Thursday, July 14, 2005

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Labor issues you care about in streaming video
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Federal Workers Protest Unjust NSPS
Hundreds of federal workers from dozens of unions rallied on Capitol Hill on July 12th to protest the implementation of the National Security Personnel System or NSPS.

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TCU/IAM Affiliate

An historic agreement between two rail unions was announced at IAM headquarters, the Transportation Communications International Union or TCU affiliated with the IAM.

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Installation of Officers
On July 1, 2005, the International President and members of the Executive Council were sworn into office at IAM Headquarters.

Pay Parity Could Hinder NSPS

On Thursday, June 30 the House approved a 3.1 percent pay increase for both military personnel and civilian federal workers.

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Machinists Authorize Boeing Strike Sanction

In a tremendous show of solidarity, nearly 11,000 IAM members employed at Boeing Aircraft Co. sent a powerful message this week by voting 98.5 percent in favor of granting strike sanction authority to their Negotiating Committee.

The 98.5 percentage includes members voting in Seattle, Wichita, Portland and several other locations.

The IAM members gathered at Safeco Field in Seattle represented the highest percentage of Boeing Machinists to ever attend a strike sanction vote. By casting their ballots in record numbers, they sent negotiators back to the bargaining table with the full support of the membership.

Contract talks between the IAM and Chicago-based Boeing began on June 10. Round-the-clock bargaining will commence on Aug. 15 and a contract vote is scheduled for Sept. 1, when the current three-year contract expires.

China Oil Bid Roils U.S. Lawmakers

The current $18.5 billion bid by the China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) to buy U.S.-based oil company Unocal was the subject of a heated Congressional hearing before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday.

There is growing concern among lawmakers that the bid by CNOOC, which is 70 percent owned by the Chinese government, is part of an elaborate strategy by the Chinese to gain greater control of global oil and natural gas assets.

Outside of the hearing, Representative Duncan Hunter, a Republican from California, threatened to introduce legislation to block the sale.

“I think it’s viewed by China not as an economic acquisition, something that’s going to return a certain percentage to shareholders, but rather as a strategic acquisition which amounts to a lever that could be utilized in their foreign policy with the United States.”

IAM Cites Airline Failures at Senate Hearing

Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr., told a Senate hearing this week that failed business plans, the lack of any self-regulation and an addiction to employee concessions are keeping the industry in a permanent state of crisis.

The financial condition of the airline industry is clearly miserable and, without dramatic changes, the future continues to look bleak,” said Roach in testimony before the Aviation Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

“When airlines were healthy, legacy carriers spent surplus cash by purchasing unnecessary aircraft, irresponsibly expanding operations and pursuing foolish mega-mergers,” said Roach. “At the same time, these airlines refused to properly fund their employee pension plans. Now more than a hundred thousand participants and beneficiaries at US Airways and United Airlines have lost more than $5 billion of their promised pension benefits.”

The IAM is calling for Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta to convene an airline summit so airline executives, labor leaders and government officials could jointly develop solutions to the industry’s problems.

“The industry needs new ideas,” said Roach. “Whether it be a mandatory fuel surcharge or other government intervention, some re-regulation of the industry is clearly necessary. Left alone, airlines will price themselves out of existence.”


Federal Workers Protest Union Busting

Hundreds of Defense Department employees joined forces in Washington, D.C. to protest new rules in the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) that sharply limit civil service and collective bargaining rights.

“The proposed rules go far beyond what Congress intended for them to be,” said Frank Carelli, director of IAM Government Employees Department. “We’re here to make sure Congress sees the faces of the men and women who work hard to support our nation’s security.”

The NSPS was authorized by Congress in the wake of the September 11 attacks for employees of the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. The rules all but eliminate collective bargaining and make it harder to appeal unfair disciplinary action. The Bush Administration expanded it to the Defense Department and is now pushing for NSPS to apply to all government employees.

Among the union leaders who addressed the government workers was AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer, Rich Trumka. “You keep our country moving, you keep your unions strong and you keep our country safe,” said Trumka. “Our nation owes you a debt of gratitude.”

Join the fight, send a letter to Congress and tell them to stop the unfair NSPS system for federal workers.

Click here to view an IAM video of the rally.

Rumors of Our Demise

In a letter to the AFL-CIO General Board, IP Buffenbarger rejected claims by leaders of the dissident “Change to Win” coalition that the 57-union labor federation needs an extreme makeover and said the AFL-CIO is still a potent force to be reckoned with.

According to the letter, the focus over declining percentages of union membership in the U.S. does not reflect the 18 million additional workers who joined the labor force during the last decade. Organizing new members must be a top priority for the federation and for individual member unions, declared Buffenbarger, who warned against proposals that target specific percentages of an ever expanding workforce.

Aviation Survival Techs Vote IAM

A small but critically important employee group at Lockheed Martin Systems at Cherry Point, NC voted unanimously to join the IAM recently.

“These folks have an interesting job,” said Southern Territory Organizer Joe Greaser. “They are Aviation Survival Training Technicians, and they operate the equipment to teach pilots to survive if their aircraft go down. They were tired of not having a raise for years, while technicians who worked nearby under an IAM contract received yearly raises.”

The workers will be part of Local 2296, in District Lodge 110, headquartered at Havelock, NC.

“I’d like to thank new District 110 DBR Ron Shaffer for his hard work on his first organizing win since taking office,” said Southern Territory GVP Bob Martinez. “District 110 has a history of aggressive organizing, and I’m glad to see the District isn’t letting up. I’d like to welcome our newest members to the IAM family.”


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With proposals based on labor’s strengths rather than weaknesses, the IAM has unveiled a seven-point strategy to help guide the debate over reform at the AFL-CIO. Take a look.

FlatRateTech is an organization “created for and by Ford and Lincoln Mercury service technicians solely to speak as one loud voice rather than 50,000 smaller voices.” according to their website The fast-growing site offers forums for Ford customers, technicians and dealers to exchange information.

IAM
Executive Council


Tom Buffenbarger
International President


Warren L. Mart
Secretary-Treasurer


Lee Pearson
GVP Western Territory


Dave Ritchie
GVP Canada


Robert Thayer
GVP Headquarters


Robert Roach,Jr.
GVP Transportation


Lynn Tucker
GVP Eastern Territory


Robert Martinez
GVP Southern Territory


James Brown
GVP Midwest Territory