Winpisinger Inducted into Labor Hall of Fame

The International Labor Hall of Fame in Detroit, MI inducted former IAM President William W. Winpisinger recognizing his years of dedication to working people, innovative style and visionary ideals.

“Wimpy,” as many knew him, served as international president from 1977 to his retirement in 1989. His aggressive leadership changed the face of IAM. He expanded the union’s human rights, community services, job safety and organizing programs.

In 1981, during the height of the oil crisis, he led a landmark lawsuit against the OPEC oil cartel, charging it with price fixing that caused layoffs of IAM members.

His greatest legacy, the construction of an educational facility that now bears his name, the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, has trained more than 44,000 IAM activists since it opened in 1981.

Winpisinger, the Machinists’ Maverick, was honored for his fighting spirit and his never-ending battle for workers’ rights.

The annual AFL-CIO Union Industries Show displays union-made products to hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Annual Event Showcases Union Products
From 1874, when cigar makers affixed the first union logo to boxes containing their products, to today, the union label remains a powerful symbol.

The annual AFL-CIO Union Industries Show, held this year in St. Louis, MO, provides tens of thousands of visitors with a look at quality union-made products. The IAM fielded 17 exhibits staffed by members and representatives who described what goes into a product before the union label goes on.

“High value, union-made products are the backbone of this nation’s economy,” said GST Warren Mart. “The Union Industries Show is a terrific example of why unions and union members deserve credit and thanks for their role in creating the economic security we all rely on.”
 

IAM District 6 President Jerry Nowadzky testifies about job
loss before the Senate Democratic Policy Committee.

IAM Member Speaks From the Heartland
Testifying before a Senate Democratic Policy Committee hearing, IAM District 6 President Jerry Nowadzky of Des Moines, IA, put a human face on rising unemployment numbers due to NAFTA and other trade agreements.

“Our local union lost 1,000 members,” Nowadzky told Senators on the panel. “All these people are in the same boat that I am in, and it’s a pretty scary boat.” Nowadzky shared his personal story and the fears he has for his children who are entering the workforce.

“I think it’s time for all of us to take a serious, sober look at what this means to the future of our economy and our country,” said Committee Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-ND).

“I hope they see that people are hurting. It’s not just me, it’s thousands across this country” added Nowadzky.

World War II Memorial Honors Veterans
A grateful nation paid tribute to veterans of the “greatest generation” with the opening of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.

“This memorial is a great honor for the men and women, many of them union members, who fought and died, who braved countless hardships and returned to build the greatest middle class in history,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger.

“We must never forget them and the other millions of workers who unleashed America’s manufacturing might to win a war that brought democracy and freedom to a world threatened by fascism,” Buffenbarger added.

The impressive memorial took more than two years to build. Union members did a majority of the work and they completed the project ahead of schedule.

For more information about the memorial, go to: