2011 Archived
News (Please note that some of the hyperlinks
below may be out of date)
District 725 Holiday Hours
Tuesday December 6, 2011
All District Lodge 725 Area Offices will be closed for the holidays at the close of business Thursday December 22, 2011 and re-open Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
IAM Headquarters in Upper Marlboro, MD closed for the holidays at the close of business Friday, December 16th and will re-open Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
Best wishes to all for a safe and joyous holiday season. Enjoy your union negotiated holiday!
A Victory for U.S. Labor Law
Tuesday December 6, 2011
The right-wing darlings in Congress who are so quick to wave the U.S. Constitution about and declare they favor strict adherence to the laws of the land, might want to applaud the 75-year old law that created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and set the stage for a resolution of the contentious dispute between the IAM and Boeing.
Instead, we continue to hear rancorous calls for legislation to defund the agency, deny appropriate staffing and eliminate the delicate balance that has been the foundation for successful collective bargaining for decades.
In a recent article titled, ‘Congress Should Follow Labor Law, Not Blow It Up,’ reporter Ted Reed suggests that lawmakers could benefit by following the example set by Boeing and the IAM during negotiations that led to the recent tentative agreement.
Despite a checkered history and differences that might seem insurmountable, leaders of the IAM and Boeing met to discuss areas of shared concern and common interest. The meetings and dialog led to negotiations that produced an historic tentative agreement that clearly demonstrates the value of the collective bargaining process – for both sides.
“So the two sides went into negotiations and settled their differences with compromises on both sides,” said Reed. “What a novel idea. Congress should try it some time.
Send Congress a Lump of Coal
Tuesday December 6, 2011
UCubed needs your help in collecting 5,000 signatures for its new online petition to send Congress a lump of coal for the upcoming holiday.
“Congress has been acting like bad little children squabbling all year long,” says the petition. “They’ve done little to help the 29 million jobless Americans get back to work. And now they’re deadlocked on extending unemployment benefits.”
Extended unemployment benefits lapse on December 31st for millions of jobless Americans. Economists predict over 2 million jobless will lose their benefits by January. Another 1.3 million will receive their last check by February.
Send your members of Congress a lump of charcoal by signing UCubed’s petition here.
Machinists at Boeing Vote on 737 MAX Pact
Thursday December 1, 2011
In an announcement that made front-page news around the world, leaders of IAM District 751 in Seattle said that union members in Washington, Portland and Kansas will vote next week on a four-year contract extension that includes a commitment by the Boeing Co. to build its 737 MAX passenger jet in Washington state.
With over 700 orders, the 737 Max is the latest variant of Boeing’s most popular aircraft and a workhorse for many fleets around the world. The selection of Washington state as the site to build the 737 MAX means nearly 20,000 jobs and more than $5.5 billion in related economic activity for the surrounding area.
Terms of the four-year proposal include: annual wage increases of 2 percent, plus cost-of-living adjustments; an incentive program intended to pay bonuses between 2 and 4 percent; a ratification bonus of $5,000 for each member and increases to the formula for calculating pensions in each year of the pact.
The new contract also contains a written guarantee that new hires will continue to receive traditional defined benefit pensions.
While the wage hikes, pension improvements and job security provisions are key features of the agreement, equally important is the establishment of high-level committees that will meet monthly give the IAM and Boeing the opportunity to review and discuss issues including market conditions, quality, safety, productivity, schedule and cost.
“In addition to achieving improvements outside the traditional bargaining window, this agreement aims to open a new chapter in our long history with the Boeing Company,” said Headquarters GVP Rich Michalski. “From the initial meetings to hammering out the final details, these negotiations were conducted with a determination by all sides to avoid the pitfalls of the past.”
Additional information and a summary of the contract proposal are available at: www.IAM751.org/Boeing.
Members Can Help Test the New IAM App
Tuesday November 29, 2011
TheIAM App for Android phones is now available, but we need your help testing it. Please search for the "IAM Journal" in the Android Marketplace. Then drop IAM Communications Director Rick Sloan an email at rsloan@iamaw.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, and let him know how it works on your ‘droid.
Working America Offers Political ‘Turkey Talk Tips’ for a Smooth Thanksgiving
Friday November 18, 2011
Conventional wisdom says don’t talk politics at big family gatherings, especially with Uncle Earl. But our friends at Working America are offering a unique guide on how to talk about today’s biggest political topic, the Occupy Wall Street/99 Percent movement, without sending Uncle Earl into one of his legendary fits.
Working America’s Turkey Talk Guide is designed to help you continue the national dialogue on economic fairness sparked by the Occupy movement and help you draw out the real issues behind the massive protests against inequality and injustice taking place in Ohio, Wisconsin and across the country.
It offer tips, facts and responses to myths and spin, as well as online resources to people at their homes and online. Says Working America Executive Director Karen Nussbaum:
We want to help ordinary Americans have productive conversations, and avoid picking fights with the uncle who thinks the Department of Education should be abolished. So many people are not able or willing to occupy parks to protest the vast inequality in this country, but they want to do something. We’re bridging the gap between the tent cities where the protesters are, and the neighborhoods where people might have family members who aren’t normally receptive to these ideas.
In addition, Working America will host a “Turkey Talk” live chat at 2 p.m. on Nov. 21 (hash tag: #turkeytalk) to allow anyone to share their own stories or advice about talking turkey with family members—especially the confused or skeptical ones—about economic equality, good jobs, a healthy environment, good public schools and a secure retirement.
Click here for Turkey talk tips, and on Thanksgiving, be sure to keep Uncle Earl out of the liquor cabinet.
Victory in Ohio
Tuesday November 8, 2011
On Nov. 8, Ohio voters repealed SB5, which took away the right of public employees to bargain for a middle-class life. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka joined working families at the phone bank and walking door to door to get-out-the-vote against the law, pushed by Gov. John Kasich and passed early in 2011.
Below is a short video produced by the AFL-CIO on this epic battle. Please take a moment to watch this video.
Wisconsin Machinist Releases Collection of Labor Songs
Tuesday November 8, 2011
In addition to rejuvenating the American Labor Movement, the struggle to restore collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin is now the inspiration for a newly-released collection of labor songs by Milwaukee, WI Local 66 member Joe ‘Pepe’ Oulahan.
“I’ve always admired the troubadours of the 40’s and 50’s such as Joe Hill, Woody Gutherie, and Pete Seeger,” said Oulahan. “These folk singers wrote and played songs of the struggles of working people, they never compromised their ideals. Their songs went on to be an integral part of the movement we now know as organized labor.”
A long-time union activist and amateur guitarist, Oulahan recorded the six songs on “It’s Just Business” to express his gratitude for what the labor movement has provided for him and his family, and in opposition to the right-wing attack on collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin.
“A good friend of mine and fellow IAM member, Don Burmester, put it best when he said that the folk songs of labor paint a picture of what is happening at that particular time and so become part of the struggle and part of a history that needs to always be remembered,” said Oulahan.
For more information and to acquire a copy of “It’s Just Business,” contact Oulahan via email at pepe99@sbcglobal.net
U.S. officials could learn a lot from their counterparts in Germany. According to an article in the United Kingdom’s The Guardian, Germany has achieved “real, lasting economic success” in the midst of a recession that has crippled most other countries.
The key to the country’s success, writes author John Kampfner, is innovation, apprenticeships, vocational training and partnerships with labor unions.
“The president of the European Central Bank put it more diplomatically in a speech at Berlin's Humboldt University when he praised Germany for not basing its economic strategy on ‘cyclical, unsustainable factors.’ Instead, the German – and broader northern European – approach emphasizes vocational training and apprenticeships,” says Kampfner, “particularly in engineering, manufacturing and the sciences. It invests in research and development, and in strong education.”
