Virginia Woodworkers Get International Support

Approximately 800 trade union delegates at the recently concluded Builders and Woodworkers International Congress in Lille, France, voted to accept an emergency resolution submitted by the Machinists union calling on furniture giant IKEA to honor the rights of workers at an IKEA subsidiary in Danville VA, seeking to join the IAM.

Decision Time Is Near - Negotiations Completed

On April 24 and 25, the Union and Company met in Idabel Oklahoma to resume negotiations for a new contract.  During these meetings the Union made several proposals to save the Company money on health insurance costs.  The Union’s proposals were geared towards giving the Company the savings that would be generated, through the plan design changes and premium sharing that it was proposing.

Woodworkers and HPWO

Throughout the turbulent 1990's as waves of mergers and closures swept across the Forest Products Industry dislocating and disrupting the lives of tens of thousands of Machinist Woodworkers, the leadership of the Woodworkers struggled to find a response to these economic forces of change. The dramatic increase in the cost of timber and consolidations among the largest forest products corporations meant that the union needed a plan to promote stabilization in the industry and job security for its members. the IAMAW HPWO program offered the framework for an appropriate economic response.

Industry Websites

A listing of Forest Products and Industry web pages.

International Associations

The International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW) 

The IAM is affiliated with the IFBWW, which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The IFBWW consists of unions from the building and wood workers industry, with a membership of over 11 million from 270 unions from 124 countries, including North America unions IWA-Canada, Teamsters, and Sheet Metal Workers. 

District and Local Lodge Web Pages

The IAM Woodworkers District and Local lodges.

Woodworkers History

Before May 1, 1994 the Woodworkers Department did not exist. The local lodges that now are the majority of the membership in the Department were members of an independent union named the International Woodworkers of America, U.S.

Meet The Staff of Woodworkers

The Woodworkers Department was created in May, 1994 when the International Woodworkers of America-U.S. (IWA) affiliated with the IAM. The mission of the Department is to promote and expand activities of Natural Resource Industry-based locals. The department plays an important role in the development of public policy regarding the management of National and State forests harvest level so our members can earn a good family wage and keep our rural communities alive and well.			Director Bill Street
			Grand Lodge Representative Randall Rice
			Secretary Marilyn Jones