Community Services Department sponsors services to IAM members and their communities and helps coordinate charity fundraisers, such as this cross-country Harley-Davidson ride for Guide Dogs of America by District 751 members Ron McGaha, seated, and Don Branin, second from right.

Community Services & Retirees — 2

This increase is evident in the growth of our yearly strategy meeting at the Winpisinger Center where up to 60 retired brothers and sisters meet to discuss future department commitments. We also sponsor an IAM Labor History week where an active member partners with a retiree to develop a historical sense of their lodge and our Union.

This year our International Retirees Conference showed an increase of several hundred participants. Major topics emphasized grassroots strategies for interaction and recruitment; a “Fireside Chat”, which involved renewing the New Deal; and meetings with Members of Congress who champion Social Security and Medicare Legislation.

We work closely with the Alliance for Retired Americans. Approximately 200,000 IAM retired members are enrolled with the Alliance. With a total of 3.1 million members, this powerful group lobbies to protect the interests of all retirees.

The mission of our Community Services/Retirees Department is to coordinate our membership, recognizing that the future of our Union lies in our solidarity.