Kampfner praised the country for its strong partnership with unions. “‘Works councils’ have been the staple of German industry, with unions represented by statute,” he writes. “Both sides actively work towards consensus, and strikes and other disputes take place on the rare occasion where agreement is not reached.”
As a result, Germany has managed to keep its unemployment rate at 6.9% for two years.
Machinists Launch New IAM App
Tuesday November 1, 2011
The Machinists Union launched the new IAM APP today. The web-based application will enable IAM members to use their smartphones and tablets to read the new digital IAM Journal, act decisively on vital issues, share information with friends and family, and help organize new members.
For information on how to download the free IAM APP, go to GOIAM.org, look for the IAM APP graphic, and follow the links to Apple’s iTunes Store or the Android Market. You will also find a how-to video that explains the IAM APP’s functions.
“The IAM APP is an exciting and potentially explosive new way to communicate with our members. It places our union on the cutting edge of new technologies,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. “The IAM APP is being built around the IAM Journal. The new digital version will be more current, more useful, more video intensive, more quickly read and more action oriented.”
Digital issues of the IAM Journal will be published each month. They will also be available on GOIAM.org in a PDF format that can be viewed online or printed. Smartphone and tablet users will be notified automatically whenever a new issue is available to be downloaded.
Click here for information on downloading the IAM APP.
IAM President Warns Against Deep Defense Cuts
Tuesday October 25, 2011
The IAM joined forces with the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to denounce the federal budget proposals that would cut nearly a trillion dollars from the U.S. defense budget.
The press club event also marked the release of an AIA-commissioned study that predicts dramatic job losses and devastating economic impact should the proposed budget cuts be put into motion.
“Cutting a trillion dollars from defense spending does more than kill off one million jobs,” said IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger. “It means billions and billions in lost tax revenues for federal, state and local governments. At the same time, states and the federal government will incur higher costs for unemployment benefits, food stamps, Medicaid and re-training.”
“We cannot cut, cut, cut our way to prosperity,” said Buffenbarger. “That’s the Grecian Formula. And we’ve seen just how well that works – austerity programs have led to higher unemployment which led to even more severe austerity programs. Policymakers need to focus on creating jobs, hiring workers and investing in our industrial base.”
District 725 Delegate Body Meeting
Saturday October 15, 2011
The third regularly scheduled District Lodge 725 Delegate Body meeting of the year will be held on Saturday October 15, 2011 in Huntington Beach, California. The meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
Take Action: America Needs Jobs - Real Jobs
Tuesday October 11, 2011
Majority Leader Harry Reid will bring the American Jobs Act for a vote on Tuesday evening October 11. Let your representatives in Washington know where you stand on this critical issue - contact them at 1-888-659-9401 or send them a message by clicking here and here.
Congress will also take up the the Korea, Colombia and Panama Free Trade Agreements as early as Wednesday, October 12th. Click here to learn more about the Trade Agreements and take action by contacting your congressional representatives here.
The Truth About Boeing's Biggest Labor Union
Thursday October 6, 2011
An article published this week in TheStreet.com provides a refreshingly enlightened view of the dispute involving Boeing, the IAM and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Unlike conservative publications, bloggers and pundits who continue to vilify the IAM and the NLRB as rogue zealots bent on destroying the free enterprise system, reporter Ted Reed’s article notes the history of cooperation between the IAM and Boeing, including the 11-year effort by the IAM to secure the $100 billion Air Force refueling tanker contract for Boeing.
The article, provocatively titled, “The Truth About Boeing’s Biggest Labor Union” also details IAM efforts in support of the business jet industry, including IAM President Tom Buffenbarger’s recent testimony before the International Trade Commission in support of the industry and the contributions of thousands of IAM members. It is the article’s accurate treatment of the controversy surrounding the NLRB case, however, that separates it from much of the current media coverage.
In the article, Buffenbarger says the IAM is prepared to battle all the way to the Supreme Court, despite the court's apparent conservative leanings, the country's anti-labor climate and the hysteria surrounding the general counsel's complaint.
"The economy is suffering and people are looking for scapegoats,” said Buffenbarger. “And when Wall Street, corporate America and politicians look for scapegoats, they single out people who are not afraid to speak out and who are not docile, making the labor movement an obvious target.”
In every Congressional District across America, Postal Service unionists are organizing rallies to be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2011.
The U.S. Postmaster General is calling for a draconian restructuring plan that would result in the elimination of more than 100,000 postal workers’ jobs and the shutdown of over 3,000 local post offices. The plan also guts the collective bargaining rights of postal employees by redefining their retirement and health care benefit plans.
The IAM is joining with the National Association of Letter Carriers, the American Postal Workers Union, the National Postal Mailhandlers Union and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association in supporting the rallies and calling for the passage of H.R. 1351, the United States Postal Service Pension Obligation Recalculation and Restoration Act of 2011.
This bill will address the financial concerns of the post office in a responsible manner without eliminating jobs and services to the American public. H.R. 1351 is NOT a bailout and would not cost the citizens of the United States a single penny in taxes.
The IAM hopes all members who appreciate the hard work of their brothers and sisters in the postal service will support them by attending the rallies on Tuesday, September 27. Bring some friends who rely on the USPS. Let your voice be heard.
A decade ago, in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th attacks, I expressed the outrage of our union at what had just occurred. I explained in a message to IAM members that “It was our planes that were used as weapons of mass destruction. It was our members who were forced to endure the unimaginable nightmare. It was our members who were among the murdered.” I pledged then that “we will have our vengeance.”
Nearly four thousand days have elapsed since that message went out. America imposed a new reality on those who attacked us. And, with the elimination of Osama Bin Laden, our vengeance is complete.
But members of the IAM did more than just build the weapon systems and the high-tech munitions that imposed a new reality on the terrorists and nations who shielded and supported them. Our members, like so many other union members, raced towards the sounds of the sirens – at Ground Zero and the Pentagon. From all across our union came donations and volunteers to help out our brothers and sisters in desperate need.
The bravery and patriotism of union members that day and in the weeks that followed was captured in Everyday Heroes: Our Stories of 9/11, a 55-minute documentary written and produced by the IAM. Even as we taped hundreds of hours of interviews, the Machinists Union recognized the toll being taken on those working on the pile. The IAM made a substantial donation to Mt. Sinai Hospital to begin the treatment of those workers, and donated the proceeds of Everyday Heroes to their care.
Now, a decade later, many of the unionized, blue-collar workers who gave their all in those dark days are suffering grievous illnesses. To add insult to injuries sustained in the service of their country, those same workers – and the union brothers and sisters who supported them – are being vilified by right-wing politicians and ignored by far too many on the left. And that is a travesty.
Commemorating the September 11th attacks should include a nationwide period of thanksgiving for what the American Labor Movement did individually and collectively in the minutes, hours and days after the terrorists struck. That may be too much to ask. But I would ask that, as part of your personal commemoration of those events, that you take one last look at who America’s everyday heroes really are.
Vietnam Veterans Encouraged to Apply for New Benefits
Thursday September 8, 2011
The Veterans Affairs (VA) Department is urging Vietnam-era veterans to apply for benefits that were recently expanded to cover medical conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. The VA has paid out more than $2.2 billion in retroactive benefits to Vietnam-era veterans and their survivors since an August 2010 change in regulations.
The 2010 change in regulations added ischemic heart disease, certain types of leukemia and Parkinson’s disease to the list of illnesses assumed to be related to Agent Orange exposure. Agent Orange was a herbicide used in Vietnam by U.S. forces to clear trees and vegetation providing cover for the enemy.
Potentially eligible veterans include those who were exposed between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Also potentially eligible are veterans who were exposed in Korea between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971. Veterans exposed due to herbicide tests and storage at military bases may also be eligible.
