Thursday, November 1, 2007

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IAMpodcast

2007 Automotive Conference: Thinking Outside the Box
October 30, 2007 - The last few decades have dramatically changed America's industrial landscape.  The automotive field is no stranger to this new world.  The challenge for the IAM is to harness this power by thinking outside of the box.

Bridging the Gap: Part One
October 26, 2007 - The middle class is caught in a trap.  Although most work full time becasue of low wages and no benefits, millions of Americans still can't make ends meet.

NASA On Notice
October 19, 2007 - Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of Ohio took the floor in the US House of Representatives this week in support of the IAM workers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Labor's Red Carpet
October 19, 2007 - For the past seven years, the DC Labor Film Fest has been celebrating workers around the world.   Premiering at the American Fil Institute Theatre in Silver Spring, this event turns the Hollywood spotlight on what really matters.

Pushing State Politics
October 11, 2007 - The Northern Virginia CLC canvassed the community last weekend in support of Chap Peterson for State Senate.

A New World Order
October 5, 2007 - Globalization is something organized labor has been talking about for years.  But nowadays, the issue seems to seep into conversations around the world, no matter your economic status and many are starting to notice its' dramatic effects.

Financing the Future
October 2, 2007 - House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, doesn't paint a promising picture of the country's long term fiscal growth if nothing changes.

A Call To Duty
September 28, 2007 - National Service or working for a non-profit organization may not be something you think of as a  job option.  But some people are starting to look at it as a key for developing future leaders.

Sharing Bankruptcy Backlash
September 27, 2007 - Unfortunately, most workers know the hardships of corporate bankruptcy.  That's why Congress is trying to pass a new bankruptcy bill to protect the men and women who helped build the organization.

Uninsured America
September 26, 2007 - Families USA, a  national non-profit voice for health care, just came out with startling statistics about uninsured Americans.  According to their data, the health insurance issue in the U.S. is worse than it looks.

Fresh Faces on the Hill: Congresswoman Laura Richardson
September 21, 2007 - IAM member Laura Richardson is the newest additon to Capitol Hill, representing California's 37th District.

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.

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Labor Board Bias Detailed in ILO Complaint


Workers protest outside the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB ) office in Washington, D.C. in 2006. The AFL-CIO has filed a complaint with the International Labor Organization over the many anti-worker decisions by the NLRB’s Bush-appointed majority.

A new complaint filed by the AFL-CIO with the International Labor Organization (ILO) charges that National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions have so severely reduced the freedom of workers to join unions that they constitute a violation of international labor standards.

The AFL-CIO charges that NLRB rulings “have sharply increased the barriers workers face in achieving freedom of association and effective collective bargaining.”

Dominated by Bush appointees, the Board’s decisions have had the effect of “shrinking the [National Labor Relations Act]’s coverage, limiting the rights protected by the statute, strengthening management’s prerogative to discriminate against, harass, and intimidate workers, and steadfastly refusing to apply the few meaningful remedies available under the Act. Its decisions signal a retreat from the promises of the NLRA and a deepening crisis for American labor law and practice.”

Other efforts to restrict rights included expanding the definition of a supervisor to include millions of additional workers and denying them the right to organize, giving employers increased ability to deny reinstatement to striking workers which undermines the right to strike and refusing to reign in employers who harass workers trying to organize.

“The Bush appointees to the National Labor Relations Board have been a disaster for American workers,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “Their decisions have gone so far in the wrong direction that they have reached a new low, violating international conventions on the most basic human rights to organize and bargain collectively.”

McKinnon to Lead IAM Legislative and Political Dept.

The tradition of tapping an experienced political veteran to guide the IAM Legislative and Political Action Department continues with the appointment of Western Territory Grand Lodge Representative Matthew R. McKinnon to become the department’s new director.

“It is this union’s extraordinary good fortune to have so many leaders at the state and local level who are capable of stepping up and taking on national responsibilities,” said IP Buffenbarger. “Matt’s long history of service and experience make him perfectly qualified to take on this challenge at this most critical time in our union’s history.”

McKinnon follows current Legislative and Political Director Tom Trotter, who is stepping down on Nov. 2, 2007, to attend to important personal matters.

A long-time political activist and veteran of dozens of political and legislative campaigns, McKinnon drew national attention as California’s Deputy Secretary of Labor for Workforce and Economic Development under former Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.

McKinnon joined the IAM in 1979 and served the membership of Local 685 as a Committeeman, Steward, Executive Board member, Trustee and Civil Rights Committee member. In 1985, he was elected Business Representative for District 50, where he trained operatives to execute hundreds of campaigns over the next 18 years.

