Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Labor issues you care about in streaming video.

'07 On the Hill
May 25, 2007 - Before the 2006 Elections, the Machinists took their message to the people.  Passing out leaflets, phonebanking, knocking on doors, whatever it took to bring some new faces to Congress.  The end result, a tally in the win column for workers.

DL 751 'Flight for Sight' Fundraising Event May 24, 2007 - IAM District Lodge 751 Women's Committee hosted a fundraising event last weekend to benefit the Guide Dogs of America.

Still Standing Still Proud May 24, 2007 - On May 17, 2007, thousands of workers rallied on the National Mall for the Transportation Day of Action.  A day to tell the federal government "Enough is Enough" to practices that put the needs of businesses in front of American workers.

Straight Talk From John Edwards May 9, 2007 - IAM District 751 in Seattle was the backdrop for Machinists and other union members to talk openly with presidential candidate John Edwards about the issues that matter to the middle class and his plan to help organized labor.

Earnings Aren't Stagnant, They're Plummeting!
May 3, 2007 -  With housing and living expenses steadily climbing, it’s no secret many middle class families are struggling with stagnant wages.

Remembering the Fallen May 2, 2007 - May 1st or May Day in an annual holiday to celebrate the achievements of workers around the world.  For the Machinists it was also a day to remember those who have passed.  The IAM honored its own at a ceremony earlier this week.

Making Work Safe May 2, 2007 - On December 29, 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act was signed into law.  Created to protect workers and the workplace, it cut on the job deaths in half.  But now it needs to be updated because it's not keeping up with the times.

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.

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New Contract Ends Iowa City Strike

Members of Local 1426 in Sioux City, IA, ratified a new contract with Smurfit-Stone Container plant, ending a 10-week long strike over pensions, wages, forced overtime and 12-hour days in what were described as sweatshop conditions.

The new agreement contains a 7 percent general wage increase over 4.5 years, a $1,200 lump sum for each employee and a guaranteed number of Saturdays and Sundays off.

“The goal of the IAM is to negotiate better lives for those we represent and this contract does just that,” said District 6 Business Representative John Herrig. “Our members can return to work with their heads up high and their dignity intact in the knowledge that they stood up for their values.”
Herrig credited a visit to Smurfit-Stone's annual shareholder's meeting on May 9 with helping move to the strike closer to a settlement. A delegation including 10 strikers including Midwest Territory GVP Phil Gruber and other staff members traveled to Chicago to picket outside the meeting.

“I’m proud of our members at Smurfit-Stone for standing up for the working conditions they deserve,” said GVP Gruber. “It was their determination to have time to spend with their families, justice for themselves and solidarity with each other that won this hard fought battle.”
Full operations at Smurfit-Stone resumed on Monday. According to the return-to-work agreement, all striking employees will return to work within two weeks.

Negotiations Open with United Space Alliance

The Bargaining Committee for Local 2061 in Cocoa, FL, resumed negotiations today with representatives of United Space Alliance (USA) on behalf of nearly 600 members who work on Space Shuttle Operations at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The negotiations for a new contract, which began May 21, are scheduled to conclude on June 1, 2007, with ratification voting scheduled for June 2.

Key issues for the Space Shuttle workforce include job security and retirement concerns in the wake of plans by NASA to shift from the current Space Shuttle program to next generation Ares/Orion systems. The current Space Shuttle program is slated to conclude in 2010.

“Regardless of the direction NASA may take the space program in the future, the focus of this negotiating committee is to secure the jobs covered by this agreement and the right to negotiate for those jobs in future agreements," said Aerospace Coordinator John Crowdis.

North Carolina Member Wins Harley Davidson

Local 263 member Rick Draher and his new 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King.

“I never win anything,” was Local 263 member Rick Draher’s lament to Recording Secretary Mark Hester when he was offered the chance to buy a raffle ticket for a 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King.

He certainly can’t say that anymore. Draher, a member of Railroad Local 263 in Charlotte, NC, was stunned to learn he had won the $20,000 IAM-built motorcycle when his ticket was drawn.

Both Draher and Hester work for Norfolk & Southern Railroad in Charlotte, North Carolina and have been union members for 29 and 31 years respectively. Both were members of BMWE (Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees) until they became IAM members in 1999.

The Harley raffle was one of many fundraising activities designed to support the 2008 Grand Lodge Convention in Orlando Florida.

“Congratulations to Brother Draher,” said Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez. “On behalf of the Grand Lodge Host Committee, I want to thank everyone who participated in the drawing for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”

Deadline Nears for IAM Photo and Journalism Contests

First Place - Tunnel Vision, By Ben Castic, LL 41, South Side Machine Works, St.Louis, MO.

The deadlines for the 2007 IAM Photo Contest and the 2007 Newsletter and Website Contests are just around the corner. The deadline for entries in the photo contest is June 15, 2007. Winning photographers will receive a cash prize and their photos will appear in the 2008 IAM calendar. Click here for complete contest rules and entry forms.

The deadline for entries for the 2007 IAM Newsletter and Website Contest has been extended to June 8, 2007. The contest will consider newsletters published between April 2006 and April 2007 and websites operating online during the judging period. Click here for contest rules and entry forms, click here for forms in French. Call the IAM Communications Department at 301-967-4520 for more information.

AFL-CIO to Hold Regional Diversity Dialogues

The AFL-CIO will sponsor four regional “Diversity Dialogues” this summer to explore changes that will make the labor movement more diverse and inclusive at all levels.

The dialogues will give union members, union officers, constituency group members and state and local leaders the opportunity to discuss full participation and inclusion for all members.

They will also examine best practices and ways to implement Resolution #2, adop ted at the 2005 AFL-CIO Convention, to make the labor movement more inclusive.

The meetings will be held June 9 in Atlanta; June 16 in Philadelphia; June 23 in Detroit and July 14 in San Francisco. Click here for meeting times, locations and a registration form.

House Approves Gas Gouging Bills

With gas prices topping $3.22 a gallon, House lawmakers shrugged off a Bush veto threat and voted 345-72 for a bill that would allow the Justice Department to sue members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for price manipulation.

Member countries in OPEC account for more than one-third of world oil production and have been accused for years of limiting supplies to unfairly drive up the costs of imported crude oil. It was the IAM nearly 30 years ago who first filed a lawsuit charging OPEC with price fixing.

House lawmakers also passed legislation last week that would impose hefty penalties for gas price gouging. The bill would give federal authorities the ability to penalize individuals or companies for taking “unfair advantage” or charging “unconscionably excessive” prices for gas and other fuels.

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.


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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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