“There is ample evidence of the serious medical consequence of Agent Orange exposure,” said GST Warren Mart. "It is gratifying to see the VA giving this matter the attention it deserves and it is also gratifying to see the new benefits will be retroactive for veterans and their dependants.”
According to program guidelines, the VA may authorize up to one year of retroactive benefits if veterans can show they have experienced one of the conditions since the regulation was changed. Survivors may also apply for dependency and indemnity compensation.
Claims may be submitted to the Agent Orange Claims Processing System athttps://www.fasttrack.va.gov/AOFastTrack. VA also has a special issues help line at 1-800-749-8387.
District 725 Rallies Against Darrell Issa
Thursday September 1, 2011
On September 1, 2011 IAM District 725 Area 1 Director Virginia Cobb led a delegation of IAM members and retirees as they joined hundreds of labor and community activists in a protest outside the Vista, CA office of Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA). The protest was in response to Issa’s relentless attacks on workers’ rights that have intensified since the National Labor Relations Board began investigating complaints against Boeing by District Lodge 751 in Seattle, WA.
There has never been any doubt about Darrell Issa’s allegiance to the business lobby since he took office in 2000. Congressional votes are a matter of public record, and they’re available online through the House of Representatives website at www.house.gov, and Project Vote Smart at www.votesmart.org. A review of Issa’s voting record shows he’s voted in favor of bills that benefit big business and wealthy special interest groups while he voted against every bill that would have helped working families struggling to make ends meet.
For example, he voted in favor of each and every Free Trade Agreement that resulted in American jobs being sent over seas, but he voted against extending unemployment benefits to those same Americans who lost their jobs because of his actions. He voted in favor of tariff reductions that adversely affected domestic manufacturing and he voted against bills that would have helped create U.S. manufacturing jobs. He voted against bills that would have helped struggling home owners avoid foreclosure, voted against employment discrimination and equal pay bills, and voted in favor of granting tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. He voted against campaign finance disclosure and he voted in favor of earmarks that directly benefited his personal business interests. With a voting record like this, it’s no surprise that Darrell Issa also happens to be the wealthiest member of congress, with more than $300 million in his bank accounts according to his most recent filings.
Before the IAM filed the unfair labor practice charge against Boeing last June, Issa was working with the anti-worker majority in the House to dismantle existing labor laws. After his appointment to Chairman of the House Oversight Committee in December of 2010, Issa’s first official act was to ask business lobbyists to submit federal regulations they believed were “burdensome” to business. Issa and his anti-worker colleagues gleefully accepted their opinions and wasted no time drafting bills to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights and opposed efforts to make it easier for workers to organize.
The unfair labor practice charges were filed against Boeing after the company publicly announced they were building a new 787 assembly line in South Carolina in order to avoid disruption of production due to potential strikes in Puget Sound. Under the National Labor Relations Act, strikes are considered protected activity, and it’s unlawful for an employer to retaliate in any way against workers engaged in protected activity.
“Such declarations send a message to workers that they should not stand up for their rights at the bargaining table,” District 751 President/DBR Tom Wroblewski said. "We will not allow this unlawful intimidation to stand as we prepare for the 2012 contract negotiations.”
Boeing spokesman Tim Healy called the charges “meritless” but NLRB Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon disagreed. He found sufficient evidence to move the case forward, much to the dismay of the anti-worker majority in the House. Issa’s cronies in the Senate sent Lafe Solomon a barrage of letters threatening to block his confirmation if he pursued the case, and they sent letters to President Obama demanding he revoke Solomon’s appointment because of the Boeing investigation. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced a bill in the House that would amend the National Labor Relations Act and exonerate Boeing, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced a similar bill in the Senate.
Darrell Issa then took the unprecedented step of holding his own hearing in South Carolina on the pending NLRB case. When Solomon declined to testify on the grounds his appearance could threaten the rights of the parties to a fair trial, Issa told Solomon to reconsider or face a subpoena. Solomon agreed under protest, writing: “I am not aware of any other time that a general counsel has been compelled to testify at a Congressional hearing about the merits of a pending case.”
As expected, Issa’s hearing turned into a shouting match, and Issa openly threatened to eliminate the NLRB if Solomon continued to pursue the matter.
“There’s nothing extraordinary about this case as far as the legal principles,” said Catherine Fisk, a law professor at University of California Irvine. “What’s unusual about the case is the fact that Boeing is a very large company and the decision to build the facility involves a massive capital expenditure.”
“Since the early 1960s it’s been clear that National Labor Relations Act makes it illegal for a company to transfer work, to close one facility and open another, or to locate new production from one facility to another in retaliation for employees having exercised their statutory right to unionize and bargain collectively or to strike,” Fisk said.
Issa has abused his position as Chair of the House Oversight Committee to try to block the investigation of the Boeing Company. Apparently protecting American workers from discrimination is now considered “government interference”.
“Issa ought to be ashamed of himself. We know that he is not a friend of American workers, but we are amazed at how low his morals are,” said Western Territory GVP Gary Allen. “He shows no limit in how far he will go to protect corporate greed and arrogance. I am proud of Sister Cobb, and all our members who showed up and sent a strong message to Issa.”
In addition to attacks on the NLRB and rights of IAM members, Issa is leading the effort to cut pay, benefits and collective bargaining rights of postal employees.
In a recent twist of fate, Issa has been charged with ethics violations from American Family Voices, an advocacy group that charges Issa with repeatedly using his public office for personal gain.
The complaint specifically alleges that Issa pressured the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to halt an investigation of Goldman Sachs shortly after he bought a huge stake in one of Goldman’s high-yield mutual funds.
It also claims Issa used his authority to improperly defend Merrill Lynch, a firm with “which he has a significant financial interest.”
“In fact and in appearance, Representative Issa has repeatedly and impermissibly used his public position to promote his private financial interests,” Mike Lux, president of American Family Voices said.
Issa is also under fire for hiring a former VP of Goldman Sachs who conveniently changed his name and quietly went to work for the congressman to coordinate his effort to stop regulations that would affect Goldman Sachs’ bottom line. Peter Haller, as he is now known, went by the name Peter Simonyi until three years ago. Simonyi adopted his mother’s maiden name in 2008 just as he was leaving Goldman Sachs as a vice president of the bank’s commodity compliance group. In a few short years, Haller went from being in charge of dealing with regulators for Goldman Sachs to working for Congress in a position where he made official demands from regulators overseeing his old firm.
Call congressman Darrell Issa today at (202) 225-3906 and tell him to stop harassing the NLRB and let them do their job! You can also fax him at (202) 225-3303.
Stock Tip: Be Worried. Workers are Consumers. By Robert Reich
Monday August 1, 2011
Repeat after me: Workers are consumers. Consumers are workers.
We’re slouching toward a double dip, and the stock market is imploding, because consumers – whose spending is 70% of the economy – have reached their limit.
It’s not just the jobless who can’t spend. It’s mainly people with jobs.
Median wages continue to fall. Weekly wages in July for Americans with jobs were 1.3 percent lower than eight months before.
America’s median earners are now earning less (adjusted for inflation) than they earned ten years ago.
Every CEO of every company that continues to squeeze payrolls (Verizon, are you listening? Ford?) needs to understand they’re shooting themselves in the feet. Where do they expect demand for their products and services to come from?
They’re doing the reverse of what Henry Ford did back in 1914 – paying his workers three times what the typical factory employee earned at the time. The Wall Street Journal called his action “an economic crime” but Ford knew it was a cunning business move. With higher wages, his workers became his customers, snapping up Model-Ts and generating huge profits.
Many on Wall Street are scratching their heads, trying to understand why the stock market is plummeting. After all, they tell themselves, corporate earnings are still near record highs.
