Jobs Now!

Send Harry Reid andNancy Pelosi a Message:JOBS Now!

The IAM Journal (ISSN 1083-0413) is published quarterly by the InternationalAssociation of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, 9000 Machinists Place, UpperMarlboro, MD 20772-2687. PHONE: 301-967-4520 FAX: 301-967-4586. The IAMJournal is mailed to every member in accordance with convention and referendumaction. Subscription price $10 per year. Printed by Kelly Press, 1701 Cabin BranchRoad, Cheverly, Maryland. Postmaster: Change of Address Form 3579 should be sentto: IAM Journal, 9000 Machinists Place, Upper Marlboro, MD. Periodicals postagepaid at Upper Marlboro, MD and additional mailing offices.

IAM WEBSITE: www.goiam.orgRichard S. Sloan, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Bill Upton, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

EDITORIAL STAFF: Donna Georgallas, Cornel Dunmore,Frank Larkin, Valana Reid, John Lett, Deirdre Kaniewski,Bobbie Sullivan, Kiley Hernandez and LaToya Egwuekwe.

R. Thomas BuffenbargerInternational President

Warren L. MartGeneral Secretary-Treasurer

GENERAL VICE PRESIDENTS:Dave Ritchie, 15 Gervais Drive, Suite 707,Toronto, ON, Canada M3C 1Y8

Robert Roach, Jr., 9000 Machinists Place,Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-2687

Lynn D. Tucker, Jr., 135 Merchant Street,Suite 265, Cincinnati, OH 45246-3730

Robert Martinez, Jr., 1111 W. MockingbirdLane, Dallas, TX 75247

Richard Michalski, 9000 Machinists Place,Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-2687

Philip J. Gruber, 1733 Park Street, Suite100, Naperville, IL 60563

Gary Allen, 620 Coolidge Drive, Suite 130,Folsom, CA 95630

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTSAND AEROSPACE WORKERS, AFL-CIO

IAM JOURNAL

Commentary

Harry Reid is the Majority Leader of the United StatesSenate. Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives. Both are Democrats. And both are good

friends of the Machinists Union.But in the worst economy since the Great Depression, political friend-

ships can be a very fragile thing. Now is the time for our good friends tocome to the aid of all those Americans ravaged by this mega-recession. It istime for a second stimulus package, one focused on the manufacturing andtransportation sectors of our economy.

As Majority Leader and Speaker, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi areuniquely positioned to craft and swiftly pass a second stimulus package thatinvests in our industries, our skills and our jobs. But these two legislatorsneed to hear from you, directly.

Stitched into this issue of the IAM Journal are two postcards. Each needsyour name and address, your signature and a 28-cent stamp.

But don’t stop there. Be an activist. Visit GOIAM.org. Click on the JOBSNow! icon and send an email to your own Senators and Representative.Help us force Congress to adopt a second stimulus package that will putAmericans back to work!

R. Thomas BuffenbargerInternational President

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2 IAM JOURNAL Summer 2009

ContentsFEATURES

The Fight for Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6The new IAM Executive Council takes office andoutlines a bold plan to restart the North Americaneconomy and restore middle-class jobs amid thegreatest economic crisis in decades.

Cover Story: JOBS Now! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12As the faltering economy plunges families deeperinto economic turmoil, the IAM calls for swift gov-ernment action to invest in North America, createJOBS Now! and put millions back to work.

Flight Plan for Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Automated Flight Service Station Specialists atLockheed Martin celebrate their organizing victoryand prepare to negotiate their first contract.

2009 Scholarship Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Meet the winners of the 2009 IAM Scholarshipcontest and get details on how to enter the 2010competition.

DEPARTMENTSNoteworthy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

TCU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Aerospace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Cover Story: JOBS Now!

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Volume 15

Number 2

www.goiam.org

Summer 2009

The Fight for Jobs

PAGE 6

Flight Plan for Victory

PAGE 22

Cover Photo by AP/ World Wide Photo

Summer 2009 IAM JOURNAL 3

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N O T E W O R T H Y

Sixteen IAM members wereamong more than 100 unionmembers who earned degreesfrom the AFL-CIO’s NationalLabor College (NLC) in SilverSpring, MD, and were hon-ored at the College’s gradua-tion ceremony. The NLC coor-dinates their degree programwith the IAM’s William W.

Winpisinger Education andTechnology Center, whichallows IAM students to use theWinpisinger Center for part oftheir course work.

Many of the WinpisingerCenter programs are nowaccredited and can be used forcollege-degree programs.“Earning a college degree is a

great achievement and we’reproud that the hard work anddedication shows in this year’sIAM graduates,” saidWinpisinger Center DirectorChris Wagoner. For informa-tion about earning a collegedegree through the NationalLabor College, contact CharlieMicallef at 301-373-3300.

IAM Members Earn College DegreesFrom left: IAM InstructorCharlie Micallef, NationalLabor College graduatesDavid Brewer, JavierAlmazon, Jon Halverson,Ruth Groden, James Core,Rachael Ragno, RobertHuffman, Joseph Tiberi,William Fenaughty,Joseph Appleton, JuanNegron, Eric Kaufman,Dora Cervantes, GeraldKnox, IAM President TomBuffenbarger, Transpor-tation GVP Robert Roach,Jr., graduate PatriciaPayne, and WinpisingerCenter Director ChrisWagoner (not pictured:Thomas Rich).

