote in the Illinois state senate. Took a walk more than 130 times! That’s what a shadow boxer does. All the right moves, all the right combinations, all the right footwork --- but never steps into the ring. He walks away from the fight,” said Buffenbarger.

Buffenbarger also spoke at length about Obama’s trip to Galesburg, IL in 2004, in which Obama spoke to Machinists at Maytag who were fighting to keep their factory open. The Maytag plant would eventually close and Obama did little as more than 1,600 Machinists saw their jobs shipped to Mexico. In fact, before speaking to IAM members, he accepted more than $120,000 in campaign contributions from the Crown family, including Maytag’s single largest stockholder, Lester Crown.

“Barack so loved his own performance that he made Galesburg part of his presidential stump speech,” said Buffenbarger. “All he proved is that like Janus, the two-faced Roman god, he could ACT like a friend of the working man as he DANCED to the tune dictated by billionaires.”

The criticism of Obama comes as Machinists and working families throughout the country find their livelihoods at stake heading into the 2008 presidential election, struggling to deal with a rapidly spreading mortgage crisis, skyrocketing unemployment, hefty retirement costs and the continued loss of jobs.

“Hillary Clinton is a fighter. She’s our kind of fighter. All her life she’s fought our battles. For our jobs, for our health care, for our kids and for our country,” said Buffenbarger. “The Republican attack machine has taken its best shot at her time and time again and she’s still standing – and she’s still fighting for us.”

Click here to President Buffenbarger's full text.

GAO Questions Forest Service Outsourcing

Bush Administration claims that ‘competitive sourcing’ in the U.S. Forest Service saved taxpayers millions of dollars are based on shoddy and misleading accounting practices, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Competitive sourcing forces either the outsourcing of federal employees’ jobs or radical internal downsizing and reorganization.

GAO found that the Forest Service did not track significant costs, excluded others, and lacked sufficient data to back up claims of cost savings. In one case, $35.2 million in savings was reported to Congress for the competitive sourcing reorganization of information technology that failed to include costs of over $40 million.

The Forest Service followed the same accounting guidance from the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that is used by all federal agencies. GAO’s findings undermine White House claims that competitive sourcing will save billions of dollars. In addition, the GAO report noted the program jeopardized the nation’s ability to fight fires and respond to other emergencies.

“In this revealing snapshot of one federal agency, we see the White House misleading Congress and the American people about the true costs of privatizing the federal workforce,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “Congress should take a hard look at the scope of this dishonest accounting and the extent to which this kind of outsourcing is eating away at our country’s ability to provide essential services to its citizens.”

Although Congress recently acted to shut down the Forest Service competitive sourcing program for fiscal year 2008, the administration has proposed it be reinstated in 2009. “It is crucial that the current Forest Service outsourcing ban stay in place until the agency can develop and obtain Congressional approval of a plan to implement GAO’s recommendations,” stated Mark Davis, Chair of the IAM-NFFE Forest Service Council Legislative Committee.

IAM Forges Ahead With WSL Affiliation

GLR Steve Nickel, second from right, SR Gary Schmidt, far left, and the WSL Executive Board

The Midwest Territory brought 236 new members into the IAM with an affiliation with the Workers Security League union. The new IAM members work in production and maintenance at Modern Drop Forge in Blue Island, IL.

“Excitement filled the air during the discussions with this new group of members,” said Territory Organizing Leader Steve Nickel. “They look forward to attending classes at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center. They were impressed with our Strategic Resources Department, other IAM departments and all services the IAM has to offer.” Enthusiasm ran so high that the affiliation vote passed by an overwhelming majority.

Another major factor in the affiliation was that the IAM represents so many workers at companies that Modern Drop Forge does business with like Harley-Davidson, Mercury Marine, Honeywell, Bombardier, and Federal Mogul.

“We are proud to represent our new members and honor their long tradition as true trade unionists,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Phil Gruber. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication in this effort by Administrative Assistant Roger Nauyalis, Grand Lodge Representative Steve Nickel and Special Representative Gary Schmidt.

IAM Special Assistant Tim Cross to Retire

IAM Special Assistant to the General Secretary-Treasurer Tim Cross will be retiring after more than 30 years as an IAM member and activist. Cross first joined the IAM in 1974 as a member of Local Lodge 1977 in Letonia, OH while he was employed at NRM Corp. as a dispatcher. He served on the Local’s Negotiating Committee, then as Vice President and went on to be the Lodge President in 1983.

Cross became a Delegate to District 28 and a District Organizer in 1990. He was elected as a District 28 Business Rep. in 1992. In 2000, Cross was named Education Representative for the Eastern Territory and in 2003 he became the Eastern Territory Administrative Assistant. In 2004 Cross joined the staff at IAM Headquarters as a Special Assistant to the General Secretary-Treasurer, Warren L. Mart.

“Tim Cross brought a high standard of service to every job he held as an IAM member,” said Mart. “He is a great trade unionist and has always been dedicated to the Machinists union and bettering the lives of all IAM members. We wish him a great retirement and thank him for his more than 30 years of exemplary service to the Machinists union.”

IAM Scholarship Application Deadline Feb. 22

Each year, the IAM scholarship program helps many IAM members and children of IAM members complete a four-year college degree or two-year technical/vocational program.

If you are a member, or child of a member, who meets the eligibility guidelines, your IAM Scholarship application must be postmarked no later than February 22, 2008.

To download application information and eligibility rules, go to http://www.goiam.org/iamscholarship or call 301-967-4708

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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
Winter 2008

Skills Pat Maloney examines parts before they are put on Boeing aircraft. Any primary processing defects, problems with the metal or even the smallest crack, Maloney is the one who needs to catch it.

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