But it’s becoming clear those earnings can’t be sustained. Corporate earnings are the highest they’ve been relative to worker wages and benefits since just before the Great Depression. And the richest 1 percent of Americans are getting a higher percent of total income since just before the Great Depression.
Get it? It was only a matter of time before the boom on Wall Street turned into a bust. Economic booms cannot continue without American workers participating in them.
Foreign consumers have helped sustain earnings, but that won’t continue, either. The European economy is sinking and China is pulling in the reins on growth.
What will happen to the Dow Jones Industrial Average when corporate earnings revert to their historic average relative to American wages? I’ve seen various estimates. They’re not pretty.
House Committee Approves Attacks On NLRB Authority
Thursday July 21, 2011
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce today continued its partisan attack on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by approving a bill to prohibit the NLRB from doing its job of protecting workers and their right to bargain collectively.
The so-called “Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act” (HR 2587) prohibits the NLRB from stopping an employer from retaliating against its workforce’s right to strike or join a union by relocating, shutting down or transferring its business.
Introduced less than 48 hours ago, GOP leaders are rushing the bill through the House in hopes of making it law before the end of the current Boeing vs. NLRB trial. The NLRB charged Boeing with retaliating against its unionized workforce in Washington state by transferring the company’s 787 Dreamliner assembly to the right-to-work (for less) state of South Carolina.
“This bill is bad news for America, bad news for workers, and it is bad news for the middle class,” said Rep. George Miller (D-CA) in his opening remarks before the committee. “It has been rushed to assist a Fortune 500 company in a case that hasn’t even been decided yet.”
“To be clear, any company is free to locate work at any plant in any state,” said Miller. “But the law is crystal clear that it is illegal to do so for discriminatory reasons. It’s illegal to take away work from some workers, union or non-union, because they have exercised their rights. That’s exactly what Boeing is alleged to have done and why the NLRB has acted.”
U.S. Corporations Have 2nd Lowest Tax Rate In Developed World
Tuesday July 19, 2011
To listen to the Republican side of the deficit debate, U.S. corporations are overburdened with taxes and that’s why there are no jobs, leaving huge cuts to Social Security, Medicare and other social programs as the only way to balance the budget. But a new study by the Center for Tax Justice (CTJ) shows U.S. corporations can well afford to contribute to balancing the budget.
The CTJ study found that when measured as a percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), U.S. corporations contribute the lowest share of tax revenue among 26 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, behind only Iceland. U.S. corporations have managed to lower their tax burden from four percent of GDP in 1965 to only 1.3% in 2009.
Further, the overall tax rate in the U.S. is the third lowest among 28OECD nations, with only Chile and Mexico having lower overall tax rates. The CTJ report concludes “the most recent data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Office of Management and Budget and the Census Bureau reveal that the U.S. is already one of the least taxed countries in the developed world.”
District 725 Delegate Body Meeting
Saturday July 16, 2011
The third regularly scheduled District Lodge 725 Delegate Body meeting of the year will be held on Saturday July 16, 2011 in Huntington Beach, California. The meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
United/Continental Stores Workers Vote For IAM
Tuesday July 5, 2011
The National Mediation Board has certified the IAM as the collective bargaining representative for 1,035 Stores/Material Specialists at the new United Airlines.
“The IAM’s full strength and resources will be used to negotiate a contract for all Stores workers that rewards them for the critical role they play in the operation of the world’s largest airline,” said IAM District 141 President Rich Delaney.
The IAM has represented United Airlines’ Stock & Stores employees for decades. Continental’s Material Specialists were unrepresented, but a majority of the group signed authorization cards supporting the IAM. Because the IAM already represented a substantial majority of the employees in the classification, more than 76%, the NMB certified the Machinists Union as the representative for the combined group.
IAM Charges Senator with Ethics Violations in Boeing Case
Tuesday June 21, 2011
The IAM released a letter sent to the Senate Select Committee on Ethics calling for an investigation into South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham’s conduct and statements regarding the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) pending complaint against the Boeing Company.
The IAM letter cites potentially unethical efforts by Sen. Graham and others to pressure NLRB Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon to drop the law enforcement proceeding against Boeing.
“I believe that prior to the issuance of the Boeing complaint on April 20 th, Senator Lindsey Graham communicated with NLRB Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon in one or more attempts to pressure him not to do so,” said IAM General Counsel Chris Corson. “I also believe that these communications included threats that the Senator would seek to defund or otherwise adversely affect the funding of the NLRB if the Boeing complaint were pursued.”
The IAM letter also cites a letter from Sen. Graham to President Obama, in which Graham declares he will pursue sanctions against Solomon and the NLRB even if it turns out that the NLRB’s law enforcement action against Boeing is upheld.
“I don’t believe that a Senator or any other politician should be trying to interfere with and prevent a law enforcement trial,” said Corson, who cited possible violation of Senate Rule 43. “Americans expect law enforcement to be there for them when they are victimized by discrimination or other unlawful behavior. When politicians intervene on behalf of a rich businessman or corporation in order to stop law enforcement from doing its job, our Constitution and rule of law are put in jeopardy.”
The Union of Unemployed (UCubed) joined thousands of labor activists and progressive bloggers at the 2011 Netroots Nation Convention in Minneapolis, MN.
Dozens visited the UCubed booth for brochures, a chance to see UCubed’s newest online political ad The Game, to ask questions about UCubed’s 21–point Hire US, America plan and to receive free JOBS Now! t-shirts.
The sixth annual gathering included speeches, workshops and panels led by national and international experts, including a keynote address by Minnesota Sen. Al Franken. “Our movement is about putting the concerns of working families at the forefront of our national agenda,” said Sen. Franken. “I urge you all to stand up for the America our movement helped to build. Stand up for the principle that we should grow together, instead of growing apart. Stand up for the principle that we all do better when we all do better. We have a tough fight ahead, but it’s one that we have to win.”
Other speakers included AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler who called out the conservative agenda for its attack on workers and showed how the decline in union membership is correlated to a decline in the middle class. “No individual worker. No single union. No one progressive activist or one single blogger alone can counter the entrenched, money-drenched power of corporations and the wealthy,” said Shuler. “But together, we have a chance. That’s the one thing I hope I leave you with. Together, we actually have a chance.”
Former Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, Rep. Debra Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) and White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer also spoke to convention attendees. For a complete recap of the week’s events, click here.
At Last: Case Against Boeing Goes To Trial
Wednesday June 15, 2011
A courtroom in Seattle, WA was the setting for the opening day of a highly anticipated legal showdown between the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Boeing Company over charges that Boeing violated federal labor law when it moved 787 Dreamliner production from Puget Sound to South Carolina.
The case, which will be heard by an Administrative Law Judge, is expected to continue for at least several months and gets underway in the wake of an extraordinary campaign by conservative politicians and pundits determined to hijack the dispute.
In the weeks leading up to the trial, Boeing and its allies have attacked the NLRB, smeared its representative and dismissed the decades-old law that protects workers’ rights as arcane, unnecessary and anti-American.
NLRB Acting General Counsel Leif Solomon, who filed the complaint against Boeing, has been the subject of unprecedented political pressure. Ten Republican Senators have linked his 39-year career to the Boeing case, while the GOP-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform threatened to subpoena Solomon to appear before a thinly-veiled partisan hearing titled, “Unionization Through Regulation: The NLRB's Holding Pattern on Free Enterprise.”
IAM attorney David Campbell responded to the politicization of the case. “In my 28 years of practicing law, I have never seen an employer use these types of overtly political tactics to avoid a legal proceeding,” said Campbell. “This tactic shows all too clearly how desperate the Company is to avoid litigating the merits of a case it knows it will lose.”
The actual dispute involves Boeing’s decision to establish a 787 assembly line in North Charleston, SC, and is based on federal labor law that prohibits retaliation against union-represented employees. In repeated public statements, senior Boeing executives cited lawful work stoppages by IAM members in Puget Sound among the reasons for their decision to locate the 787 facility in South Carolina.