In 1998, McKinnon was named Political Director for Gov. Davis’s successful gubernatorial campaign and served on the Governing Board of California Air Resources Board and chaired the Board’s Environmental Justice Taskforce.

In 2004, McKinnon was appointed Grand Lodge Representative in the Western Territory, where he serviced, organized, conducted successful strike actions, negotiated contracts and coordinated political and legislative affairs.

Unions Mobilizing for Victory in Kentucky

Thousands of union members are fanning out across the Bluegrass state and calling on fellow members to turn out in force for Kentucky’s gubernatorial election on Nov. 6.

“This is our chance to rid this state of a governor who has been an absolute disaster for working people,” said GST Warren Mart, a Kentucky native. “In addition to cancelling the bargaining rights for thousands of state workers, Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) pushed for right-to-work (for less) legislation for the rest of the state. It’s no wonder he’s been called the most anti-worker governor in the state’s history.”

The statewide member-to-member outreach is making a big difference, according to Benny Adair, President of the Kentucky State Council of Machinists. “Nothing works better than a handshake and asking someone to vote,” said Adair. “Members saw Fletcher’s right-to-work attack and they felt threatened. I’ve seen a lot more people wanting to come out and help.”

With 350,000 union workers representing 26 percent of the state’s total electorate, union members have the potential to make a real difference in any election. “We’re motivated, we’re organized and we won’t rest until we have a Democratic governor in Kentucky,” declared Mart.

Canada Catches Flack for Outsourcing Troop Transport

The IAM and Canada’s National Democratic Party (NDP) have called on Canada’s federal government to cancel its order for 30 troop carrier buses and re-bid the contract in a competition between Canadian bus manufacturers.

“I find it absolutely disgusting that our tax dollars are going into the pockets of a foreign company to pay for a product that can be made right here in Canada,” said Canadian GVP Dave Ritchie at a news conference where he was joined by lawmakers calling for a national post card petition to put ‘Canada First’ in military procurement contracts.

Motor Coach Industries of Winnipeg lost the $14 million contract for 30 new motor coaches to Setra, a German-based subsidiary of Daimler Chrysler, which submitted a slightly lower bid.

“The difference in the winning bid was less than one half of one percent or about $2,000 a unit,” said an irate Ritchie. “We have more than one thousand members in Winnipeg who could be affected by this.”

NDP Defence critic Dawn Black says military procurement contracts should provide the best product for the dollar. “In this case the lowest bid is not the best value for a number of good reasons,” she said.

“We’re losing 192 manufacturing jobs a day in this country,” said Ritchie. “If our own government won’t support Canadian manufacturers, who will?”

Civil Rights Group Finds Violations at FedEx

FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery are violating labor and civil rights of thousands of FedEx employees by improperly classifying them as “independent contractors,” according to a new report by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) and American Rights at Work.

The report, Fed Up with FedEx: How FedEx Ground Tramples Workers’ Rights and Civil Rights uses worker interviews and cases filed against FedEx to show how the company is “circumventing federal anti-discrimination laws, avoiding payment of millions of dollars in benefits to 15,000 FedEx Ground drivers and hindering workers’ rights to form unions.”

To address the problem, the report makes a number of recommendations, including increased Congressional oversight of the National Labor Relations Board and passage of the Employee Free Choice Act.

Ontario Machinists Organizing at Toyota

If first impressions are any indication of things to come, the IAM has a solid foundation for success in their bid to organize nearly 4,000 workers at the Toyota assembly plant in Cambridge, Ontario.

“The response from the workers here has been overwhelming,” said District 140 Organizer Ian Morland. “We targeted five gates at the Cambridge plant and the workers took all the reading material we had to offer and then asked for more.”

The Cambridge assembly plant employs 3,800 workers with a further 1,800 being hired for a second assembly plant in Woodstock, Ontario which opens in 2008.

“These people are telling us they want a union that will address their workplace issues,” said Morland. “They’re facing a wage reduction, mandatory overtime on weekends, promotion favoritism and vacation blackout periods.”

The IAM represents thousands of members in the Canadian automotive transportation sector at assembly and parts manufacturing facilities in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. For more information, visit the IAMToyota website at iamtoyota.ca


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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
Fall 2007


Choices!Americans can choose to register to vote or not, select a political party or remain independent; follow the campaigns closely or tune in later; switch off the debates or debate with friends over the merits of various candidates; and, finally, choose to cast a ballot or stay home.


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.


Union Plus
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