Against a background ofunprecedented political andeconomic turmoil, hundredsof union activists frommorethan a dozen countries assem-bled in Erbil, Iraq, recently topress for a restoration of basicunion rights. Iraq outlawedpublic-sector unions in 1985,and it was one of the few lawsthe Bush administration lob-bied to keep after the fall ofthe Hussein regime.

Among the delegates whotraveled to Iraq was IAM Local700member Bill Shortell ofWest Hartford, CT, andLegislative Director for theEastern States Conference ofMachinists. Shortell and fiveother delegates from the U.S.met with union activists fromacross Iraq and shared ideas onhowworkers could rebuildtheir movement after years ofwar and repression.

Local 700 member Bill Shortell in Erbil, Iraq,at a meeting of labor activists from around theworld who called for restoration of basic laborrights for the people of Iraq.

Rebuilding Labor Rights in Iraq

Families, friends andfellow IAMmembers gath-ered at theWilliamW.Winpisinger Education andTechnology Center as partof a national observance ofWorkers’ Memorial Day tohonor thememory of 21IAM and TransportationCommunications Union

(TCU)members who per-ished on the job or fromwork-related diseases.

Fallen brothers and sis-ters are honored by havingtheir names engraved onbricks that are placed at theWorkers' Memorial at theWinpisinger Center.

“We fight hard everyday to assure that workersreturn home from the jobsafe and sound,” said IAMPresident Tom Buffen-barger. “We don’t alwayswin that fight, whichinspires us to work evenharder so others don’t haveto endure the pain of los-ing a loved one.”

Workers’ Memorial CeremonyHonors Fallen Members

From left, Mikeal Withrow,her mother Joan Carpenterand Marie Oxley find thebricks marked with whiteroses honoring Local 656members Bill Oxley, husbandof Marie, and Barry Withrow,husband of Mikeal, whowere killed in an explosion atthe Bayer CropScience plantin West Virginia.

Vance Strikers Build Lasting BondFor two weeks in

June, members ofLocal 898 in Enid,OK, walked picketlines in a disputewith contractors atVance Air Force Base.While negotiatorsinside hammeredout a new agree-ment, IAM membersoutside built a last-ing relationship withone area family.

Single momRonda Stribelallowed the strikersto use her drivewayon their picketingroute. Stribel’s threeyoung daughtersbuilt a refreshmentstand, and referred

to the strikers as“the neighbors.”

Local 898 mem-bers showed theirappreciation byreplacing theStribel’s leaky waterheater, repairing thechildren’s trampo-line, pruning treelimbs and replacingthe family’s frontdoor, all for free.

“This was a greatexample of neigh-bors helping neigh-bors,” said District171 DBR JerryMcCune. “No oneshould ever be sur-prised to seeMachinists repayinga kindness.”

Local 898 member Michael Whatley enjoys picket-linerefreshments provided by Ronda Stribel and her daughters,from left, Bretta, Brittany and Bryanna who helped IAMmembers on strike in Enid, OK.



The InternationalAssociation ofMachinists andAerospace Workers(IAM) began a new

chapter in its 121-year histo-ry with the installation ofnew Officers, members ofthe Law Committee and

Delegates to the AFL-CIOand Canadian LabourCongress in a ceremony atIAM Headquarters in UpperMarlboro, MD.

“Our members nominat-ed and elected a very diversegroup this year with morethan 300 years of combined

service to the men andwomen of this union,” saidIAM International PresidentTom Buffenbarger. “Theyknow what it is like to con-duct a lodge meeting, handlea grievance, run an organiz-ing campaign, lobby a politi-cian and sit across the table

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from a company executive.They have done it all.”

Now, this combination ofseasoned veterans and ayounger generation of lead-ers take office as the largesteconomic crisis since theGreat Depression grips theworld economy.

JOBS Now!“This leadership team knows

the toll this mega-recession istaking onworking familiesbecause they are talking to ourmembers every day,” saidBuffenbarger. “JOBS Now! is ourissue. Ourmembers need jobs—now! Our kids need a brighter

future— now! And our twonations need a clear pathwayout of this mega-recession—now!”

“We intend to push for asecond economic stimulus, oneaimed at themanufacturingand transportation sectors,” saidBuffenbarger. “Until this mega-recession ends and real, sus-tained, job-creating growthstarts, JOBS Now! will be ourprimary focus.

“The current economic stim-ulus plan is not creating jobsfast enough to pull the econo-my out of recession and getpeople back to work.

“In this mega-recession, over30million Americans are idledto some degree,” saidBuffenbarger. “According to the


t for JobsFormer IAM International PresidentGeorge Kourpias administers the oathof office to new IAM Officers, Delegatesand members of the Law Committeewho will lead the IAM’s fight for jobsto restore North America’s economy.Front row, from left, General VicePresidents Richard Michalski, RobertMartinez, Jr., Robert Roach, Jr., GeneralSecretary-Treasurer Warren L. Mart,International President R. ThomasBuffenbarger, General Vice PresidentsDave Ritchie, Lynn D. Tucker, Jr., PhilipJ. Gruber and Gary Allen; Delegates tothe AFL-CIO, second row from left,Shelley Kessler, James Conigliaro andStephen Gordon and Committee onLaw members, second row from farright, James Beno, Ellen Arbogast,Stanley Pickthall, Jeffery Goen andPhilip Zannella, Jr. (not in photo:Delegate to the Canadian LabourCongress Angela Schira).