Local Lodge 727-P Ratifies Contract with Pratt & Whitney
Tuesday May 31, 2011
Business Representative Mike Palazzo reported the ratification of a new three year collective bargaining agreement between District 725 and Pratt & Whitney After Market Services at Edwards AFB.
Highlights of the new agreement are as follows:
7.5% in General Wage Increases (GWI’s) over the life of the contract
$1,000 ratification bonus
Automatic Wage Increases of $0.05 quarterly
5% profit sharing bonus (depending upon the earnings of the company)
“I’d like to thank Victor Rico and Steve Van Wei for their hard work and dedication during this round of negotiations,” BR Mike Palazzo said. “They represented the membership to the best of their ability, and by working together we were able to bring back a labor agreement that the members voted to accept.”
NFFE/IAM President Defends Federal Workers
Tuesday May 31, 2011
In testimony before the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service, and Labor Policy, NFFE/IAM President William Dougan defended federal workers and gave compelling evidence that the Republican “Rightsizing the Federal Workforce” plan was the wrong approach to reforming government. As part of its misguided budget proposal that includes dismantling Medicare, the Republican downsizing plan drastically reduces the federal workforce by attrition and severely reduces funding for most federal agencies.
“In the end, there are generally no savings derived from arbitrary staff reductions; rather a cost-shift moves resources away from the federal workforce to contractors,” said Dougan. “This is a pointless exercise that reduces government efficiency, hurts the services that federal agencies provide, and sticks taxpayers with a bigger bill.”
Dougan argued further that these policies would have a major impact on the government’s ability to deliver the critical services that the American people rely on. From veterans hospitals, to passport offices and national parks, workforce reductions in already understaffed federal agencies would seriously diminish the quality of key services.
“Are we really going to scale back inspections of our food and water supply that keep our families and our communities safe?” Dougan asked. “Are we going to reduce the number of men and women we have battling forest fires that threaten hundreds of communities throughout our country every year? That is the reality of what these staff cuts mean for the American people.”
Join IAM members and community activists for a rally and press conference for the workers at DirecTV in Rancho Dominguez, CA. District Lodge 947 has been involved in a difficult struggle with DirecTV since the workers voted to join the IAM in April of 2010. The company protested and the NLRB overturned election. The company has continued to intimidate and
When: May 26, 2011 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Where: 19335 Laurel Park Road, Rancho Dominguez, CA
For information contact Felix Osuna at (562) 254-3016 or Nicolas Fernandez at (424) 246-0610.
Young Machinists Website Unvield
Thursday May 26, 2011
The IAM recently formed The Young Machinists as a working group to ensure young members’ concerns are addressed and they understand the benefits of working in a unionized workplace.
Younger members often do not understand the value of their dues dollars and union membership. It is the mission of The Young Machinists to educate and motivate the younger generations to become involved in their union, community, and in politics.
To help spread the word and engage young members, The Young Machinists have designed a Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/YoungMachinists and webpage at http://youngmachinists.iamaw.org. They welcome email comments, questions or suggestions YoungMachinists@iamaw.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
AFL-CIO President Trumka Delivers Wrecking Ball Speech
Tues
day May 24, 2011
In a recent address at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka said lawmakers who have thus far showed reluctance in fighting on behalf of working families will reap the consequences in 2012 – no matter the party affiliation.
Trumka cited recent attacks on working families’ rights in Wisconsin and Ohio, new efforts to curtail voting rights and calls for austerity on the backs of seniors, children and the sick, saying “It doesn’t matter if candidates and parties are controlling the wrecking ball or simply standing aside—the outcome is the same either way . If leaders aren’t blocking the wrecking ball and advancing working families’ interests, working people will not support them. This is where our focus will be—now, in 2012 and beyond.”
The AFL-CIO President’s entire speech is available here.
Funeral Arrangements Announced for Gladys Mason
Tues
day May 24, 2011
Funeral arrangements for retired Area 3 Director Gladys Mason have been announced:
Viewing will be held Friday, May 27, 2011 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Inglewood Park Cemetery, 3801 W Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305. Tel: (310) 412-6811
Funeral Service will be held Saturday, May 28, 2011 at 11:00 am at the Greater Zion Family Church, 2408 N Wilmington Ave., Compton, CA 90222.
Donations can be directed to the family of Gladys Mason via District 725 Headquarters. You can contact us toll free at (800) 725-9588 or you can e-mail us at: Area3@iam725.org
District 725 Mourns Gladys Mason
Friday May 20, 2011
With a heavy heart District Lodge 725 must announce that retired Area 3 Director Gladys Mason passed away at her home surrounded by her family on Thursday, May 19, 2011. She was 67 years old.
Born in Waksom, Texas on June 25, 1943 she was the 2nd of 6 children; 3 brothers and 2 sisters. She attended Mooretown Elementary School, Union Street Jr. High, Booker T. Washington High School, and graduated from Bethune High School, while growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana. After high school, she married her first husband and together they had 4 children; a son, Michael and 3 daughters, Cynthia, Debora, and Michelle. They moved to Los Angeles, California in March 1965.
Gladys was hired at the McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Company as a Drill Press Operator on September 18, 1978 in Torrance, California. She became active in the union and was the first woman elected to the position of Vice President of Local Lodge 720-J. She was elected to Leadership I at the University of Indiana and Leadership II at University of Santa Barbara. She served the membership in many capacities, including Shop Steward, California Conference of Machinists Delegate, Women in the Workforce Delegate, and Los Angeles Federation of Labor Delegate.
Gladys was appointed as Business Representative of District Lodge 720 in 1988 by the late P/DBR Mike Smith. In 1989 she was elected as the first female business representative in District Lodge 720. Gladys later married Walter Mason and gained 2 daughters, Nina and Karen. She went back to the shop in 1982 when she was laid off as Business Representative, but she was reappointed as District Lodge 725 Business Representative in 1997 by P/DBR Calvin Duncan. She was appointed Area 3 Director in 1999 by P/DBR Nick Bacon and served in that capacity until her retirement on March 31, 2010.
A proud 33 year IAM member, Gladys was a tireless advocate for worker's rights. She had a deep desire to help people, and was always willing to lend a hand to someone in need.
"Gladys was a genuine and compassionate person, and she did her very best to represent our members on the shop floor." District Lodge 725 President/DBR Gary Holt said. "She will be greatly missed."
No funeral arrangements have been made at this time. We will post information when it becomes available.
The following video was presented at District 725's Retirement Tribute to Gladys Mason:
State of Emergency
Friday May 13, 2011
Year after year the State of California has delivered blow after blow to our public schools. Budget cuts upon budget cuts have cost the jobs of more than 30,000 teachers and tens of thousands of classified employees. The results have been larger class sizes, reduced ability to service the needs of our student and less access to student activities and programs, like music and art.
Our students are the future of California, but our law makers in Sacramento are treating our teachers and our children like a liability rather than an investment. They demand “excellence in education” yet deny teachers the resources to reach those lofty goals. They demand higher test scores and higher performing schools but they are actively working to undermine the education community and blame them for failing.
Public education is the great equalizer in our society. Denying children resources in education denies them education equity. Denying teachers resources to help students succeed while at the same time demanding higher test scores is a recipe for failure. A solid K-12 education not only paves the way for college, but prepares students for jobs. We cannot expect to resolve the jobs crisis in our country without addressing the deficiencies in educational attainment. If we are going to create jobs, we have to invest in our children. We must prepare the next generation to fill the jobs of the future, and we absolutely won’t be able to do that by cutting public education to the point that it becomes ineffective.
Our students are being short changed by these cuts. By declaring a “State of Emergency,” the California Teachers Association is getting the word out to let people know that this cannot continue.
