Web
Highlights
If you think you may be laid off,
or if you already have been, you may find the web links and suggestions
on this page to be a valuable resource.
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IAM Community Services
The
IAM's 911
Disaster
Relief Fund
An
open letter from IP Tom Buffenbarger and GST Don Wharton
From
Disaster to Hope
A
message from Community Services Director Maria C. Cordone about the September
11 tragedy.
Terror Strikes America's
Working Familes
A special report from the AFL-CIO
on September 11's aftermath.
News and updates about
what happened.
Unions are providing ways
to help victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Find out what you
can ddo to help.
What the AFL-CIO and
the labor movement have to say about the tragedy
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The IAM's
Executive Council
International President
R.
Thomas Buffenbarger
General Secretary Treasurer
Donald
E. Wharton
GVP Western Territory
Lee
Pearson
GVP Canada
Dave
Ritchie
GVP Midwest Territory
Alex
M. Bay
GVP IAM Headquarters
Robert
V. Thayer
GVP Southern Territory
George
Hooper
GVP Eastern Territory
Warren
L. Mart
GVP Transportation
Robert
Roach, Jr.
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Breaking News for Friday, September 28, 2001
Buffenbarger Calls for
Airline Worker Protection
International President
R. Thomas Buffenbarger sent the following letter today to urge everyone
in the IAM to take action on behalf of our members affected by the September
11 tragedy. Congress bailed out the airlines, but intentionally left aerospace
and airline workers out in the cold. Please write letters and call your
Senators and Representative and tell them to support steps to lessen the
impact on working families.
IAM members can send a letter directly from the “Action Item” section on
the Politics and Legislation page at http://www.goiam.org/politics.asp
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
The September 11th tragedies
made a huge impact on our union. Our members who perform work in the air
transport industry immediately felt the sting – they were laid off. The
job loss rapidly spread to 30,000 of our brothers and sisters at Boeing.
The total impact to date may exceed 130,000 members and their families,
who are the economic victims of this ongoing tragedy. The job loss in the
service, subcontractor, and supplier businesses will only increase these
figures.
We requested that the George W. Bush administration and Congress provide
a veil of protection for our brothers and sisters in the aerospace and
air transportation industries. However, on September 21st, the White House
disagreed by omitting a provision in the airline bailout bill that would
have protected workers within those industries. All through this legislative
process, Members of Congress assured us that our members would be taken
care of. That didn’t happen. Employee protections were included in the
House version of the Bill, but Majority Whip Tom Delay stripped them at
3:30 that morning. As a result, airline executives were given an immediate
five billion dollar infusion of cash, another ten billion dollars in loan
guarantees and subsidies. We were intentionally left out.
President George W. Bush flew to Chicago O’Hare Airport on September 27,
2001, and stood with airline employees. He never addressed our thousands
of laid off members who are now on the outside looking in.
Brothers and sisters, I ask you to rally to a call of action. Alert our
members everywhere and ask them to contact their Members of Congress to
defend the workers in the air transportation and aerospace industries.
We have asked this Congress
and our President to provide basic items for our brothers and sisters and
their families:
1) Guaranteed 104
weeks of unemployment benefits;
2) Supplemental compensation
and training/retraining programs;
3) Eighteen months guaranteed
medical insurance coverage;
4) Protection from creditors.
(Our members did not expect to be laid off and may have credit card debt,
rented a larger apartment, or bought a bigger home. They need protection
from judgments, personal bankruptcies, and foreclosures.)
5) Buy American. (Airlines asked for and have taken our taxpayer
money. They should buy American. Members of Congress debated this issue
at last week’s hearings. At that time the airlines took the position that
it was improper to demand that they buy American).
The Executive Council and I are committed to protect our members from acts
that have resulted economic terrorism for the hundreds of thousands of
families that reside in the United States and Canada.
We must ensure that equality is provided for the workers, not just for
corporations and their executives. Please act today. Contact your Senators
and Representative. Ask them to support the five principles listed above.
Forward your progress as well as any letters you send to the Legislative
and Political Action Department, fax 301-967-4595.
In solidarity,
R. Thomas Buffenbarger
International President
California
Governor Davis Helps Airline Workers
Democratic Governor Gray
Davis responded to the wave of layoffs facing California’s airline workers
by issuing an executive order to waive the one-week waiting period for
applying for unemployment benefits.
“We applaud Governor Davis
for stepping up to help airline employees,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger.
“Congress, the President, and other Governors should take notice and do
what’s right for all airline employees affected by the terrorist attacks.
In the rush to bail out the airlines, the employees who are the true heart
of the aviation industry should not be forgotten.”
The order applies to all
airline employees and other workers at California’s airports who are otherwise
eligible for unemployment insurance benefits and are unemployed due to
the temporary grounding of all major airline traffic after the September
11 tragedy. The waiver of the one-week waiting period is in effect until
December 31, 2001.
“These workers and their
families will face significant financial hardship resulting from the loss
of employment,” said Governor Davis. “They will need immediate financial
assistance to mitigate the effects of this emergency.”
The text of the order is
available at www.governor.ca.gov.
Go to the press room section, then Executive Orders section and look for
Executive Order D-45-01.
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