U. S. Department of Labor,nearly 14.5million are unem-ployed, 9.1 million are workingpart time involuntarily and 6.6million want, but cannot find,a job. In Canada, more than400,000 full-time jobs havebeen lost since last October.More than 1.5millionCanadians are now unem-ployed.”

Global HypothermiaThe jobs crisis has spread

worldwide. As manufacturingand economic output levelsplunge, the world’s economicengines are going into a deepfreeze. “Workers everywhereface a new phenomenon: glob-

al economic hypothermia,” saidBuffenbarger. “Just as thehuman body shuts down instages when exposed to severecold, the crashing global econo-my is causing shutdowns instages that without coordinatedgovernment intervention willget progressively worse.

“As this global recessionenters its second year, the weak-est links in the supply chainwill turn off the lights and lockthe gates,” said Buffenbarger.“Then plants further up thesupply chain will close due tothe lack of component parts.”

As the global economyenters a “metabolic icebox,” theanswer is to reignite the engines

of economic growth by stop-ping the systematic shutdownof the economy.

Industrial Policy“We need a national indus-

trial policy tomake NorthAmerica the global manufactur-ing powerhouse for the next50 years,” said Buffenbarger.“Bymaking credit available,offering investment tax credits,hiring unemployed workers torenovate older plants, we canstoke the furnaces of our manu-facturing capabilities.

“And by giving laid-offworkers the chance toupgrade their skills and givingour kids a clear pathway from

IAM International President R. Thomas Buffenbarger outlined the IAM’s fight for JOBS Now! to restore NorthAmerica’s middle class with an ambitious agenda to rebuild manufacturing, invest in transportation, increaseskills training and demand a second stimulus program to create jobs more quickly.

high school through communitycollege and apprenticeships, wecan raise the buying power of mil-lions of workers.”

“Small manufacturers needenough credit to produce and stock-pile enough inventory to keep thesupply chain intact,” saidBuffenbarger. “And to help our largemanufacturers, governments at alllevels should institute a ‘Buy NorthAmerican’ policy to have domesticcompanies produce the cars, com-puters, machinery, ships, planes andother products government needs.”

North America’s transportationsystem of roads, railways and air-ports acts like a giant circulatory sys-tem that is key to restarting theeconomy. “It’s time tomake NorthAmerica’s transportation sector theenvy of the world once again,” saidBuffenbarger. “Our arteries of com-merce require targeted investmentstomodernize logistics, build high-volume infrastructure and devisefuel-efficient networks.

“Taken together, these are stepsthat will enable us to survive andrecover from this deep freeze inindustrial production,” saidBuffenbarger. “It is time for a JOBSNow! agenda, not just for theUnited States and Canada, but forall nations.

“We must embark upon theduties that we have pledged oursacred honor to do,” saidBuffenbarger. “We must lead thisgreat union of ours into thewarmth of a jobs-creating eco-nomic recovery, mentor a newgeneration of labor leaders,negotiate the industry-leadingcontracts that are the hallmarkof our great union and fightlike hell for our members’ fairshare of the wealth created bytheir labors.”


“We in the IAM arekeepers of a legacy thatgoes back to a meetingin a locomotive pit morethan 121 years ago.We’ve come a long waysince then, but we stillhave a special kinshipwith those firstMachinists,” said IAMGeneral Secretary-Treasurer Warren L. Martat the Installation of IAMOfficers ceremony.

“Four years ago wesaw the future as onethat was rich in chal-lenges, but also rich inopportunities. Little didanyone realize how his-toric those challengeswould be.

“In spite of all that hashappened to our membersin every industry sincethen, I am deeply proudof the effort this unionhas made to defend the

jobs, the pensions and therights of IAM members.

“The forces againstus were truly enormous.As promised, we foughtback with all thestrength and resourcesthat only a full-serviceunion could provide.

“Our efforts today arenot only aimed at givingthe next generation theskills they will need, butalso at creating and pre-serving jobs.

“And, we will contin-ue to keep this unionstrong. As Secretary-Treasurer, it is myresponsibility to protectthe financial foundationof this organization.

“In times such asthese, that is no smalltask, but I am confidentthat together we areequal to any challengethat comes our way.”

Machinists Union Ready forChallenges Ahead

IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Warren L. Mart pledged to keep theIAM financially strong to lead the fight to create and preserve jobs.

General Secretary-Treasurer Mart

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IAM Vice Presidents Discuss

Rebuilding NorthAmerica’s Economy


In Canada, we’ve had hundredsof thousands of people lose theirjobs. The government hasn’t pro-vided the type of stimulus plan thatwill create jobs and keep existingones here.We’re going to fight hardto get the government to invest inCanada with strong “Buy

Canadian” programs, invest in ourinfrastructure, support sectors in oureconomy such as manufacturingand protect the pensions of ourworkers. The government has talkedthe talk, but they haven’t walkedthe walk.We have to tell themwe’re not going to take it anymore.

We need to build an economyfor the future so workers can havegood jobs, live in good neighbor-hoods and send their kids to goodschools. We are working hard withCongress and President Obama tomake sure the stimulus packageworks and we don’t let the trans-

portation industry consolidate tothe point where we lose thousandsmore jobs andmore communitiessuffer. For the first time in years, wehave people in government whowant to invest in our transportationinfrastructure and put people backto work.

