Thursday, December 8, 2005 |
Nationwide Events Highlight Organizing RightsDozens of cities in the U.S. and around the world are holding vigils, marches and teach-ins this week to bring attention to human rights abuses and the corporate war on workers’ rights to form unions. “For years, this nation strived to live up to the ideals of democracy, human rights and a fair shot at a better life for its citizens,” said IP Tom Buffenbarger. The week-long mobilization, which will culminate in the December 10 celebration of International Human Rights Day, included a march to the White House where thousands of union activists presented a petition calling for the U.S. to enforce current laws that prohibit the illegal harassment, discrimination and firing of employees who express an interest in unionization. Accident Prone Alaska AirlinesIn a blistering report on Alaska Airlines’ ground safety record since hundreds of IAM ramp jobs were outsourced last year, Channel 5 TV in Seattle, Washington, detailed a 300 percent increase in incidents since the airline hired Menzies Aviation to perform the work formally done by IAM members. Among the problems uncovered were increased theft from checked baggage, more injuries to workers, more vehicle accidents and a rash of aircraft damage caused by the replacement workers. Menzies management brushed off the injuries and accidents, describing them as “part of doing business,” and “absolutely nothing unusual at all.” Airport officials and safety experts disagreed. Sea-Tac General Manager Mark Coates was stunned by the results of the Channel 5 investigation. “I am disappointed … I'm hoping that I wouldn't see this many in a whole year on the whole airport, so it is disconcerting to know that there are this many, in this short of time frame.” The problems at Alaska went far beyond accidents involving aircraft and ground equipment, according to the report. “In the first nine months of this year, the port issued 19 security citations against Alaska Airlines. Again, up substantially from the years before,” said the report. “This report will hopefully open up the eyes of all airlines and airline customers to the fact that you can never sacrifice safety to save a dollar,” said District 143 President Robert DePace. Application Deadline Near for Communicators CourseThe application deadline for the IAM Communications Department’s Communicator course is December 16, 2005. The class will be held from Feb.19 – Feb. 24, 2006 (there will be one more class August 6 – August 11, 2006). Local 1650 Honors 50-year MembersMore than 28 members from Local 1650 in Kansas City, Missouri gathered this week to receive certificates and be honored for 50 years of membership in the IAM. The retired members, who worked as airline mechanicsand at other positions for TWA in Kansas City braved a snowstorm and high winds to receive their honors and thanks from Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr., who called them the "heart, soul and the backbone of the IAM." IAM Members at Olin Ratify 3-year AccordMore than 2,400 IAM members at LL 660 at Olin Corporation in East Alton, Illinois voted to ratify a new three-year accord by an overwhelming margin earlier this week. NWA Workers Protest Outsourcing PlansHundreds of Northwest Airlines employees rallied this week in Minneapolis, Minnesota in a show of solidarity to protect employee jobs. Microsoft to Add 3,000 Jobs… in IndiaSeattle-based computer software giant Microsoft announced plans this week to boost its presence in India, adding 3,000 jobs over the next four years. The increase will bring the total number of Microsoft positions in India to nearly 7,000. Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates traveled to New Delhi to make the announcement, which was widely applauded by a forum of Indian business leaders and politicians. The news confirmed India’s role as a supplier of inexpensive labor for U.S. companies anxious to outsource the “jobs of tomorrow” that were once touted as replacements for the millions of high paying manufacturing jobs lost during the past decade. City Council in Vermont Bans OutsourcingIn an effort to protect North American jobs, officials in Burlington, VT have passed a city law banning the use of outsourcing. The Burlington city council unanimously adopted a resolution that restricts the city from giving service contracts to contractors, subcontractors and vendors who are not performing that work in the United States or Canada. Like the rest of the country, Vermont has seen outsourcing strip them of thousands of quality jobs. In the past decade, Vermont has lost more than 10,000 manufacturing jobs. Efforts to push similar proposals through the Vermont state Legislature have stalled due to a lack of support. |