The petition for sanctions, filed under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, represents the first time that China’s human rights record has been formally invoked as an unfair trade practice. The Trade Act authorizes the President to impose sanctions against countries that engage in “unreasonable trade practices.”

“Jailing and killing workers to keep them under control is all too common in China,” said IP Tom Buffenbarger. “These abuses distort trade, depress wages and demean workers.” The President of the United States has 45 days to respond to the petition.

The petition also documents China’s violent history of suppressing free and independent labor unions and its failure to implement minimum workplace health or safety standards.

“China routinely violates fundamental human rights, including the right of its workers to freely form their own unions and to engage in collective bargaining” said Buffenbarger. “The 301 petition proves what we have been saying for many years: China’s harsh control of its workers artificially drives their labor costs down, making their products cheaper and allows their industrial sector to flourish at the expense of our own.”

In addition to today’s petition, President Buffenbarger sent a letter to Chinese officials urging them to immediately release two worker activists who are serving jail sentences following peaceful protests in 2002 seeking wages and benefits.

Read the IAM's Press Release: http://www.goiam.org/news.asp?c=5263

Help Block DoD Union Busting Campaign
The IAM Government Employees Department is sounding the alarm over the Defense Department plan to gut collective bargaining rights for nearly 750,000 civilian workers employed by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Last November, Congress gave the Defense of Department (DoD) authority to revise personnel rules to better meet this country’s national security needs. Despite clear instructions that labor rights should be safeguarded, the DoD is proposing changes that would virtually eliminate collective bargaining and prohibit as many as 200,000 DoD employees from joining a union of their choice.

The scope of the changes being proposed represents a clear violation of the legislation approved by a majority of House members from both parties. It also represents a McCarthy-like attempt to use fear and national security as excuses to roll back decades of progress for government workers and their union representatives.

All IAM members are urged to go immediately to the IAM's Legislative Action Center http://capwiz.com/iamaw/mail/oneclick_compose/alertid=5369636,send an email to their representative in Congress and ask their lawmaker to support government workers in their fight to continue serving their country without sacrificing their rights at work.

Members can compose an email, or use the pre-written version that includes a "Dear Colleague" letter from Congressman Chris Van Hollen which supports government worker rights.

Click http://www.goiam.org/visit.asp?n=126 for more information about the Defense Department’s union-busting campaign.

Space Center Workers are Serious About Safety
IAM representatives from Local 2061 in Cape Canaveral, FL completed the first half of a two-week program designed to improve awareness of OSHA Health and Safety standards and to reduce accidents on the job.

The first week of training, provided by IAM CREST (Corporation for Re-employment and Safety Training), also included management representatives from Space Gateways Support (SGS), where more than 900 IAM members are employed.

The second week-long program was developed specifically for SGS based on the injuries that occurred in 2003. The training is taking place on site in Cape Canaveral and provides basic knowledge needed to perform accident investigations and workplace hazard identification.

SGS provides facilities maintenance and launch vehicle support to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral.  The company and its employees maintain a successful safety record that is greatly improved by IAM CREST’s training approach and courses, according to the SGS Safety Director John Storm.  Since 2001, IAM CREST representatives have delivered approximately 260 hours of safety and health training to 150 union safety representatives, safety committees members, SGS managers and supervisors. 

An Alphabet Soup Dispute
Along with the barrage of election year ads from organizations known by their initials, voters will soon be hearing from a new group, backed by conservative extremists bent on the privatization of Social Security.

In a move certain to draw attention, if not lawsuits, the newly formed organization is calling itself the Alliance for Retirement Prosperity (ARP). Two other organizations share similar titles, but completely different agendas. The Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), headed by former IAM IP George Kourpias is comprised of retired union members and fiercely opposes privatizing social security calling it a Wall Street gimmick that benefits brokers and investment banks.

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is another national retiree group that recently distinguished itself by endorsing the President’s Medicare plan, triggering a mass exodus of members opposed to the new legislation.

ARP will be led by failed GOP vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp and former House Majority leader Dick Armey. Also involved will be GOP insiders Steve Moore, president of the Club for Growth and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.

IAM Members Pitch Cost Savings to US Airways
In response to demonstrations at US Airways' airport terminals in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Boston, the airline met last week with the Machinists Union representatives to discuss items IAM members have identified that would provide significant cost savings without amending current labor agreements.

"Our members are tired of watching US Airways claim poverty while running an inefficient operation," said GVP Robert Roach, Jr. "If US Airways' management truly wants the airline to succeed, they will take action on the ideas our members have presented."

IAM District 141 Fleet Service employees identified more than a dozen items that would provide the financially troubled company substantial cost savings. Mechanic & Related members from District 141-M explained the financial advantages the company could realize by repairing certain aircraft components in-house with IAM members instead of shipping the components to vendors.

IAM and US Airways financial experts are currently working on the valuation of the IAM's proposals. Additional meetings are scheduled to continue evaluating and refining the ideas.