During the Great Depression, anew generation of workers turnedthe economy around, foughtWorld War II and then built thestrongest middle class in our his-tory. Today, Americans have hadenough of jobs going overseasand their communities declining.We have the opportunity to

invest in an infrastructure for abetter economy, come up with areal solution to the health carecrisis and pass the Employee FreeChoice Act. We can be the genera-tion that rebuilds our middleclass. We might be down, butwe’re never out and we will comeback strong.

Robert Roach, Jr.General Vice President

Transportation

Dave RitchieGeneral Vice President

Canada

Lynn D. Tucker, Jr.General Vice President

Eastern Territory

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Over the last eight years, a lotof wealth has gone into the pock-ets of the rich and powerful atthe expense of working families.We need to change to an econo-my that works for everyone andinvest in infrastructure, renegoti-ate bad trade agreements likeNAFTA, provide more training

opportunities and pass theEmployee Free Choice Act.People want jobs that can sup-port their family, provide decenthealth care and a secure retire-ment. With the new presidentand Congress, we can nowfocus on Main Street insteadof Wall Street.

Robert Martinez, Jr.General Vice PresidentSouthern Territory

Gary AllenGeneral Vice President

Western Territory

Richard MichalskiGeneral Vice PresidentHeadquarters Territory

Philip J. GruberGeneral Vice President

Midwest Territory

The layoffs caused by the reces-sion have been devastating. Acrossall industries, it’s been terrible.Companies that have been in busi-ness for more than 100 years arefolding because they can’t getfinancing.We need to change ourtrade laws, get the banks lending

again, fund important programs likethe F-22 and the Space Program andconcentrate on creating jobs quickly.We can lead the way out of thisrecession bymaking sure that thespending we do on defense andother programs is invested in jobs inNorth America.

The downturn in the worldeconomy has hit North Americanworkers especially hard. But I’mmore hopeful today because wehave a president and Congress whoare willing to listen to us. We wantto work with the government andemployers to put people back towork today and create a strong

foundation for good jobs thatsupport families and healthycommunities years from now.We are committed to growing ourunion and helping our membersand their families have a betterfuture, even during some of thetoughest times in our union’shistory.

It’s going to take a lot of effortto turn this economy around.We need better trade agreements,tax incentives to keep jobs in NorthAmerica andmore job training.We are working hard with Congressand President Obama to keep pro-grams like the F-22 and C-17 funded

and pass the Employee Free ChoiceAct to get working families backon track.We recovered from theGreat Depression, we’re going torecover from this recession.We arepeople of great resilience.We cando some great things over the nextfour years.

MEET YOUR GENERAL VICE PRESIDENTVideo interviews are available on your territorial web page at

www.goiam.org

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JOBSJOBSNow!Now!

Local 774 member Adam Zabelworks on an XLS model aircraftat Cessna Aircraft in Wichita, KS.The downturn in the economyhas caused thousands of layoffsin Wichita’s aerospace industry.

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“You always hope you’regoing to be able to go out onyour own terms, when youwant to, instead of somethinglike this,” said IAM Local 834member John Hysom ofBoeing in Wichita, KS.

For Kathy Salts ofBombardier Learjet, IAM Local639, the hardest part was los-ing her health care. “We’re get-ting older. We have doctors’appointments, but we’ll haveto cancel them,” are the wordsshe manages to get out whiletrying with all her might tohold back her tears.

All across Wichita, a citynestled in the shadows of fiveof the country’s biggest aircraftmakers, the stories are thesame. Aerospace companies arelaying off.

“Everybody’s real nervous,”Charlotte Washington of IAMLocal 774 says as she sits at hershop floor station awaiting aformal announcement from

Cessna Aircraft Co., the latestcompany rumored to makecuts. “They’re worried aboutbasically where their next mealis coming from. A lot of thesepeople have worked here up to10 years. They’ve bought hous-es and cars. They’re wonderinghow are they going to take careof all that.”

By mid-week, Cessna’s offi-cial numbers are out: 1,300 letgo today, another 700 by mid-summer and anybody left facesa four-week furlough. The cutsare in addition to previouslyannounced layoffs of 4,000and thousands more at thefour other aircraft companies.

“What a dramatically differ-ent picture compared to lastyear when Wichita aircraftmakers were practically beg-ging for more manpower,” saysIAM District 70 President andDirecting BusinessRepresentative Steve Rooney.“Less than a year ago, they

As a widow and mother of six,Carol Johnson of Local 733 inWichita, KS, struggles to cometo grips with losing her jobafter 12 years at HawkerBeechcraft. “I was shocked…shocked they were going sodeep. In my department,they went all the way up to18 years.”

Carol JohnsonLocal 733Hawker Beechcraft, Wichita, KS


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were announcing hiring andneeding about 9,000 people.Now we’re facing layoffs inthe range of about 9,000.”

Economic TailspinThe city’s massive waves of

joblessness are a direct resultof a one-two punch dealt bythe current economy andmedia backlash against theindustry’s biggest customers.

“Those jets that GeneralMotors, Ford and Chryslerexecutives flew toWashington, DC, to beg fortheir very survival were notplay toys,” said IAMInternational President TomBuffenbarger in an articleprinted in The Wichita Eaglein May. “They were the toolsused to link global manufac-turing processes. Public rela-tions gimmicks – the ‘gotcha’approach by politicians and

journalists – are hurting thelight-aircraft manufacturingbase of this country.”

