The IAM Executive Council led air and rail members on a march in Washington, D.C. to protect wages, benefits and pensions for U.S. transportation workers at the 2004 Day of Action.

2004 Day of Action Rocks Washington
More than 1,000 IAM members came from ticket counters, tarmacs, railroads and reservations centers to downtown Washington, D.C., where they stopped traffic for more than an hour during the IAM’s third annual Day of Action march.

“Since September 11, there has been a concerted assault on our members by air and rail management,” declared General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr., at a rally within earshot of the White House. “We are here to say those days are coming to an end.”

“The attack on transportation workers began within weeks of President Bush taking office,” added IAM International President Tom Buffenabarger, who described how industry executives and government officials used the September 11 tragedy to lower wages and cut benefits for tens of thousands of airline workers. “On Election Day, we’ll be voting to protect our jobs, our industry and to take our country back.”

IAM members from across the country welcomed support from AFL-CIO Secretary- Treasurer Rich Trumka and California Sen. Barbara Boxer, who were among more than a dozen labor allies and Congressional representatives attending the annual event.


High Tech Prep for Continental
Preparation for new IAM contracts covering nearly 11,000 Continental and ExpressJet Flight Attendants got off to a good start with a program that lets busy flight attendants complete a vital pre-negotiations survey while waiting to board their flights.

IAM Flight Attendants took the survey using special software on computers provided by the IAM and set up in airport crew rooms in Newark, Cleveland and Houston.

For Amy Van der Hoop, a three-year Continental Flight Attendant who took the survey in Newark, the key issues are job security and reserve status flying. “Scheduling is very important,” said Van der Hoop, who welcomed the opportunity to provide input.

Results from the survey will let the District 142 negotiating committee prioritize members’ wishes and bargain accordingly in the upcoming talks with Continental Airlines.

The Flight Attendants’ contract at Continental Airlines becomes amendable on Oct. 1, 2004. Separate negotiations will take place to renew the ExpressJet Flight Attendant agreement, which becomes amendable on Dec. 31, 2004.


IAM Educates High School Students
The IAM’s effort to court the next generation of aviation technicians drew praise from students taking part in the program, with one calling it “a great experience” and another saying “it opened my eyes to what a union is.”

Since 2002, students from New York City’s Aviation High School have traveled to the William W. Winpisinger Education Center for classroom instruction and field trips that provide shop floor insight to a career in aviation.

“The latest group visited an Amtrak facility, a maintenance center at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and the National Transportation Safety Board,” said GVP Robert Roach, Jr. “For many of the students, we also provided their first contact with representatives of a labor union.”

The outreach program showcases the positive influence of union membership. “Our reputation and effectiveness as an organization is only as strong as our relationships – with union members and members of the community,” said GVP Roach.