Labor issues you care about in streaming video.

The Future Looks Green
February 20, 2009 - Once upon a time, the term "GREEN JOBS" was a concept for the future. Today, the idea is very much a reality and many say a way to help secure this country's economic standing.

Protecting the Skies
February 18, 2009 - Protecting IAM members and the flying public is priority number one for the Machinists Union's Transportation Department.

Middle Class Forced to Use Food Banks
February 13, 2009 - As the number of job losses mount and as the recession rages on, unemployed Americans are turning to food pantries for support.

Rallying for EFCA
February 11, 2009 - Statistics state that nearly 60 million workers would form or join a union tomorrow if they had the opportunity. Passing the Employee Free Choice Act would guarantee those 60 million get that chance.

Lily's Leading the Way
February 9, 2009 - No matter your race, religion or gender, everyone should be paid the same amount for the same job. With new legislation signed just weeks ago by President Obama, it's now easier to make sure an injustice like unfair pay doesen't happen.

Trade Policy Now or Never
February 3, 2009 - Right now Congress is at work putting together an economic stimulus package. Trade experts say as part of that package, now is the time to start reforming the U.S. trade policy.

Remembering MLK
January 21, 2009 - For many the "I Have A Dream" by MLK is more than just history. It's the idea that together we can do anything. That very thought is what ties the labor movement and the civil rights movement together and brought nearly 1,000 brothers and sisters to New Orleans to help those who need it most.

NWA/Delta Merger: January 09 Update
January 26, 2009 - The merger of Delta and Northwest Airlines leaves many workers wondering about their future. Especially because Northwest Airlines is unionized, but Delta is not. This has workers asking alot of questions.

President Barack Obama's Inauguration
January 22, 2009 - January 20, 2009 was a clear but bitter cold day in DC that will go down in history. Millions of people in Washington and worldwide watched as Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States of America, making him the first African American to hold the highest office in the land.

Watching Congress
January 9, 2009 - The economy, the War in Iraq, the automakers trouble, the state of America hasn't been in this much chaos since the days of FDR. That's why it's even more important for President Elect Barack Obama and Congress to work together, starting day one.

True Christmas Spirit
December 19, 2008 - For 24 years the spirit of Christmas has come alive in Prince George's County. Especially during the annual holiday food basket program.

Workers First
December 17, 2008 - For 120 years the IAM has been protecting workers. This week at the Center for American Progress in Washington DC, the idea of putting workers first took the spotlight.

NWA/Delta Merger: December 08 Update
December 11, 2008 - Whether you are for or against it, the merger between Northwest and Delta Airlines is happening.

N.C. Machinists - Obama's Team Wants Change
December 9, 2008 - Striking members of IAM LL W369 in North Carolina were in Washington, DC to attend a forum on Community, Faith, & Democracy.

A Green Recovery
December 5, 2008 - For some, it's hard to think about a greener tomorrow when families are having to choose today between paying the mortgage or putting food on the table. But many people believe that investing in a green recovery may help to solve America's current economic crisis.

Guide Dogs Diamond Anniversary
November 26, 2008 - The Guide Dogs of America celeberated its 60th Diamond Anniversary in Las Vegas last week.

The Face of Foreclosure
October 21, 2008 - As lawmakers work to find a solution to the US foreclosure crisis, thousands of working class Americans, including some IAM members, struggle to keep homes in the midst of this economic downturn.

NWA/Delta Merger: A Future Bailout?
October 15, 2008 - In one of the most volatile financial times in history, it seems wrong to many that a possible airline merger is still being considered.

A Fresh Look At Healthcare
October 12, 2008 - With the presidential election just weeks away, Americans are taking a serious look at the issues. As always healthcare is close to the top of the priority list.

Retirees Take On Raytheon
September 26, 2008 - After 26 years, IAM member Dave Lillie retired from Raytheon. At the end of his more than two decades as a tool and die maker, he believed retirement would be bliss. Raytheon saw it another way.

Closing Day for the 37th ConventionSeptember 12, 2008 - Welcome to the closing day for the IAM's 37th Grand Lodge Convention. It's been a busy week but alot has been accomplished.

Freedom Of ReligionSeptember 11, 2008 - No matter how, when or why you do it, every person in the U.S. and Canada has the right to Freedom. "Freedom of Religion" was the theme on the fifth day of the 37th Grand Lodge Convention.

Freedom From Want
September 10, 2008
Freedom from want is another one of the four freedoms Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke about more than 60 years ago. "Freedom From Want" was the theme on the fourth day of the 37th Grand Lodge Convention.

New Dues Structure
September 10, 2008
More than 32 years ago, union delegates gathered in a room like this, changed the financial structure of the IAM. Today, that decision was again in front of this year's delegaes who voted o amend the current financial structure.

HRC Becomes Honorary IAM Member
September 8, 2008 - Nothing seems to bring the Machinists to their feet like Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. She spoke at the the 37th Grand Lodge Convention where she became an honorary lifetime member of the IAM.

Freedom From Fear
September 8, 2008 - In some of the most famous words ever spoken, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." "Freedom From Fear" was the theme on the second day of the 37th Grand Lodge Convention.