“Aerospace is to Wichitawhat the auto industry is toFlint, MI,” says IAM SouthernTerritory General Vice

President Robert Martinez, Jr.“The local economy is tremen-dously dependent on a singleindustry. When aerospace isup, so are local businesses.When the industry is down,the dynamics quickly become

Long lines at job fairs and intense competition for fewer and fewer jobs leave millions of Americans desperate to findwork and underscores the need for government action to create more jobs at a faster pace.

Tina Lopez started working forthe City of Long Beach, California,in 1991. Since May, she and othershave been furloughed one day amonth, and some workers were laidoff altogether. Then, Lopez was laidoff on July 3, 2009.

“I love my job. I never wouldhave expected this. You go for yearsthinking everything’s okay; thensuddenly, layoffs started happening.I feel so insecure. And what if you’re not old enough to retire,what do you do?

“I don’t think we’re angry enough. Doesn’t our govern-ment know we can’t go on like this? Shouldn’t taking care ofAmerican workers have a higher priority than taking careof banks and CEOs?”

Tina Lopez, Local 1930Community Worker, Immunization ClinicCity of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA

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detrimental.”“In the ‘70s, when my dad

worked here and was laid off,the town just about dried up,”Rooney recalls. “I hope wedon’t see that this time, espe-cially in light of companiestelling us they’re still notdone with layoffs.”

Joblessness takes a toll onthe entire community as itripples through entire fami-lies. Aerospace jobs enablemany residents in Wichita achance to live the Americandream. Often, more than onegeneration, or more than onemember of a family can befound working in the plants.

“In my area, there was ayoung couple,” says Salts.“They had three kids. Theyboth got it the same day. Itwas tough trying to keep theirheads high.”

Unemployment CrisisWichita is a microcosm of

what is unfolding across thecountry. With 30.2 millionpeople currently unemployed,including people involuntari-ly working part-time andthose who want a job butcan’t find one, the true unem-ployment rate is 19.5 percent.That’s the highest jobless ratesince the Great Depression.

In manufacturing, steepjob losses continue. The man-ufacturing unemploymentrate reached 12.6 percent,according to the U.S.Department of Labor, whenemployment fell by 156,000in May. Over 1.8 millionmanufacturing jobs have van-

ished since the start of therecession in December 2008.

“Unemployed Americansare desperate,” said Buffen-barger at a recent summitmeeting at the National LaborCollege in Silver Spring, MD.“Their savings have vanished.Their 401(k)s are now 101(k)s.They’ve cut their livingexpenses to the bone.

“Our members need jobs,our kids need a future, andour nation needs a way out ofthis recession.” The only wayout is for America to produceits way out.

“America’s trading part-ners will not buy a trilliondollars in U.S. Treasury notes

to finance our recovery whiletheir own economies sinkdeeper into recession,” wroteBuffenbarger in the ChicagoTribune. “They’ve alreadybeen burned badly once.Yankee traders sold them thetoxic debt – the sub-primemortgages, credit defaultswaps and collateralized debtobligations – that triggeredthis global recession. Sellingthem more commercial paperstamped ‘Made in America’ isnot a viable option.”

JOBS Now!The art of building and

making American goods –cars, computers, airplanes –


The downturn in the auto industry has rippled through thenation’s auto dealerships, resulting in closures and consolidations.“When my neighbors lose their jobs, it affects everyone. Peoplecan’t afford what they used to. The previous Chevrolet dealerwhere I worked closed in January 2009. I worry about the futurefor my children.

“We need to get this country back on its feet by giving compa-nies incentives to create new jobs and provide training to learnvocational skills. This would help the crippled auto industry as carsand trucks are purchased and used, not only to get to the job, butalso on the job.”

Rickey Colyer, Local 701Journeyman Automotive TechnicianWebb Chevrolet, Oak Lawn, IL


was the glue that held thiscountry together. Now is thetime to focus on what hasworked in the past.

President Barack Obamaacknowledged this longtimegoal of the IAM during hisremarks at GeorgetownUniversity in Washington,DC, in April. He said he wouldlike to see “our best and ourbrightest commit themselvesto making things” once again.

“For so long, we haveplaced at the top of our pinna-cle folks who can manipulatenumbers and engage in com-plex financial calculations.And that’s not good,” the pres-ident told the crowd. “Weneed some of that, but whatwe can really use is some morescientists and some more engi-neers who are building andmaking things that we canexport to other countries.”

Obama’s $787 billionAmerican Recovery andReinvestment Act, passed in

February, was a start. New con-struction projects are breakingground across the country.The Department of Labor isfunding training for “greenjobs.” But more still needs tobe done.

The American people needjobs – and they need thoseJOBS Now!

JOBS Now! is a comprehen-sive strategy for getting mil-lions of unemployedAmericans immediately backto work by rebuilding theindustrial foundation onwhich this country proudlyonce stood. The initiative callsfor a second stimulus package,one aimed at the U.S. manu-facturing and transportationsectors. It urges a massiveinvestment in the men andwomen of this country whouse their hands and minds tocreate, engineer, make andtransport American-madegoods. It seeks investments inlocal innovation and an end

to the erosion of ourindustrial and techno-logical base. And, itdemands a targetedinvestment in Americanjobs.

