Thursday, November 8, 2007

Read past iMail
Email your opinion
Visit www.goiam.org
Print-Friendly version
Sign up for iMail


Labor issues you care about in streaming video
.

IAMpodcast

Hot Days Are Over!!!
November 5, 2007 - The IAM strike at the Kennedy Space Center is finally over!  After nearly five months of walking the line, hundreds of Machinists are heading back to work.

Bridging the Gap: Part Two

November 2, 2007 - Last week we aird a story about the millions of Americans who work full time but because of low wages and no benefits, still can't make ends meet.  This week, we bring you a story on ways organized labor can help close these income gaps.

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.

Media Library
IAMpodcast

To view these videos you will need to download the free Windows Media Player 9



2004
December

November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2003
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2002
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2001
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February


 

Peru Trade Act Moves to Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 285 - 132 to approve the controversial Peru Free Trade Agreement, despite strong objections from labor and human rights activists who are concerned the pact does not include adequate enforcement provisions.

“We have repeatedly stressed that labor chapters in any trade agreement must unequivocally and unambiguously include all core and other appropriate labor standards explicitly encompassed by the International Labor Organization (ILO),” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger in a letter to representatives. “Without explicit incorporation of ILO Conventions and accompanying jurisprudence, the Administration can interpret the agreement so narrowly that the positive improvements could prove to be meaningless.”

Critics also point to this week’s government crackdown on striking miners in Peru as evidence that the South American nation cannot be relied on enforce the most basic labor and environmental standards. The Peru FTA is the first trade deal to come before the 110th Congress and now moves to the Senate.

Union Voters Claim Victory in Kentucky

Kentucky Governor-elect Steve Beshear with Benny Adair, President of the Kentucky State Machinists Council during a campaign rally in Calvert City, KY.

A fierce determination by union members in Kentucky to end the reign of a Republican governor who has been called the “worst in the state’s history” led to a resounding victory for Democrat Steve Beshear over incumbent Governor Ernie Fletcher.

The 59-41 percent thumping drove home the message that union members remain a potent force in statewide elections and do not take kindly to seeing bargaining rights cancelled for thousands of state employees, one of many anti-labor moves by Fletcher.

“This victory belongs to the thousands of union members who turned out for Steve Beshear and knocked on doors from Covington to Paducah and everywhere in between,” said GST Warren Mart. “The Machinists in Kentucky can be very proud of the part they played in this important election win.”

Labor activists also play a key role in Virginia, where Democrats took control of the state senate for the first time in more than a decade. “Working people are driving a major change in the political landscape,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “We’re on the cusp of a shift that could redefine American politics for decades to come. Voters sent a powerful message that if you attack working people, you do so at your peril.”

NLRB Targeted for Nationwide Protests in November

The current National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) long ago earned its place in history as one of the most anti-labor federal agencies in U.S. history. Packed with Bush-appointees, the board thus far has issued more than 60 decisions that dramatically reduce workers’ rights under existing federal labor law.

On Nov. 15, union members will march on NLRB headquarters in Washington, D.C., to demand the board live up to its original mandate or be shut down until it ceases its assault on U.S. workers.

Click here for more information about the Washington, D.C. rally and similar actions in Austin, TX; Albany, NY; Nashville, TN; San Diego, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Albuquerque, NM; Portland, OR; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Little Rock, AR; Denver, CO and Phoenix, AZ. Additional events are being planned for Miami, Boston, Chicago Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Leading the list of recent decisions that run counter to the NLRB’s stated mission of encouraging collective bargaining, the current board gutted a long-standing provision that protected bargaining units formed using majority sign up.

Negotiations Resume for 4,100 at Pratt & Whitney

The IAM and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) are back at the bargaining table this week after an initial round of talks and an overwhelming strike authorization vote by members of three IAM locals in Middletown, East Hartford and Cheshire, CT.

The strike sanction follows a vote in August by IAM members to reject a so-called “last, best and final” offer from P&W, the Hartford-based jet engine maker and subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (UTC).

Key issues for the 4,100 IAM members at P&W include job security, pension benefits and health care costs. “We put Pratt and Whitney on notice in August,” said Eastern Territory GVP Lynn D. Tucker, Jr. “A one-way relationship is no longer acceptable to our members or the IAM.”

The current three-year agreement with Pratt & Whitney expires on December 2. Additional information and negotiation updates can be found here.

House Bill Doubles TAA Funding

The House last week passed the Trade and Globalization Assistance Act of 2007 by a vote of 264-157, reauthorizing and overhauling the current U.S. Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program.

TAA provides retraining and financial assistance to American workers who have seen their jobs shipped overseas as a result of foreign trade. The bill passed by the House doubles the current TAA funding level from $220 million to $440 million and expands TAA eligibility to public and service sector workers who lose their jobs due to trade.

The bill would also improve the program’s training opportunities and associated health care benefits, create new benefits and tax incentives for industries and communities impacted by trade and promote reforms to the unemployment insurance system.

“We must be certain that, as our nation moves forward with expanded trade, we send a clear bipartisan signal that it won’t be at the expense of American workers,” said Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Despite broad bi-partisan support, the Bush administration is threatening to veto the legislation.

U.S. Toymakers Use China Prison, Sweatshop Labor

Many Chinese workers producing toys imported to the U.S. are subjected to ‘sweatshop’ conditions, according to testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade and Tourism last week.

Prison labor is also being exploited in China, according to Harry Wu, executive director of the Laogai Research Foundation, who said prison laborers make garments, electronic components, coffee mugs and toys that end up in U.S. stores. “The Chinese government continues to use forced labor to make goods, condones sweatshop conditions in its factories and refuses to allow workers to create independent unions-- is it really any wonder that low-quality, harmful toys are being exported to the US and into the hands of our children?” said Wu, who spent 19 years in a Chinese prison.

Wal-Mart was singled out for their role in allowing the exploitation of cheap Chinese labor. “Wal-Mart bears a lion’s share of responsibility for pushing the toy industry into a region where product safety and worker safety inspection is virtually nonexistent,” said Bama Athreya, executive director of the International Labor Rights Forum.

Subcommittee Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-ND) has introduced the Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act, which would prohibit U.S. companies from importing and selling products made overseas under “sweatshop” conditions. The bill, which has 13 co-sponsors would also allow U.S. companies to sue competitors for selling products made overseas under conditions that don’t adhere to core labor standards. A similar bill has been introduced in the House by Rep. Michael Michaud (D-Maine) and has 116 co-sponsors.

District 140 Convention Held in Calgary

IAM members from across Canada gathered recently for the annual District 140 Convention in Calgary, Alberta, where delegates discussed challenges facing members and debated bylaw submission from District 140 members.
Delegates also heard from International President Tom Buffenbarger, General Vice President Dave Ritchie and others on issues such as organizing, politics and finances. District 140 received special honors at the 2007 IAM National Staff Conference for organizing more than 250 members this past year.

District 140 consists of 18 local lodges with 16,000 members at over forty companies including Aeroguard, Air Canada, Air Transat, Algoma Central Railway, British Airways, Cara Operations, Consolidated Aviation Fuelling, Penauille/Servisair, MTU Maintenance Canada, United Airlines and Worldwide Flight Services.




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


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