More than 30,000 educators and 10,000 education support professionals have lost their jobs, and 20,000 educators are facing layoffs this year. Our students are facing lager class sizes and more than a million students are losing five instructional days as districts struggle with budget shortfalls.
In spite of the fact that California has the eighth-largest economy in the world, we continue to shortchange our students out of the education they deserve. K-12 and higher education funding has been cut by more than $20 billion the past three years alone. That’s about $3,000 less per student.
Lawmakers in Sacramento have already made $12 billion in painful cuts to our public education system. Voters agree that solving the budget deficit with combination of cuts and temporary tax extensions is the only way to protect vital public education and other essential services that we depend on. The state’s nonpartisan legislative analyst says another $4 billion would be cut from education if the temporary taxes are not extended. Legislators need to finish their jobs and pass the state budget and temporary tax extensions, now.
Call today toll free at (888) 268-4334 and urge your representatives to support our children.
New Hampshire Governor Vetoes Anti-Union Legislation
Thursday May 12, 2011
Democratic Gov. John Lynch has vetoed a Republican attempt to make New Hampshire a right-to-work (for less) state, citing a lack of evidence that the legislation would actually benefit New Hampshire workers.
“In my time as a CEO, in my years spent in the private sector turning around companies, and in my seven years as governor, I have never seen the so-called right-to-work law serve as a valuable economic development tool,” wrote Gov. Lynch in his message to the state legislature. “New Hampshire has a lower unemployment rate and a stronger economy than most states with so-called right-to-work laws. In states with a right-to-work law, workers on average have a lower standard of living, bringing home less in their paychecks and going without health insurance more frequently.”
Gov. Lynch says the push for right-to-work in New Hampshire is being driven by “national outside interest groups and is not a result of problems facing New Hampshire businesses or workers.”
A GOP campaign to override the governor’s decision in now underway. While the New Hampshire Senate passed the bill with a veto-proof majority, the House is expected to vote again on May 25th.
The U.S. Government’s Case Against Boeing
Tuesday April 26, 2011
“I can’t not issue a complaint in the face of such evidence.” That was the reaction from National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon, when asked about his decision to issue a complaint against the Boeing Company.
Few NLRB complaints have generated as much publicity. Hundreds of media outlets reported on the announcement, ranging from workers’ rights advocates who welcomed the news, to conservative politicians who issued spittle-flecked condemnations.
Among the most misleading statements that followed the complaint was an erroneous claim, repeated ad nauseam in the conservative blogosphere, that unions were seeking the ability to veto where a company locates and conducts business.
A similar canard came from Boeing’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel J. Michael Luttig, who declared, “This claim is legally frivolous and represents a radical departure from both NLRB and Supreme Court precedent.”
The “frivolous” statement by Boeing ignores the extensive investigation by the NLRB and fails to acknowledge established case law, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions that clearly establish an employer’s legal boundaries regarding retaliation against employees for protected activity.
Additionally, Boeing complained about how long the Board took to complete its investigation, while omitting mention of their own campaign to prolong the investigation with multiple requests designed to delay any complaint by the NLRB.
“The NLRB investigated and found clear violations of federal labor law,” said IAM Vice President Rich Michalski. “The next question is, what remedy is appropriate? What we want is for the government to enforce the rule of law. We want an effective remedy that will tell our members in Puget Sound that Boeing cannot get away with retaliatory behavior.”
Click hereto read the full complaint and herefor a summary of key issues in the case.
District 725 Delegate Body Meeting
Saturday April 16, 2011
The second regularly scheduled District Lodge 725 Delegate Body meeting of the year will be held on Saturday April 16, 2011 in Huntington Beach, California. The meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
Enough Is Enough
Tuesday
April 12, 2011
Here's the real story behind the attacks on working people in Wisconsin, Ohio and around the country and a look at what's at stake in this fight for the middle class.
Cesar Chavez March and Rally
Thursday March 31, 2011
Thousands of activists took to the streets in every major California City on March 31, 2011 to protest the attacks on working families across the country and honor the legacy of one of the greatest labor leaders of the 20th Century - Cesar Chavez. This video documented the rally and march in downtown San Diego that was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life.
District 725 Mourns Ken Secor
Friday March 25, 2011
With great sadness District Lodge 725 reports the passing of retired IAM District 50 Business Representative and tireless Local Lodge 1125 political and social activist Ken Secor. The following obituary was provided by his daughter Anita:
Born in Calistoga, CA, Ken joined the US Navy when he was 17 years old. While in the Navy he traveled through numerous countries, including Egypt and Greece. Those experiences triggered a lifelong interest in travel and archeology. After the Navy, at the age of 21, Ken worked as a Machinist for Wright Aeronautical and then General Dynamics Convair Division. Soon after starting at Wright Aeronautical he became interested in helping the working man. He earned honors and awards as a volunteer before becoming a Business Agent for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 50, where he worked until his retirement at the age of 58.
He wrote his family and friends recently that he was so happy that he retired young so he could enjoy his family and travel. He continued to welcome every opportunity to volunteer to help the workers of America, as well as his family and friends. He was on his way home from his latest trip, when he suddenly became ill, and passed away in Incheon, Korea.
He is survived by his wife Louise; their six children: Mike, Steve, Mary, Margi, Don, and Anita; seven grandchildren: Nathan, Shawna, Chris, Serena, Katie, Kelly, and Lilli; three great grandchildren: Christian, Isabella, and Jacob; his brother Ron and sister Alyce; and his little dog Canelita.
In life, Ken inspired people with his spirit of adventure, loyalty, and generosity. Now that he has passed, we can honor him by pursuing commitments that enrich our lives and inspiring others the way Ken inspired us. Friends and Family are invited to attend a Memorial service on Saturday, April 23rd, 2011, at 1pm at The First Baptist Church on 5th and E Street in Chula Vista. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the United Farm Workers Association or the Red Cross.
Sister Lorena Gonzales, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council said:
"In my 5 years at the Labor Council, I can say with confidence that I have never met a more dedicated, loyal, and hard-working volunteer than Brother Ken. Although the tears are flowing here at the Labor Council, we know that Ken had a long and fulfilling life and died a well-traveled, well-read, and very proud Machinist Union Man. May he rest in peace."
Judge Blocks Wisconsin Anti-Union Law
Friday March 18, 2011
A Wisconsin judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the anti-union law that Governor Scott Walker signed last week. Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi issued the restraining order that stops publication of the law which would have otherwise gone into effect as soon as it was published.
Although the judge's ruling does not address the legal merits of Walker's union busting law, it does prohibit publication until all the lawsuits filed over the bill have been decided in court. Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, praised the judge's action.
"Judge Sumi confirmed today what we knew all along — that the bill stripping hundreds of thousands of hardworking Wisconsinites of their voice on the job was rammed through illegally in the dark of the night," Neuenfeldt said.
Defend The American Dream Action
Monday March 14, 2011
Republicans in Congress are holding the middle class hostage—proposing a federal budget that would would cut 700,000 to 1 million jobs from our communities and slash funding to support preschool and college students, pregnant women, unemployed workers, the National Labor Relations Board and much more. This isn't a budget, it's a slap in the face to the public workers, services, and institutions making the American Dream possible. We have until the March 18 budget deadline to push Congress in another direction.
So after work on Tuesday, March 15, we're mobilizing Defend the Dream events in all 50 states at our schools, libraries, fire stations, hospitals, and parks to stand up against Republican attacks. If we can mobilize thousands of people again for a national day of action before the March 18 deadline, we'll give progressive fighters in Congress a better chance to stave off cuts and pass a budget that invests in the Dream. We'll show our support for the public workers, services, and institutions making a difference in our lives—but we'll also make sure that Congress knows we'll hold them accountable for their vote.