Specifically, JOBSNow! calls for a 21st-century version ofFranklin D. Roosevelt’sWorks Progress

Administration (WPA); indus-try investment tax credits; atuition-free, two-year commit-ment to post high-school skillstraining; investments inAmerica’s long-term defensecapabilities; a strong BuyAmerican law; and real laborlaw reforms.

“If we can spend a trilliondollars to bailout AIG, GM,Fannie Mae and Wall Street,then we can provide tempo-rary jobs for the unemployed– all of the unemployed whocan and want to work,” saysBuffenbarger. “JOBS Now! hasbut one objective – to put mil-lions of Americans back towork immediately.”

Works ProgressAdministration

The Works ProgressAdministration was a federalagency established in 1935 byRoosevelt during the GreatDepression. As part ofRoosevelt’s “New Deal,” the

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oto

Food banks have seenhuge increases in requestsfor help as inadequateunemployment benefitsand difficulty findingemployment push familiesinto economic chaos.


WPA had two distinct goals:1) restore the human spirit ofthe unemployed and theAmerican people as a whole,and 2) put the country on theroad to recovery.

Under the leadership ofHarry L. Hopkins, a formersocial worker who headedrelief efforts in New Yorkwhen Roosevelt was governor,the agency provided jobs andincome for the unemployedby funding a wide variety oflong-overdue, small-scalepublic works, like constructingand improving public build-ings and parks; reforestationand erosion projects; and evenpublishing travel books andphotography exhibits. Eighty-five percent of any project’sfunds had to go towards pay-ing the unemployed.

“Give a man a dole,”Hopkins once said, “and yousave his body, but destroy hisspirit. Give him a job and yousave both body and spirit.”

Within the first year of the

WPA, more than 3.4 millionunemployed Americans wereback to work. And, by the endof its eight-year history, theWPA had employed morethan 8.5 million people in 1.4million different projects.

“It was effective,” says Nick

Taylor, author of American-Made: the Enduring Legacy ofthe WPA. “Unemploymentwas pushed down graduallyfrom the 24.9 percent when[Roosevelt] took office… toaround 10 percent… Themoney went right to peoplewho were going to spend it. Italso was a vast success interms of improving the publicinfrastructure.”

A Works ProgressAdministration-style programfor the manufacturing andtransportation sectors willwork today. Providing coun-ties and local communitieswith the money to hire theunemployed to renovate fac-

Investing in skills training is vitalfor future generations ofAmerican workers. Local 701 inChicago, IL, works with SkillsUSAto promote vocational educationopportunities.

An efficient transportation system is critical to creat-ing an economy that will sustain jobs. “Rebuilding ourtransportation system could create thousands of jobs,”said Bonnie Nelson who works for Northwest Airlines.

“We’ve neglected our transportation system for toolong, and it’s the workers, their families and the generalpublic who are paying the price. We need to invest in ourairports and railways to bring our transportation systemup-to-date. We need action now, for the sake of Americanstoday and for generations to come.”

Bonnie Nelson, Local 1833Reservation Specialty Sales AgentNorthwest Airlines, Edina, MN

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tories, install new machineryand devise new financing,marketing and sales packagesfor local businesses will getpeople back to work. At thesame time, it will jumpstartlocal economies and re-posi-tion the U.S. to compete glob-ally.

Green JobsA 21st-century WPA pro-

gram must also include“green jobs.” The clean ener-gy sector offers enormousopportunities to reviveAmerican manufacturing,rebuild the economy andbecome a world leader inrenewable energy and energyefficiency.

Take for instance, thework IAM Local 37 membersat Prager, Inc. in St. Rose, LA,are doing. They’ve been mak-ing gears for over 100 years.But a new $30 million con-

tract to overhaul gear boxesused in wind turbines, for aDenmark company known asVestas, is keeping their futuresbright.

“They’re expensive to over-haul and the company neededa quick turnaround on them,”

says IAM ApprenticeshipDirector Michael Flynn. Flynnis currently helping to developan apprenticeship program forthe deal. “If they ship thegears overseas to overhaulthem, it is an eight- to nine-month turnaround. In theStates, our shops can do themin around six to eight weeks –which is a significant savings.Just to remove these gearboxes may cost up to$100,000.”

The folks at Prager haveuncovered an immediate andpractical way to use cleanenergy technologies.

IAM members at UTCPower in South Windsor, CT,

Pam Kline is an 18-year mem-ber of the IAM and a highly-skilledworker at the Harley-Davidson facil-ity in York, Pennsylvania. As one ofthe more than 2,600 workers at theiconic manufacturer, Pam wasstunned recently when companyofficials announced they wereconsidering moving the plant.

“Harley-Davidson is thepremier manufacturing employer inthis area,” said Kline, who recentlycompleted a five-year apprentice

program to improve her job skills. “We have to keep thejobs here, for today and for the next generation.”

Pam Kline, Local 175Electronic Maintenance MechanicHarley-Davidson, York, PA

Local 37 members CraigCoppock, left, and RichardBergeron, right, at Prager Inc. inSt. Rose, LA, work on a gear boxassembly. Prager has increased itsbusiness by providing services forthe wind turbine industry.

