Labor issues you care about in streaming video.

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.

Labor Day 2007
August 27, 2007 - For the IAM, Labor Day is a very important date. Not only does it celebrate American workers, but it's a holiday founded by a Machinist.

A Solution to Health Care
August 23, 2007 - It's almost impossible to talk about good jobs and wages without mentioning health care. That's why everywhere you look, someone is trying to come up with a solution.

The Next President...
August 22, 2007 - For the first time in its history, the IAM is making a dual endorsement for candidates in the 2008 presidential primaries. International President Tom Buffenbarger comments.

Will Bush Deny Millions of Children Health Insurance?
August 21, 2007 - You can now add America’s children to the list of potential victims of the Bush administration.

China Threatening to Sell Off U.S. Reserves
August 20, 2007 - For years, the Bush administration and Congress have stood by idly while China’s currency manipulation and unfair trade practices have led to massive jobs loss and a record $230 billion trade deficit.

Blogosphere
August 10, 2007 - The world wide web has changed our lives. First it was email, then came search engines like Google and Wikipedia. Today it's the blogs that are taking the net by storm.

Stealing Our Steel
August 09, 2007 - All of nearly two-thousand IAM members who work for AK Steel in Middletown, Ohio want to see their jobs stay put. That's why Local Lodge President Dan Lawwill traveled to Washington to make sure the U.S. continues to be a leader in the world of steel.

Transportation Makes It Happen
July 31, 2007 - The upcoming elections were at the top of the list at this year's Transportation Conference.

The Next Big Idea July 19, 2007 - Hundreds of young adults gathered in Washington, DC for Roosevelt Institute's 2nd Annual Policy Expo.

Protecting Our Protectors July 18, 2007 - It's been an uphill battle for twelve years, but this week it's over. Now, public safety employees in all 50 states have finally been extended collective bargaining rights.

Trading Our Future July 13, 2007 - If you're in manufacturing, there's no doubt you've seen American jobs go overseas and probably wondered if your position is next to go.

Bringing Back the Jobs July 3, 2007 - For most, having a good job is the way to achieve the American dream. It's how families gain not just wages, but also security. Unfortunately, today's climate of depressed wages and outsourcing is leading many to give up on what was once in their grasp.

National Press Club Welcomes Lou Dobbs July 3, 2007 - For decades Lou Dobbs has been a force in the news business. In a recent speech at the D.C. Press Club, he focused on immigration and why for the first time in history, most middle class parents don't believe their children will have it better than they did.

Wal-Mart's Dealings With China Driving Job Loss June 29, 2007 - Just how devastating has Wal-Mart’s exploitation of cheap labor in China been? Since China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, the corporate giant’s trade deficit with China has cost the U.S. nearly 200,000 jobs.

Outsourcing Security In the Air June 28, 2007 - According to the Department of Transportation, a decade ago, airlines outsourced about 10% of their maintenance work. Today, more than 60% of aircraft repairs is sent overseas. Some say this is a huge security risk, with no accountability.

With Honors
June 27, 2007 - Last week a group of Machinists from all walks of life fulfilled a life long dream of graduating from college

Fluctuating Gas Prices
June 28, 2007 - For the second straight summer Americans have been faced with steep gas prices at the pump.

Thousands Rally for Employee Free Choice Act
June 21, 2007 - Every twenty three minutes a worker is fired or punished for supporting a union. That is why thousands rallied in Washington this week to demand the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Saving Energy
June 14, 2007 - How much is your electric bill each month? What do you pay to fill up your car? Will your kids have to stop global warming? Americans are asking both big and small questions about energy and its future.

Senate Takes Up Manufacturing June 8, 2007 - Union leaders, small business owners, corporate CEO's...this is just a partical list of those who gathered to talk about America's Manufacturing Sector and try to to come up with ways to bring back this industry that once ruled the world.

IAM Voices on the Hill June 8, 2007 - No one knows the issues of workers better than the workers themselves. That's why it's so important for members of organized labor to take their voices to the hill.

On the Machinists Tour
June 6, 2007 - In the last few weeks, the IAM has seen and heard a lot from quite a few of those vying for the democratic presidential nomination. Take a look at some of the highlights from these Machinists events.

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Contract with Cessna Ratifies by 63 Percent

After an old fashioned street rally capped off nearly five weeks of intense negotiations with Cessna Aircraft Co., members of Local 774 in Wichita, KS, ratified a new three-year agreement by 63 percent this week. The pact provides annual wage increases of five percent, four percent and four percent plus a $3,000 ratification bonus. Workers at Cessna also secured a pension increase and a choice of three health-care plans, with equal premiums for each plan.

