Bobby Martinez started with the labor movement upon hiring at Hughes Aircraft, which later became Raytheon, in 1985 as part of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 933. An Electronic Technician by trade, Bobby became involved as a shop steward and Central Labor Council delegate in 1987. In 1989 he was elected Chief Steward for local Lodge 933. In 1993 he was elected to his first Bargaining Committee and has served in every Hughes/Raytheon negotiation since then. In 1996 he was elected as Negotiating Committee Chairperson for Local Lodge 933. In 1998 he was elected President of Local Lodge 933, a position he held until 2001. In 1999 he was elected as Directing Business Representative of Local 933, a position he held until his appointment to the Western Territory Staff in 2007. In 2009 he was appointed as the Western Territory Chief of Staff.
As a Directing Business Representative, he has led his local to organize over ten other companies in the Southern Arizona Area. In addition, Bobby has held the positions of Vice President, Auditor, and Lay member of the Executive Board.
In 2003 he was appointed to the Blue Ribbon Commission by International President Thomas Buffenbarger and had been a Delegate to the 33rd and the 36th Grand Lodge Conventions as well as the 2005 AFL-CIO Convention.
In 1987 he was elected to the State Council of Machinists, where has served as trustee and auditor until 2006. In 1989 he was elected as Director of MNPL for the State Council of Machinists and led the effort to create the first PAC committee for the Council.
He has served on the Executive Board of the State of Arizona AFL-CIO and was the finance and Budget Committee Chairperson for the innovative restructuring of the State AFL-CIO. In addition, he served as the Chairperson of the newly formed Pima Area Labor Federation until 2006.
In 2000 was “Citizen Activist of the Year” by the Arizona Citizen Action. In 2003 his Local Lodge received a General Excellence award from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Western Territory General Vice President Lee Pearson. In 2004 as the Directing Business Representative, he was awarded “Organizer of the year,” in 2005, he received the award for Political Excellence and in 2006 received the “Coraźon de Justicia” award for human rights work in Southern Arizona.
His community activities involve The Cesar Chavez Holiday Coalition, the Regional Transportation Committee, and The Board of Directors for the United Way of Southern Arizona.
He has training in Process improvements, lean manufacturing, Leadership Psychology, Multi-Cultural Leadership Development, Labor Law and Arbitration, Supervision and Management, Workplace ergonomics, and lay ministry. In addition, he has attended numerous classes at WWW Technology Center, AFL-CIO Leadership Institute, graduated from Tech school in Industrial and Communication Electronics and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the National Labor College.
Bobby enjoys attending church with his family, visiting with his grandchildren, reading, and playing outdoor sports. Bobby has been married for over 35 years to his beautiful wife Lori, and they have three children, Adam, Ashley, and Robbie, and five granddaughters, Savannah, Jami, Julie (deceased), Isabelle, and Ava.
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