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are also on the cutting edge ofgreen technology. Local 1746members manufacture fuelcells for on-site power andtransportation systems. Theywork with scientists and engi-neers to build prototypes forthe next generation of hydro-gen fuel cells. Their cells arecurrently being used on zero-emission hybrid buses operat-ed by Connecticut Transit andAC Transit of Oakland, CA.

An investment in similargreen products that can be“Made in the U.S.A.” guaran-tees good-paying jobs, a defi-nite boost to our economy,and a top slot in clean energytechnologies.

Investment Tax CreditsU.S. manufacturing and

transportation sectors requireadditional investments in newfacilities and machinery. Olderbuildings, equipment andprocesses are less efficient,harder to maintain, less flexi-ble, more labor intensive, placemore workers at risk, and cancost a company millions inmaintenance costs. Equallyimportant, antiquated plantsmean competitor nations withthe newest equipment canlower their prices, gain marketshare and put American man-ufacturers out of business.

A 10 percent investmenttax credit for the rehabilitationand renovation of existingmanufacturing facilities, plusan additional investment taxcredit for new equipment, willbring America’s manufacturingand transportation sectors into

the 21st century. The invest-ment tax credits will putAmerican businesses atop theglobal supply chain. And,being able to bank those taxcredits to offset future profitswill create millions of newjobs.

Skills TrainingAmerica needs millions of

workers who possess the tech-nical skills necessary to fillthose jobs – and training forthose jobs should start now.

President Obama called forevery American to commit toat least one year or more ofhigher education or technicalcareer training. His economicagenda even includes a relax-ation of rules regarding federalPell Grants and other financialaid in order to help the unem-ployed return to school andupgrade their skills.

Any comprehensive initia-tive to create JOBS Now! mustgo even further. Two years oftechnical training should beoffered to both unemployedworkers and recent highschool graduates free ofcharge. And, tuition at com-munity colleges, universitiesand high-tech institutesshould be heavily subsidized,just as Roosevelt’s GI Bill afterWorld War II.

“We tend to forget thatFDR’s GI Bill covered morethan college tuition,” saysBuffenbarger. “The GreatestGeneration got a chance tohone their skills for careers oftheir choice. A similar two-year investment in America’snewest generation of workersand the recently unemployedwill pay dividends over thenext three decades.”

IAM members areleading the way inresearch, developmentand production of fuelcells that will be a majorsource of energy inde-pendence. Through pro-grams like GrowJobsCT,the IAM is fighting tokeep North America’sindustrial base strong.

Fuel cells made by IAM members at UTC Power will bepowering everything from office buildings to buses. “Mostpeople think of ‘green’ energy as wind and solar, but fuelcells are ready for the market. Like the sign says, we are partof the ‘energy of the future’ and we’re growing. These are thejobs of tomorrow and we need to invest more in 21st-centurytechnology.”

Carl Hervieux, Local 1746Fuel Cell Mechanic/TesterUTC Power, South Windsor, CT


Strong DefenseCreating new manufactur-

ing jobs in one area whilekilling manufacturing jobs inanother is counterproductive.But that is exactly what mighthappen if Congress passesSecretary of Defense RobertGates’ proposed cuts to ournation’s defense sector.

According to the LaborDepartment, there are morethan 625,000 people currentlyemployed under contractsdirectly related to nationaldefense manufacturing.

Secretary Gates’ proposal toscale back or kill majorweapons programs like theF-22 Raptor and the Army’sFuture Combat Systems threat-ens to throw an additional250,000 people into theunemployment pool. The cutswould jeopardize entire com-munities – similar to what isoccurring in Wichita.

“Shutting those systemsdown will slice through localeconomies like the scythe ofthe Grim Reaper,” saidBuffenbarger in The BuffaloNews. “The weapons systemprograms on the choppingblock employ some of themost skilled and experiencedworkers in the country. Skillsthat take years to developand cannot easily bereplaced. Such advancedmanufacturing is America’slast competitive edge.”

As Congress determinesthe fate of these defense pro-grams, they must understandthe ramifications of their deci-sions on working Americans.Adding another quarter mil-lion blue-collar workers to the

unemployment rolls will onlyerode our chances at a speedyrecovery.

Buy AmericanThe Buy American Act, first

enacted during the GreatDepression, required all stimu-lus-funded projects to useAmerican-made equipmentand goods. Inclusion of theprovision in the 2009American Recovery andReinvestment Act was essentialto ensuring the $787 billiondid exactly what it was sup-posed to do: Stimulate theAmerican economy and createjobs here at home – not over-seas! The provision sought toensure the money went back

Investments in the nation’s trans-portation system, such as high-speed rail and modernizing air-ports, would create jobs and builda strong foundation for a growingeconomy. From left, Local 1284members Errol Stewart and JohnMay work on wheel sets atAmtrak’s Wheel Shop inWilmington, DE.

Keeping a strong defense indus-try, such as continued F-22 pro-duction by Local 709 members inMarietta, GA, will keep valuablemanufacturing skills and jobs inAmerica.

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into the pockets of Americanworkers – not those of foreigncorporate executives and con-tractors. Unfortunately, afterspecial interest groups weighedin, the final measure waswatered down in conferencecommittee.

To maintain our manufac-turing capability and the mil-lions of jobs that go with it,we need to prime the manu-facturing pump. We need tobuy our own products.