Opening Day for the 37th Convention
September 7, 2008 - Today the IAM opened its 37th Grand Lodge Convention. This week promises a nod to the past as we look for solutions to the problems of the future.

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IAM Applauds Obama Career Training Proposal

The IAM applauded President Barack Obama’s remarks this week about the need for lawmakers and educators to work together to give American workers the vocational training they will need to survive and thrive in the new economy.

In a frank and detailed speech to a joint session of Congress, President Obama outlined programs and goals he said are essential to rebuilding the U.S. economy, including providing the option for a year or more of technical career training for every American.

“It is our responsibility as lawmakers and as educators to make this system work,” declared President Obama. “But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. So tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship.”

The president’s proposal echoes goals set by the IAM more than 16 months ago, when they launched ‘America’s Edge; Our Skills, Our Kids,’ a campaign to draw attention to the absence of skills training opportunities for young people seeking an alternative to a traditional four-year college education.

“The need for sophisticated skills training programs is even greater now than it was a year and a half ago,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. “An entire generation of highly skilled workers is preparing to retire. Without a means to train the next generation, we will face a high-skills deficit that will put our nation and our economy at a serious disadvantage. The president is absolutely correct to give this issue the high priority it deserves.”

Mexico Feels NAFTA Backlash

Nearly 15 years after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) became law, the global recession is exposing a new dimension of the controversial trade accord.

High unemployment is on the march in Mexico, where manufacturing companies are moving abroad in search of lower costs and even cheaper labour. Sound familiar? Recent statistics show the Mexican economy in tatters, with auto and manufacturing workers suffering a fate not unlike Canadian and U.S. workers who saw tens of thousands of their jobs fly south in the wake of NAFTA.

More than a half-million Mexican workers lost manufacturing jobs since November 2008, as the official unemployment rate climbed to 4.3 percent. The actual unemployment rate in Mexico is much higher, as the government counts anyone working even one hour a week as being employed.

With Canadian and U.S. unemployment hitting record highs each month, Canadian and U.S. workers may be slow to sympathize with Mexican workers losing jobs that were once performed north of their border, but workers in all of North America now share something besides a similar former occupation: They’re all casualties of NAFTA.

The migration of Canadian and U.S. manufacturing jobs to Mexico was initially touted as necessary to jump start the development of new industries in all three countries. But with corporations now looking beyond Mexico to China, South Korea and Indonesia, it’s increasingly clear that whatever NAFTA may give, NAFTA can also take away.

As the years pass and workers in one country after another feel the pain of NAFTA, the question to ask is not who’s losing, but is anyone really winning?

Toronto Health Care Workers Join Local 1295

One hundred and seventy workers at Ambutrans Incorporated in Toronto, Ontario, are the latest health care sector workers to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

The newest members of Lodge 1295 in Toronto provide non-emergency ambulatory patient transfers from Toronto to Durham Region in the east and Mississauga in the west. This is the second group of patient transfer workers to join the IAM this year. One hundred workers at Ontario Patient Transfer in Hamilton joined Local 1295 in January. The IAM also represents Patient Transfer workers at Medi-Van in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

“The need for structure in this industry is very important to these workers, that and the desire for better wages and benefits are the reasons they turned to the Machinists,” said District 78 Organizer Scott Jackson. “I can’t say enough about the hard work of apprentice organizers Roy Bhansingh and Ralph Martin. They were in constant contact with our new members either by text messaging or through the use of our web site. Communication was a key factor.”

Tennessee Machinists Ratify Four-Year Pact at Trane

Local 1296 Bargaining Committee (Front row left to right) Sandra Threatt, Vice President, Mike Lee, Committee Representative and Tom O'Heron, IAM Director, Collective Bargaining Dept. (Back row Left to right) Robert Cole, Committee Representative, Keith Jackson, Benefits Representative, Rickey Wallace, ADBR District 711, and Robert Lewis, Local 1296 President.

More than 1,000 IAM members of Local 1296 in Clarksville, TN, have a new four-year agreement with Trane Company, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of heating, air conditioning and ventilating equipment.

The contract, which received a unanimous recommendation from the union’s bargaining committee, provides for a $1,500 lump sum payment upon ratification in addition to annual raises in the second, third and fourth year of the agreement. The contract also provides for a 7.5 percent increase in employer pension contributions and holds the line on employee health care costs, with caps in place to limit future increases.

Prior to the negotiations, the Local 1296 Bargaining Committee took part in the unique Negotiation Preparation Class offered at the William W. Winpisinger Center. In the week-long class, union negotiators draft contract proposals and prepare communication techniques to keep members at Trane informed throughout the process.

“The training at the William W. Winpisinger Center played a big part in the success we achieved at the bargaining table,” said District 711 Assistant Directing Business Representative Rickey Wallace. “This committee can take great pride in the results they achieved for the members of Local 1296.”

“The Local 1296 Bargaining Committee was well prepared and knew what they wanted to achieve when they sat down with the company’s representatives,” said Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez. “The value of a full service union, combined with membership solidarity has never been more evident.”

Solis Secures Labor Secretary Post

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.

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2008 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 2008

Millions of Americans braved the cold and the crowds to listen to President Barack Obama give his Inaugural Address. Billions - yes, billions - watched his historic speech on television in hamlets and cities across the globe. No one was disappointed.

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