Thursday, August 4, 2005

Boeing Announces Sale of Canada Parts Plant

IAM members of Local 1542 in Arnprior, Ontario are breathing a collective sigh of relief over news that the new owner of their metal fabricating facility will honor the existing collective bargaining agreement covering more than 350 IAM members at the plant.

Current owner Boeing announced yesterday that the plant was sold to Arnprior Aerospace Inc., owned by Consolidated Industries Inc., of Cheshire, CT, a supplier of aircraft components.

“A whole year of being on tenterhooks has caused a lot of stress,” said Bill Shipman, IAM Grand Lodge Representative. “It was critical that any new company declare their intentions to respect all provisions of the existing collective agreement which terminates March 2006 and this is the commitment that we have from John Wilbur, CEO of Consolidated. This has helped to calm membership apprehensions.”

The sale includes an agreement to supply parts and sub-assemblies to Boeing. But Consolidated President John Wilbur was quoted as saying he has no intention of relying exclusively on business from Boeing. The company would court new clients including Raytheon Co., Sikorsky Aircraft and even Boeing’s French rival Airbus.

The plant fabricates metal trays and shelves for electronics boxes on all Boeing aircraft, as well as miscellaneous sheet metal work. They currently employ 370 workers, 90 percent of whom are Machinist union members.

Local Lodge 1542 was chartered on 20 June, 1964, and has a long history of winning national and international recognition for the quality of their work in the aircraft and aerospace industry.

Raytheon Contract Offer Takes Effect

Members of Local Lodges 733 and 2328 voted to reject what Raytheon Aircraft Co., in Wichita, Kansas., called its final offer, but because workers did not authorize a strike by the required two-thirds majority, the contract went into effect August 1.

“The three-year contract includes three percent wage increases each year effective August 1, 2005, August 7, 2006, and August 6, 2007, however, workers will pay more for health care, an issue of great concern,” says Aerospace Coordinator Ron Eldridge.

The labor agreement, replacing a contract that expired July 31, covers about 4,000 workers at a Raytheon aircraft manufacturing facility in Wichita and 200 workers in Salina, Kansas, about 90 miles north of the main plant.

"We share our members’ frustrations about the healthcare costs,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “We are doing everything we can to hold the line on cost shifting to employees, but the healthcare and pension crisis can’t be solved at the bargaining table alone. And it won’t be solved until our members and all working families in America demand that employers and the federal government join together to create a national solution to the healthcare crisis.”

GAO Orders Employee Input for NSPS

The Bush administration is leaving no stone unturned in their never-ending quest to push through National Security Personnel System (NSPS). Through the month of July the Department of Defense (DoD) sent out survey questions requesting employee input on the new NSPS and civil service rules.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) claimed that employees did not input enough during the development of NSPS. However, the coalition of unions http://www.uniteddodworkerscoalition.org/ representing the 700,000 employees in the DoD did report on their behalf. “This was just another ploy to undermine the unions and the workers we represent,” said Frank Carelli, IAM Government Employees director.

Almost 70,000 employees participated in the current survey; during the Federal Register’s comment period there were more than 58,000 comments not including the comments on behalf of the 700,000 employees by the coalition and their individual Union’s reports.

“The money wasted on this attack on our workers is shameful when you consider that this money could be used on armor for Humvees and body armor for our soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Carelli.

Coalition of Unions: http://www.uniteddodworkerscoalition.org/

IAM members at Webb Corp Ratify New Agreement

IAM members at Webb Corporation in Webb City, MO, recently ratified a new three-year agreement by an overwhelming majority. IAM members at Webb Corporation are machinists and produce specialty machinery for steel plating.

According to IAM Local 778 Business Representative Mike Roepke, the new agreement includes a 20 percent gain in IAM Pension Fund contributions, wage increases, and no increase in insurance premium costs. The top priority for our members was the increasing cost of health care. "The negotiating committee maintained 100 percent employer paid health care for the members over the life of the agreement," said BR Roepke.

IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President James E. Brown praised BR Mike Roepke and the Local 778 shop committee at Webb Corp. saying, "With the overwhelming vote for the new agreement at Webb Corp., it's obvious the negotiating team brought back a package worthy of ratification. We appreciate their hard work and wish them continued success in the future."

China Drops Bid to Buy U.S. Oil Company

China’s Cnooc Ltd. has withdrawn their $18.5 billion offer to buy American oil company Unocal Corp. after intense political opposition from U.S. lawmakers, who called the possible takeover a threat to national security.

Cnooc, which is 70.6 percent owned by the Chinese government, considered raising its bid, but a flurry of legislation introduced in the House and Senate ultimately deterred them.

American-owned Chevron is now the sole bidder on El Segundo, California-based Unocal, whose board of directors is set to vote on the deal August 10.

Registration Deadline Near for IAM Women’s Conference