Thursday, April 26, 2007

Labor issues you care about in streaming video.

A Level Playing Field April 26, 2007 - April 24th is Equal Pay Day.  A day on the calendar that indicates the point of the year when women's wages catch up to men's.  But for union workers, it's always been a level playing field.

Flying Rights
April 19, 2007 - Satisfied workers equals satisfied customers.  This is a notion plaguing the airline industry, especially with so many carriers trying to stay out of bankruptcy or away from mergers.  But now these actions are trickling down to the customers.

Health Care For All April 19, 2007 - From the politicians in Washington to the family next door, everyone seems to be concerned with health care costs.

American Manufacturing: Flourishing or Floundering
April 17, 2007 - Many analysts point to manufacturing as a cornerstone of the American middle class. 

Oldest U.S. Manufacturer Threatened By China Trade
April 10, 2007 - More than 200 years ago the legendary Paul Revere created what is now the oldest manufacturing company in the United States, Revere Copper.

Space: The Next Generation April 5, 2007 - The last generation only knows space travel by the shuttle.  That's going to change in 2010 when the shuttle fleet is retired and replaced with a new program.

Families On Shaky Ground
APRIL 5, 2006 - According to the folks at the Center for American Progress, the economy has been great for those at the top but stagnant for those in the middle or lower income classes.

Safety In The Skies April 4, 2007 - Safety in the skies is everyone's issue, especially after 9-11.  Robert Roach Jr. testified on Capitol Hill about what more needs to be done.

Fresh Faces on the Hill: Congressman Keith Ellison
March 26, 2007 - Congressman Keith Ellison of Minnesota’s 5^th District has had a lot of firsts.  He’s the first muslim ever elected to Congress.  And the first African American elected to the House from Minnesota. 

China's Taste for Trash
March 20, 2007 - According to recent statistics, in 2006 the U.S. exported nearly 60 billion dollars of goods and services to China. But what were those products?  It may surprise you to know that a good portion of it was garbage.

American Workers Want a Union Contract
March 16, 2007 - As the battle over the Employee Free Choice Act heats up – a new report from the Economic Policy Institute shows workers want to join a union NOW, more than any time in the recent past.

Latest Job Numbers Don't Bode Well for Working Families
March 15, 2007 - Employers added only 97,000 jobs last month – marking the slowest month of job growth in two years.

Korea's Turn Now?
March 14, 2007 - For hundreds of years america has been trading.  And most agree that’s a good thing.  But how to do it in today’s global world, without hurting america or its workers, is the next big question to answer.

What Happened to Good Trade?
March 14, 2007 - For decades, Congressman Sandy Levin has been part of a lot of trade issues on the hill.  He’s seen what’s worked and what hasn’t.  And in a global world that’s constantly changing, he knows our future depends on what we do now.

Media Library

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Hartford Goes Green with Hydrogen Fuel Bus

Powered by IAM-built hydrogen fuel cell technology, this zero-emission bus rolls into service in Hartford, CT.

Commuters in Hartford, CT are enjoying the first hybrid electric fuel-cell bus in New England, built by Local 1746/District 26 members working at UTC Power in South Windsor. Fuel cell technology combines hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity without creating clouds of exhaust.

Development of the quiet, clean and smooth-riding 40-foot bus was funded by a federal grant, and its reliability is being monitored and evaluated. The zero-emission bus is one of only a few dozen in the world.

“With the price of gas and diesel going through the roof, and our existence as a planet literally at stake,” observed District 26 Directing Business Representative Everett Corey, “Fuel cells are going to become an increasing part of the solution to this crisis. And without a doubt, our members are the most experienced and skilled fuel-cell manufacturers in the world.”

IAM members at UTC have been working on fuel-cell technologies for decades and while fuel cell-powered autos are still on the horizon, that horizon is getting closer all the time. “Within the next two years, Connecticut will have the largest installations of stationary fuel cells for power generation in the world,” says Local 1746 member and GrowJobsCT Director John Harrity, as well as the beginning of the most comprehensive ‘hydrogen highway’ for mass transit and state fleet vehicles. Connecticut is leading the world in this technology, and IAM members are making it happen.”

GrowJobsCT is one of the founders of the Connecticut Hydrogen/Fuel Cell Coalition, which brings together the state’s fuel-cell manufacturers to promote industry in Connecticut.

IAM Women Stand Up for Pay Rights

Equal pay for equal work is a personal issue for participants in the IAM Women’s Specialized Training class at the William W. Winpisinger Center in Southern Maryland.

Gender-based wage discrimination is largely a thing of the past in union workplaces, but that hasn’t stopped IAM activists from demanding equal pay rights for all workers. In the video A Level Playing Field, IAM members recall personal experiences with wage discrimination and describe why they’re fighting to eliminate it.

Gas Prices Causing ‘Severe Hardship’

Two-thirds of Americans polled in a recent CNN survey said gas prices, which rose 69 cents since late January, are causing financial hardship for their families.

While oil giants continue to rack up record profits, working families are struggling to keep up with gas prices that jumped another eight cents the past two weeks to a national average of $2.87 a gallon.

Two-thirds of Americans say that rising gas prices are causing hardship for their families, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Poll released last week. Nearly 20 percent of those polled said the rising gas prices were causing them “severe hardship.”

Also released last week was Fortune magazine’s annual list of the 500 largest corporations. Oil giants ExxonMobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips, whose income is impacted by gas prices, all found themselves in the top five. National gas prices, which many experts expect to increase even further in coming months, have skyrocketed 69 cents since late January.

Workers’ Memorial Day is April 28

This Saturday, April 28, is Workers’ Memorial Day. Now observed internationally, the commemoration was established by the labor movement as a day to remember those who were killed, injured or became ill because of their jobs.

Tens of thousands of people around the world will be taking part in memorial activities. Because April 28 falls on a Saturday this year, many unions, including the IAM, will recognize Workers’ Memorial Day on Monday, April 30. The IAM’s memorial service will be held at the William W.Winpisinger Education & Technology Center.

“We’ve come a long way in workplace safety, but too many are still killed or injured each year,” said Mike Flynn, IAM Director of Safety and Health. “As we continue to fight for a safer, healthier working environment for our members, it’s important that we pause and remember those we’ve lost.”

CBO Study Finds Middle Class Wages in Free Fall

For many middle class families, wages are not only stagnant, they are taking a complete nose-dive. A report prepared for Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Jim Webb (D-VA) by the Congressional Budget Office found that roughly one-in-five workers saw their earnings fall by more than 25 percent between 2002 and 2003. About one-in-seven saw their earnings fall by more than 50 percent.

For workers with lower levels of education, the volatility in earnings was even more prevalent. Twenty-six percent of workers without a high school diploma saw their earnings decrease by at least 25 percent, and 16 percent saw their earnings drop by at least 50 percent.

For those who finished high school, nearly 21 percent saw their earnings drop by at least 25 percent and more than 12 percent saw their earnings drop by more than 50 percent.

The CBO used Social Security Administration records for their report, allowing them to cover more people and produce more reliable results.

Edward Kuss Named Special Representative

New Web Address for GrowJobsCT

Machinists News Network @ YouTube

YouTube For You We Can't Make It Here Anymore - by James McMurtry


Announcing the IAM Photo Contest
The IAM is repeating its members-only photography contest again this year and you are encouraged to enter. You can download a complete contest entry form by clicking here.

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
Spring 2007

FOCUS America’s union members do not need to be told what to do. They do what they believe is right, and let the chips fall where they may.

Video: 2007 Day of Action



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.



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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.




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


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