“On behalf of the Local 774 Negotiating Committee, I would like to thank the membership for the support they showed at the rally and throughout these negotiations,” said District 70 President Steve Rooney. District 70 represents approximately 5,700 assemblers, technicians and specialists at Cessna in Wichita.

“Aircraft manufacturers in Kansas and across the country are experiencing record profits and sales,” said Aerospace Coordinator Ron Eldridge. “This agreement helps restore some of the sacrifices our members made when times were not as good. This contract is an overdue step in the right direction and lays down a solid foundation for the next round of negotiations.”

Negotiations to Resume at Kennedy Space Center

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) has scheduled contract talks between IAM and United Space Alliance (USA) in Cape Canaveral, FL on Sept. 20, 2007. The negotiations will be the first face-to-face meetings since members of Local 2061 in Cocoa Beach, FL, struck the NASA vendor on June 14, 2007.

“We view this as a positive development, a move in the right direction,” said District 166 DBR Johnny Walker. “Our members who have manned the picket lines for over 90 days have made it clear that they are not ready to accept anything less than a fair contract."

The 450 members of Local 2061 assemble component parts of the Space Shuttle and provide support services including cranes operation and moving the completed shuttle vehicles from the massive construction hanger to the launch pad.

Pickthall Named to IAM Law Committee

International President Tom Buffenbarger congratulates District 250 DBR Stan Pickthall on being named to the IAM Law Committee at the 2007 IAM Staff Conference in Orlando, FL.

District 250 Directing Business Representative Stan Pickthall of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, will join the IAM Law Committee to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Jean-Léo Coté of Local Lodge 712 in Montreal, Quebec.

The IAM Law Committee reviews proposed changes to the IAM Constitution and is an integral part of every IAM Convention.

“Jean-Léo Coté has done a tremendous job on the Law Committee and is one of its senior members. We will surely miss him,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “Stan Pickthall is a welcome addition to the IAM Law Committee and he will also do an outstanding job.”

Pickthall is a 23-year IAM member with a long history of union activism. He served in many roles for his local lodge, including Shop Steward and Executive Board member. He has served as a newsletter editor and web steward. Pickthall became a Business Representative in 1994 and has been the Directing Business Representative for District 250 since 2005.

“There isn’t a better person for the job. Stan is a hard working and dedicated Machinist,” said Canadian GVP Dave Ritchie. “Congratulations to Stan and best wishes for a happy retirement to Jean-Léo Coté.”

Sign the Petition for Children's Health Care

Congress recently voted to continue coverage for six million children and provide health insurance for up to five million more through the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). President Bush has threatened to veto any expansion of health care coverage for children under this successful insurance program, which has cut the number of uninsured low-income children by nearly one-third in a decade.

“If Congress continues to insist upon expanding health care through the SCHIP program,” President Bush said recently, “I'll veto the bill.” To avoid any confusion, his adviser made it even clearer: “There is no question that the president would veto it.”

Bush, who promised at the Republican National Convention in 2004 to expand health care for children, now says expanding SCHIP is a step toward socialism. The Congressional Budget Office says Bush’s SCHIP reauthorization proposal would actually drop children from the health coverage rolls. The program is set to expire Sept. 30.

Tell your Representative to support fully funding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)and continue coverage for the six million children now enrolled and reach as many as five million children who are uninsured by signing the online petition here

AFL-CIO VP Linda Chavez-Thompson to Step Down

Long-time union activist and AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson announced she will step down on Sept. 21 for personal and family reasons.

Chavez-Thompson has served as Executive Vice President since 1995 and is the first person of color to hold a top AFL-CIO position. Her four-decade long tour d’force in the labor movement began in 1967 while working for the Laborers’ local in Lubbock, Texas.

Chavez-Thompson also served as a member on a number of boards for national organizations, including the National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, United Way of America, the Democratic National Committee, and the Inter-American Regional Organization of Workers. She has also served in multiple posts at AFSCME, including International Vice President from 1988-1996, and as National Vice President for the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement from 1986-1996.

AFL-CIO President Sweeney has nominated Arlene Holt-Baker to fill the unexpired term of two years. Holt-Baker currently serves as the assistant to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and oversees the federation’s Gulf Coast recovery efforts.

Past iMail | Your Email |www.goiam.org | Print Version

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
Summer 2007

ENOUGH! More than 5,000 union members packed the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to stop the attacks on working families in the largest labor rally since 1991.

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.

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