The following is a statement from International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) President Tom Buffenbarger in response to the move by the Wisconsin state Senate to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights:
"Last night in Wisconsin, legislative process trumped democratic principles. Republican Senators voted 18 to 1 to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights. It is a Pyrrhic victory and one the GOP will regret."
“Now is not the time to get mad, but to get organized. In every state where the handmaidens of the hyper-rich try to strip us of our collective bargaining rights, we will mobilize for recalls, ballot initiatives and political campaigns."
“If the Republican Party wants class warfare, they’ve got it. IAM members have watched the hyper-rich destroy their jobs and their communities with their unbridled greed. And the Fighting Machinists have been aching for this fight.”
Lockheed Negotiations Update
Saturday
February 26, 2011
Coordinated Bargaining with Lockheed Martin is entering the 11th hour,
and the company has yet to make any substantial movement on the IAM's
critical issues. Click
here to keep up
to date on the latest developments from the bargaining table.
Lockheed Negotiations Update
Friday February 25, 2011
The IAM and Lockheed Martin's relationship date
back to the 1930s. Since then the two organizations have demonstrated to
the world, that they know how to ensure progress at the bargaining
table.
Department of Defense finally gets it right!
Friday February 25, 2011
The largest procurement contract in the history of the U.S has finally been awarded - and the winner is the U.S.!
The Pentagon has just announced that the $35 billion program to build 179 new refueling tankers, will be awarded to the Boeing Company. This decision has been in the works for ten years, since 2001 when Congress and the Air Force first proposed the tanker replacement program.
This win would not have been possible without the determination and leadership of some wonderful people. There is plenty of thanks to deliver, but special mention is necessary for Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Representatives Jay Inslee and Norm Dicks, the IAM leadership of International President Tom Buffenbarger, GVP Richard Michalski, GVP Gary Allen, Legislative and Political Director Matt McKinnon, and District 751 under the direction of Tom Wroblewski and his political dynamo Larry Brown.
The fight to win this contract has resembled a tennis match - going back and forth between U.S. based Boeing (the sole supplier of aerial refueling tankers to the U.S. Air Force since 1948) and a consortium of companies led by France's Airbus.
"In the end, the decision to boiled down to protecting U.S. technology, paid for by U.S. citizens, being put into use by U.S. workers, to support the U.S. military" said Gary Allen. "The workers that have shared their expertise for decades, the engineers and designers, the machinists and assemblers, everyone who has shared in the development of skills and practices that allow this amazing product to become a reality - all of them were rewarded today. It was a good decision, the only decision that made sense. Workers will be able to provide this quality product, and care for their families - for decades."
The contract was originally awarded to Boeing, but challenged by a group of Senators - led by John McCain. They argued that the contract did not receive enough bidders, and forced it to be rebid. A couple of years later, the contract was awarded to Airbus - and challenged because the DoD accepted a plane that didn't meet the requirements of the contract. The Airbus plane would not fit in the hangars, would not land on the runways that were required, had worse fuel consumption, and shorter range that was requested. Once again, the contract was pulled back and re-released for bid.
In the meantime, the World Trade Organization found that Airbus was receiving illegal subsidies from France - allowing it to reduce its bid, as their profit margin was being guaranteed by their government. Several years of debates ensued, and finally the most sensible decision was reached.
"If the U.S. is going to sink up to $100 Billion into an economy, it ought to be ours!" said Kevin Cummings, Grand Lodge Representative assigned to the Pacific Northwest. The initial award of $35 Billion may be augmented by additional orders in the future, as well as orders for spare parts and maintenance of the air tankers.
"The importance of this decision cannot be overstated," said Buffenbarger. "Our legacy as providers of the best-built military aircraft in the world was on the line, challenged by a foreign competitor who hoped to establish a high-tech beachhead in this country that could have permanently altered our ability to provide for our own defense."
Yes, today was a good day. Hard work by a lot of people went into this decision, from elected political leaders, to champions of Labor, and ultimately the decades of skill and sweat provided by the anonymous thousands who developed the expertise to make the dream of a new air tanker possible. Thanks to all of them - and congratulation to the Pentagon, they definitely got it right this time.
Lockheed Negotiations Update Thursday
February 24, 2011
Your Coordinated Bargaining Committee has received Lockheed Martin’s presentations on their LM HealthWorks Plan and their Hourly Capital Accumulation Plan (HCAP). We have posted these presentations to our web site just as they were provided to us, with all the glimmer and gloss. But once we had the opportunity to have our researchers evaluate the glitzy presentations, the harsh realities of what Lockheed Martin is attempting to do becomes painfully obvious. Far too painful! This is what lies beneath all of the ornamental foliage. Let’s do a little comparison between our current medical plans and what Lockheed Martin’s HealthWorks Plan would reflect:
The vast majority of our membership is currently enrolled in Medical Plans that do not require the employee to pay any Deductibles, Co-Insurance, or Out-of-Pocket Maximums. Instead the Employee is only required to pay very small co-pays when they go to the doctor.
Under the Company’s current proposal, an employee with family coverage who uses their insurance plan would have to pay a $2,000 annual deductible and $3,000 in Out-of-Pocket expenses per year for In-Network Care. This is an additional $15,000 over the course of the three year contract and is equal to 8.5% of the average employee’s total salary.
Under the Company’s current proposal, an employee with single coverage who uses their insurance plan would have to pay a $650 annual deductible and $1,500 in Out-of-Pocket expenses per year for In-Network Care. This is an additional $6,450 over the course of the three year contract and is equal to almost 4% of the average employee’s total salary.
If the Employee uses Out-of-Network providers the situation is even worse. An employee with family coverage would pay an additional $43,500 over the course of a three year contract, and an employee with single coverage would pay an additional $19,500.
In addition to these added expenses, the employee will pay up to $25 for Generic drugs, $75 for Preferred Brand drugs, and up to $175 for Non-preferred Brand drugs.
Not as pretty a picture as the presentation would have you believe. And if you don’t like that one, let’s take a look at what Lockheed Martin has planned for our future members:
Company HCAP Proposal vs. Defined Benefit Pension Plan
In their HCAP Proposal, Lockheed Martin is offering a contribution of $225 per quarter. Let’s assume that this contribution will increase by 10% each contract cycle (every 3 years) and that the invested money will earn a solid return of 7% per year.
Let’s compare this to the current pension plan with a benefit of $77 per month per year of service. Let’s assume (as we did with the HCAP) that the benefit will increase by 10% each contract cycle (every 3 years).
An employee who works for 10 years under the current defined benefit pension plan would receive at age 65, $1,127 per month for the rest of their life. The same employee under the HCAP would only have enough money in their account to buy an annuity which would pay them $362 per month for the rest of their life.
An employee who works for 15 years under the current defined benefit pension plan would receive at age 65, $1,860 per month for the rest of their life. The same employee under the HCAP would only have enough money in their account to buy an annuity which would pay them $497 per month for the rest of their life.
An employee who works for 30 years under the current defined benefit pension plan would receive at age 65, $5,991 per month for the rest of their life. The same employee under the HCAP would only have enough money in their account to buy an annuity which would pay them $780 per month for the rest of their life.
Let us not fall prey to the claims these concessions do not affect any of our present members AGAIN! As we have already experienced, almost 60% of our CURRENT membership for these negotiations are in a lower wage tier because “it won’t affect anyone that’s here now” and over a third of our CURRENT membership for these negotiations have no early retirement medical insurance because “it won’t affect anyone that’s here now”!
We are not dealing with the “unborn” or “unknown” future employees on these proposals. We are dealing with our FUTURE MEMBERSHIP! These future members are who we all were in the past; many are our children and grandchildren. We all need to remember that.
IAM READY - RU?
