O F F I C E R S '
R E P O R T

2004



 


36th IAMAW
Grand Lodge
Convention


From left, Director Rick Sloan, Former Communications Representative Rick Palmer and Communications Representative Cornel Dunmore, Office Assistant Dee Hensel, Communications Representatives John Lett, Valana Reid and Frank Larkin, Secretary Telissha Babineaux, and Assistant Director Bill Upton. Seated, from left, Communications Representatives Kathy Buell and Donna Georgallas.

Communications

Staying on the cutting edge of the communications revolution means testing new concepts and expanding existing capabilities. The IAM Communications Department keeps pushing the envelope, experimenting with new technologies, anticipating developments and acting decisively. It continues its tradition of leading the labor movement.

In the last four years, the IAM Journal became an advocacy magazine. Its cover stories, Dream Stealer, Bombs Bursting in Air, Reality Checks, Losing It All, Don’t Vote, JOBS!, Premium Shock, Face Off and Black and Bruised, have given IAM members a heads up about the trends that would impact their lives and livelihoods.

The IAM Journal pinpointed issues long before the mainstream media, explained the complex forces affecting our members and offered solutions to vexing problems. Using eye-grabbing graphics, world class photographs and a direct writing style, the IAM Journal won dozens of awards. More important, it has changed the national debate time and time again.

The Internet dramatically changed communications, enabling the IAM to deliver information to its members at work or home. Since May 2001, the IAM’s website www.goiam.org handled more than 100 million hits, 12 million page views and more than 3 million visitors. Its 3,500 pages of information provide breaking news about negotiations with action links to Congress and data about organizing victories.

The IAM Studio is a broadcast television facility. Now tied directly to the Internet and transformed into a digital media center, the studio makes it possible for IAM members to download video clips directly to their computers. IAM Breaking News, News in 30 Seconds, Iamunion and Third Shift provide members with the news they can use and when they want to view it.

Like television in the 1950’s, high-speed access and video-on-demand are in their infancy. And yet, more than 200,000 video clips have been downloaded from the IAM server in the last three years. As the number of fast modem users grow-more than 15 percent of visitors to Goiam.org can now download IAM video clips using DSL or cable access-this technology will enable the IAM to avoid the middleman. No longer will the anchors at CBS, NBC or ABC dictate what news our members can see.


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