Labor issues you care about in streaming video.

Behind the Candidates
November 27, 2007 - As the presidential election gets closer, you are going to see a lot more of the candidates. But sometimes it's the faces you don't see, like those of the candidate's economic advisors.

The Dogs Take Vegas
November 20, 2007 -More than sixty years ago a Machinist named Joseph Jones founded an organization called the Guide Dogs of America. Through his work he and countless others have given thousands of people the gift of sight.

U.S. Senators Hold Nominees Accountable
November 20, 2007 - The U.S. Senate's Labor Committee recently held a hearing on President Bush's nominees for two powerful positions at the Department Labor.

CAFTA Strikes El Salvador
November 9, 2007 - CAFTA was supposed to change the world. The promise was that this would increase the economies of many countries but workers from both sides of the continent agree, CAFTA didn't deliver.

Rally the Troops
November 9, 2007 - This Fall, the National Labor Relations Board has not been kind to workers in its decisions. The men and women of organized labor want the NLRB to know, they aren't going away quietly.

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.

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Pratt & Whitney Machinists Ratify Agreement

IAM members at Pratt and Whitney filled the Chevrolet Theatre in Wallingford, CT to hear details of the new agreement prior to voting.

More than 4,100 IAM members who work at jet-engine maker Pratt & Whitney (P&W) in Connecticut voted overwhelmingly this week to ratify a three-year contract that contains annual pay raises of 3.5 percent and a 16 percent improvement in pension benefits. The contract also provides a $3,000 bonus and significant protections for nearly 900 electricians, plumbers, machine repair workers and other support employees not previously covered by the agreement’s job security language.

The lack of job security language led to an overwhelming rejection of an earlier offer by the IAM members at P&W plants in Cheshire, East Hartford and Middletown, CT. The new agreement, which replaces a contract that was set to expire at midnight December 2, was approved by a vote of 2,831 to 326.

“The major gain was job security,” said IAM Chief Negotiator Jim Parent, Assistant DBR of District 26, who explained the agreement also guarantees that the work for the military's Joint Strike Fighter and several other major projects will be done in Connecticut. “Now that we protected that work, we can look to grow jobs here in Connecticut.”

“The members put Pratt & Whitney on notice when these talks opened,” said Eastern Territory GVP Lynn D. Tucker, Jr. “They held firm until they had a contract that reflected the recent surge in jet engine production. Congratulations to District 26 DBR Everett Corey, ADBR Jim Parent and the entire bargaining committee.”

IAM Members Win Union Plus Scholarships

Melissa Campbell, left, of Local 2559 in Phoenix, AZ and Benita Boston Anderson, right, of Local 845 in Las Vegas, NV won “Union Leaders of the Future” scholarships from the AFL-CIO’s Union Plus Education Foundation.

Two IAM members are among the winners of the 2007 Union Plus “Union Leaders of the Future” scholarship program. The program, which was established to help more women and people of color become union leaders, provides up to $3,000 to aid in the cost of continuing education or training in pursuing union careers and leadership skills.

Applicants for scholarships must be current union members and are evaluated according to leadership potential, career goals, social awareness and financial need.

The IAM winners are Melissa Campbell of Chandler, AZ, a 20-year member and President of the Arizona State Council of Machinists. She also serves as Educator and Vice President of Local 2559, and, effective January 8, 2008, will be president of the Local. Also winning a scholarship is Benita Boston Anderson of Las Vegas, NV, a nine-year member currently serving as Recording Secretary, Communicator and Web Steward of Local 845 in Las Vegas, NV. Boston Anderson also serves on the Human Rights, Women’s and Community Services Committees. Both winners are looking forward to receiving degrees in Labor Studies, and both plan to use that education in teaching others about the labor movement.

The “Union Leaders of the Future” scholarship program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation. You can learn more about the scholarship program by clicking here.

40,000 U.S. Aerospace Jobs at Risk

In the near future the U.S. Air Force will be making critical decisions regarding the purchase of a new fleet of refueling tankers. This decision will have a profound impact on America’s aerospace industrial base and IAM jobs. At stake are over 40,000 U.S. aerospace jobs at 300 contractors, including those at IAM-represented facilities of Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, and Spirit Aerosystems.

Boeing’s KC-767 Advanced Tanker clearly offers the best opportunity and value for the U.S. Air Force and for American aerospace workers.

Click here for more information and to send a message to Congress to choose the KC 767 Tanker.

Clinton Calls for Moratorium on Foreclosures

Presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton called for a 90-day moratorium on home foreclosures to give financially troubled borrowers the opportunity to work with lenders to avoid losing their homes.

The Treasury Department is negotiating with major mortgage lenders to stem the foreclosure crisis that has sparked a severe downturn in the housing industry and threatens to tip the economy into recession. The foreclosure rate in the U.S. has nearly doubled this year and more than one million home loans will reset at substantially higher interest rates next year.

“Experts now say that the foreclosure crisis is weakening the economic outlook, hurting industries from construction to auto, and making banks reluctant to lend companies the capital they need to expand and create jobs,” Clinton said in a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

To stabilize the mortgage market and give homeowners a chance to keep their homes, Clinton demanded that any agreement have a foreclosure moratorium of at least 90 days on subprime mortgages on owner-occupied homes; freeze the rate on adjustable mortgages for at least five years or until the mortgages have been converted to fixed-rate loans and require mortgage companies to disclose the number of mortgages it modifies.

“It is critical that we address this crisis,” Clinton continued. “The administration and the mortgage industry must reach an agreement that matches the scale of the problem. If you produce an inadequate agreement, or fail outright, the cost to our economy will be incalculable.”

Amtrak Workers Ready for a Change

Members of IAM Local 1284 (left to right) Glenn Johnston, Pres. Pat McGrath, Kevin Byrd and Rick Anaya spoke with Amtrak passengers at the Wilmington, DE, station about their eight-year battle for a new contract.

After eight years without a general wage increase, the Machinists who maintain Amtrak passenger trains are sick and tired of waiting for their ship to come in. Thanks to poorly enforced labor laws, Amtrak officials have been able to block new contract terms since the last agreement became amendable on January 1, 2000.

The long delay was extended even further last week when President Bush announced a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to investigate the long-running dispute and make recommendations for a settlement. By creating the PEB, the President pushed back a December 2 strike deadline, removing any real incentive for Amtrak officials to bargain with unions representing rail workers.

“The laws that govern collective bargaining for rail workers have been manipulated to prevent a new agreement,” said Local 1284 member Glenn Johnston, who recently spoke with sympathetic passengers at the Amtrak station in Wilmington, DE. “We want to be treated fairly and we want the law to work the way it was designed to work.”

In a letter to the National Mediation Board (NMB), the federal agency responsible for rail negotiations, IAM Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr. cited Amtrak’s demands for major work-rule concessions and its stance that it will not pay retroactive pay. “A settlement on such terms would disrupt future rounds of collective bargaining in the industry as it would reward carriers for refusing to bargain in good faith,” said Roach.

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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.

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.

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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

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