www.tradealert.org
is a new website run by the USBIC Educational Foundation, dedicated to
protecting American interests against the damaging effects of
international trade.
With more than 700 people dying of
hypothermia yearly, the IAM Safety Department wants you to know
how dangerous it is to work
in cold environments.
Get Your Convention Gear
Check out gear for the
2004
IAM Convention
The IAM
Executive Council
International President
R.
Thomas Buffenbarger
Secretary Treasurer
Donald
E. Wharton
GVP Western
Territory
Lee
Pearson
GVP
Canada
GVP Canada
Dave
Ritchie
GVP Midwest
Territory
Alex
M. Bay
GVP Headquarters
Robert
V. Thayer
GVP
Southern
GVP Southern
Territory
George
Hooper
GVP Eastern
Territory
Warren
L. Mart
GVP Transportation
Robert
Roach, Jr.
|
Friday,
March 8, 2002
Lockheed Members to Vote on Improvements
The
latest round of negotiations with Lockheed-Martin concluded Friday after
nearly 30 hours of continuous bargaining. The meetings were conducted
under the auspices of the Federal Mediation Conciliation Service during
which the company presented its last, best and final offers to the
various negotiating committees.
IAM Negotiators forced major improvements to the company's original wage
and benefit package. The respective negotiating committees will present
the new terms to the membership for a vote on Sunday, March 10th.
Lockheed members should contact their local representatives or check
their local lodge's website for additional information, including time
and location of the Sunday meetings.
Senate
Sends Economic Stimulus Bill to Bush
An
overdue recession relief bill, including a much-needed extension of
unemployment benefits is on its way to the White House after the Senate
voted 85-9 to approve the legislation.
The final vote follows three months of partisan bickering that held up
any additional assistance for the millions of unemployed Americans whose
26 weeks of jobless benefits were rapidly running out. More than 1.5
million workers exhausted their UI benefits since the 9/11 attacks.
The measure would extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks and allow for
additional extensions in states with high unemployment rates. The bill
does not include all of the large tax breaks for business and wealthy
individuals sought by President Bush and the House Republican
leadership.
Canale Tapped for UAL Board Seat
The IAM
announced Wednesday that Stephen R. (Randy) Canale will replace John
Peterpaul as the IAM representative on the UAL Corporation board of
directors. Peterpaul will step down officially on May 16, 2002 after 8
years on the UAL board.
Canale will continue to serve as president of District 141,
administering contracts for 30,000 United employees including Ramp and
Public Contact employees. As the IAM representative on the UAL board,
Canale will represent the shareholder interests of all IAM-represented
employees at United, including 15,000 mechanic and related members of
IAM District 141-M.
“This appointment will place an elected IAM official on the UAL board –
one who is responsive and responsible to the membership on a daily
basis,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. “It means a
more aggressive involvement by employees in the direction of United
Airlines.”
Canale will serve on the UAL board for two years and then be replaced by
the president of IAM District 141-M. Scotty Ford is the current
president of District 141-M. The position will be rotated between the
district presidents every two years.
“Randy Canale’s experience as a
union official and his proven ability to communicate with the members
makes him an excellent choice for the UAL board of directors,” said GVP
Robert Roach, Jr. “John
Peterpaul is owed a debt of gratitude for over forty years of dedicated
service to the Transportation Labor Movement,” added Roach.
US Airways Names New CEO
The
US Airways Group board of directors named former Continental Airlines
executive David N. Siegel as president and CEO of US Airways. Current US
Airways CEO Stephen M. Wolf will retain the position of chairman at the
airline and serve in a non-executive capacity.
“US Airways is facing many
challenges, and we look forward to working with Mr. Siegel to resolve
them together,” said Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr. “The IAM
worked with Mr. Siegel previously to reach the first agreement for
Continental Express Flight Attendants.”
Prior to his appointment as president of Continental Express, Siegel
developed and implemented the route and fleet restructuring plan that
was considered the reason for Continental's operational and financial
turnaround. He is currently CEO of Avis Rent a Car System, Inc.
Double
Standard Threatens Amtrak Survival
“No
other segment of America’s transportation system is forced to meet its
capital and operating needs without substantial government assistance,”
said Edward Wytkind, Executive Director of the Transportation Trades
Department, AFL-CIO, in testimony before the House Railroads
Subcommittee. “Operational self-sufficiency is the wrong answer for
Amtrak.”
Wytkind testified on behalf of 12 AFL-CIO rail unions, including 10,500
IAM rail workers and 800 IAM members at Amtrak. The first step in
turning around the nation’s troubled passenger rail system, according to
Wytkind, is to end the mandate for Amtrak to operate subsidy free. “No
other national passenger rail system in the world operates subsidy free.
Congress must put an end to this double standard.”
Canada to Limit Airport Security Debate
The IAM
and the Canadian Labor Congress (CLC) blasted the government of Canada
for its decision to exclude the airline workers and their
representatives from decision-making roles on a national aviation
security board. The move reverses a previous decision to include
front-line employees in the policy–making debate.
“Tell me who knows better about what’s going on at an airport than the
ground crews, the ticketing staff, the pilots and flight attendants and
the people at the security checkpoints?” asked Ken Georgetti, president
of the Canadian Labor Congress, representing a coalition of Canadian
labor unions, including the IAM.
"The membership of the Machinists
Union have again been slapped in the face by a government not prepared
to listen,” said Dave Ritchie, IAM General Vice President, Canada.
“Instead, they continue making the same mistakes over and over and
covering them up with shortsighted band-aid solutions.”
The Canadian government created
the Aviation Security Advisory Committee in response to pressure from
Canadian transportation unions to include airline workers in the debate
over new airport security measures following the events of September 11.
Since its formation, the government has repeatedly ignored the input of
the committee and implemented changes without regard to the concerns of
airline workers.
“The government cannot have a
vision or long-term strategy to deal with aviation security without the
participation of frontline workers. Working together will ensure a
vibrant and safe air transport industry in this country," said Ritchie.
IAM Microsites Program
Gains Momentum
More
than 120 local and district lodges have already signed up for the IAM’s
free web site service known as Microsites. The program is rapidly
catching on and has the potential to become the most significant IAM
communications breakthrough in years.
Taking advantage of technology that allows a non-expert to build and
maintain a simple website, the program provides the training, tools and
free server space for lodges to quickly and easily update their site
with information about local activities and events.
The latest feature of the program is a Microsites Resource Center, with
articles, content and suggestions for inclusion in the locally
maintained websites. Local or district lodges interested in having a
basic website, without the cost and hassle of traditional websites,
should contact the IAM Communications Dept. at 301-967-4520, for
additional information or an application form. The program is open to
any local or district that does not already have a website.
|