Lockheed Negotiations Update Thursday
February 24, 2011
THE STORM IS NO LONGER BREWING; IT HAS ARRIVED
Thanks to the persistence of your Union Negotiating Committees, today Lockheed Martin management finally made presentations to all three Union committees regarding the company’s radical changes to your defined pension plan, as well as their intention to go with one medical plan called “LM HealthWorks (PPO).The company’s defined pension presentation eliminates all New Hires and Re-Hires from the pension plan effective March 6, 2011. In addition, the pension presentation showed no additional pension increase for current members.
In addition your Union negotiating committees’ were presented with a preview of the company’s plan to eliminate all existing PPO and HMO (including Kaiser) and establish a single health plan that will include large deductibles, as well as dramatic increases in co-pays for prescription medication.
IF THIS SOUNDS LIKE THE 1993 (2) TIER WAGE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE 2005 LOSS OF NEW HIRE EARLY RETIREE MEDICAL COVERAGE, IT IS!
Your Union Negotiating Committees’ are expecting the company’s official pension and medical plan proposals tomorrow, and will post these plans in their entirety as soon as received.
THE STORM IS HERE - Now is the time to be prepared to defend our hard fought for Benefits, and Contractual Rights!
Lockheed Negotiations Update Thursday
February 24, 2011
Health Care isn't just about the members, it's about taking care
of the family.
Lockheed Negotiations Update Tuesday February 22, 2011
With handshakes, opening statements and a formal exchange of proposals, the latest round of contract negotiations got underway between District 725 and Lockheed Martin.
"The union presented the company with a complete economic package on Monday, February 21st," District 725 President/DBR Gary Holt said. "The company has refused to respond to our economic proposal, but they have indicated they intend to eliminate pension for all new hires and change the current medical insurance programs to a single carrier."
Keep up to date with the latest developments by following these links:
Our Palmdale and Sunnyvale locations will hold an informational steward's meeting as follows:
Palmdale - Wednesday February 3, 2011 @ 1:00 pm
Sunnyvale - Thursday February 24, 2011 @ 8:00 am
Negotiations Update Flyers will be circulated in the plant on Tuesday 2/22, Thursday 2/24 and Tuesday 3/1/2011
"We Are One" Candlelight Vigil Friday February 18, 2011
Rallies. Crowds spilling into the streets. A sea of people marching together in solidarity. Every day this week, nonstop.
This isn't happening in Egypt...It's happening in Madison, Wisconsin.
Schools are closed. Workers, high school and college students, community members, religious groups and concerned citizens have dropped their daily lives to rally against Gov. Scott Walker's Draconian attacks on middle-class jobs and his proposal to strip Wisconsin teachers, nurses, social workers and other public employees of their collective bargaining rights.
Walker's immediate attack is aimed directly at some 200,000 public workers—but the brave men and women taking to the streets come from every walk of life and recognize that all working people—public and private sector—are in jeopardy. And they know that if we don’t all speak out and stand together, we'll all be targets.
JOIN US ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 22ND! 5:30pm at the State Capitol West Steps, Sacramento
A Message from
International President Tom Buffenbarger Thursday February 17, 2011
Please fill out our survey about issues now before the United States Congress?
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
The South Korea Free Trade Act is coming up for votes. New budget and spending bills are being written. And yet, efforts to put America back to work have been placed on the back burner. All these will have a profound effect on you directly. And your answers will help the IAM devise a course of action.
Please take a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey.
In Solidarity,
R. Thomas Buffenbarger
International President
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
GOP Leader Targets
NMB Voting Rules Tuesday February 15, 2011
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is preparing to vote on legislation that would reverse the voting rules for air and rail workers that were recently updated by the National Mediation Board (NMB).
Late last week, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) introduced the House version of the FAA Reauthorization bill, with language that would repeal the NMB rules change and restore the archaic voting guidelines that have been used for decades to defeat union organizing drives.
The first vote on this rollback of landmark voting rights is scheduled for Wednesday, February 16, 2011. Click here to send a message to your Representative, urging them to vote "YES" on Democratic Rep. Jerry Costello's (D-IL) amendment to strike Section 903 "Repeal the NMB Rule" from the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011 (H.R.658).
"Eliminating the fair voting rights of air and rail workers is wrong," said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger in a letter to all House members. "The people and organizations who want to again impose a viewpoint on non-participatory voters are wrong. This unfairness lasted for 75 years, and we cannot return to a process that denies voters a fair election process."
Chairman Mica's version of the FAA bill also omits OSHA protection for Flight Attendants and eliminates mandatory inspections at foreign repair stations as well as drug and alcohol testing at foreign repair stations.
Gary Holt Re-elected DL 725 President/DBR Unanimously
Saturday January 15, 2011
On Saturday January 15, 2011 during the first regularly scheduled Delegate Body meeting of 2011 delegates from 18 affiliated Local Lodges met in Huntington Beach, CA.
Under a Special Order of Business, the DL 725 Election Committee report was presented by Chairperson Linda Alegria. The DL 725 Election Committee determined only one candidate was qualified in accordance with the DL 725 Bylaws for the office of President/Directing Business Representative, and that candidate was Gary W. Holt. There being no opposition, ADBR Bob Gutierrez administered the oath of office to President/Directing Business Representative Gary Holt.
“It is my distinct honor and privilege to serve you as District 725 President/Directing Business Representative.” Gary Holt said. “I pledge to continue working to the best of my abilities in the interests of our membership and their families, and I pledge to do everything in my power to place our District on a path for growth and prosperity in the coming years.”
District 725 Delegate Body Meeting
Saturday January 15, 2011
Huntington Beach, CA
The first regularly scheduled District Lodge 725 Delegate Body meeting of the year will be held on Saturday January 15, 2011 in Huntington Beach, California. The meeting will begin promptly at 11:00 a.m.
Click here
to see archived District 725 Calendar of Events
petition. “They’ve done little to help the 29 million jobless Americans get back to work. And now they’re deadlocked on extending unemployment benefits.”
There has never been any doubt about Darrell Issa’s allegiance to the business lobby since he took office in 2000. Congressional votes are a matter of public record, and they’re available online through the House of Representatives website at 
Before the 
Boeing spokesman Tim Healy called the charges “meritless” but NLRB Acting General Counsel Lafe Solomon disagreed. He found sufficient evidence to move the case forward, much to the dismay of the anti-worker majority in the House. Issa’s cronies in the Senate sent Lafe Solomon a barrage of letters threatening to block his confirmation if he pursued the case, and they sent letters to President Obama demanding he revoke Solomon’s appointment because of the Boeing investigation. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced a bill in the House that would amend the National Labor Relations Act and exonerate Boeing, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) introduced a similar bill in the Senate.
Every CEO of every company that continues to squeeze payrolls (Verizon, are you listening? Ford?) needs to understand they’re shooting themselves in the feet. Where do they expect demand for their products and services to come from?
Born in Waksom, Texas on June 25, 1943 she was the 2nd of 6 children; 3 brothers and 2 sisters. She attended Mooretown Elementary School, Union Street Jr. High, Booker T. Washington High School, and graduated from Bethune High School, while growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana. After high school, she married her first husband and together they had 4 children; a son, Michael and 3 daughters, Cynthia, Debora, and Michelle. They moved to Los Angeles, California in March 1965.
Born in Calistoga, CA, Ken joined the US Navy when he was 17 years old. While in the Navy he traveled through numerous countries, including Egypt and Greece. Those experiences triggered a lifelong interest in travel and archeology. After the Navy, at the age of 21, Ken worked as a Machinist for Wright Aeronautical and then General Dynamics Convair Division. Soon after starting at Wright Aeronautical he became interested in helping the working man. He earned honors and awards as a volunteer before becoming a Business Agent for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 50, where he worked until his retirement at the age of 58. 