“U.S. taxpayer moneyshould benefit U.S. taxpayers,”says Buffenbarger. “Buy NorthAmerican is not a reactionaryslogan. It is a realistic program.We cannot restart these majorindustries without giving themthe business, literally.”

Labor Law ReformJOBS Now! also means lev-

eling the playing field for allworkers. And that meansenabling workers to bargaincollectively for fair treatment,adequate wages, comprehen-sive health care and a securemeans for saving for retire-ment. Workers must be able toorganize without being sub-jected to tyrannical employertactics, abusive election cam-paigns and delays that defeattheir hopes of a first contract.

President Obama has madesignificant strides thus far inhis presidency by reversing anumber of the anti-labor poli-cies put in place by the Bushadministration. And, he haspromised to continue toreview, propose and supportfurther legislation that seeks to

put an end to unfair laborpractices aimed at settingworking families back.

Continuous lobbying forthe Employee Free Choice Act,the Federal Aviation Admini-stration Reauthorization bill, astronger Family Medical LeaveAct, better enforcement of theFair Labor Standards, and reg-ulations for workplace safety isparamount.

Call for ActionWith tens of thousands of

workers losing their jobs eachweek, any further delay by theObama administration andCongress in implementing acomprehensive strategy for cre-atingmore jobs will only pro-long this recession. The time tocreate more JOBS is now! Thetime tomobilize is now!

Working families can’t waitany longer.

“Sitting at home justdoesn’t do it,” declares Salts.

“I want my job back. I’m readyto go back to work.”

“The IAMmust lead thefight for JOBS Now!” saysBuffenbarger. “I urge membersto contact their legislators anddemand action. Spread theword to Congress that workingfamilies are fed up. Demand asecond stimulus package, onethat focuses on the manufac-turing and transportationindustries. Talk to your friendsand neighbors and tell themthey, too, should support JOBSNow! Our futures depend onit. The future of America’sindustrial base depends on it.”

To show your support forJOBS Now! fill out theattached postcards and sendthem to House Speaker NancyPelosi and Senate MajorityLeader Harry Reid. Also, visitGOIAM.org and click on theJOBS Now! icon to sendCongress an email that youwant JOBS Now!


For Jeff Goen, president ofLocal 709 in Marietta, Georgia,few tasks are currently moreimportant than the grassrootscampaign to keep the Departmentof Defense from scaling back keydefense contracts, including theF-22 fighter, a mainstay of theLockheed Martin Marietta facility.

“Not only is it risky from anational defense perspective, butpulling the plug on the F-22 wouldjeopardize hundreds of high-skilljobs, the very jobs that are essen-tial to any economic recovery.”

Jeff Goen, Local 709President and Directing BusinessRepresentativeMarietta, GA

From theWright Brothers’first flight at Kitty Hawk topiloting a space shuttle througha safe journey in space, Americahas always had a special bondwith aviation and respect for allthose who take to the air.

A big part of America’s her-itage in aviation is the willing-ness tomeet unexpected chal-lenges and persevere throughdifficult times. That spirit camethrough loud and clear with agroup of more than 800Automated Flight ServiceStation (AFSS) Specialists atLockheedMartin who provideweather, flight plan, search-and-rescue and other support ser-vices for America’s general avia-tion pilots. The AFSS Specialists

are a highly-skilled group ofprofessionals who are a key partof America’s general aviationnetwork.

After a one-vote loss in anelection to join theMachinistsunion in 2008, the AFSSSpecialists came back to win thenext election in 2009. “Duringthe first campaign, LockheedMartin divided experienced spe-cialists and new-hires and tookcredit for a pay increase thatwas really the result of ServiceContract rules,” said HughRamsey, an AFSS Specialist inthe Ashburn, VA, facility whowas active in the two-year orga-nizing campaign. “We fell shortby just one vote. But we heldtogether and won the next

time. Nowwe are looking for-ward to negotiating and ratify-ing our first contract.”

The AFSS Specialists lookedto theMachinists union afterLockheedMartin took overflight services from the federalgovernment in 2006. Part of theBush administration’s relentlesspursuit of privatizing the federalgovernment, the Lockheed dealwas the largest non-defenseService Contract Act (SCA)award in federal governmenthistory.

The SCA provides rules andregulations, including laborrules, for companies who pro-vide services to the federal gov-ernment, and it allows workerswho are represented by a union

Flight Plan for Victoryat Lockheed Martin

From left, AFSS Specialists Krystal Huck, Christopher Byers, James Foster, Matt Szabaga, Frances Velazquez, JenningsStambaugh and Jonathan Herman are part of a nationwide network of dedicated professionals who helped win a two-year campaign for IAM representation. AFSS Specialists provide critical services to the general aviation community.

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to negotiate for betterwages, benefits andrules of employmentthan non-union SCAworkers.

IAM ExperienceAFSS Specialists

decided they neededthe benefits of profes-sional representationto ensure thatLockheed Martinwould continue thelevel of service thatgeneral aviation pilotshad come to expectfrom AFSS facilities,and help AFSSSpecialists receive fairpay, benefits andtreatment under theService Contract Act.

“AFSS Specialists were con-cerned because Lockheed start-ed consolidating Flight Servicefacilities and seemed intent onrunning the Flight Service sys-temmore like a call center thanan important service to the gen-eral aviation community,” saidOrganizing Department GrandLodge Representative SteveHantzis. “The IAMwas a naturalfit because we already represent15,000 employees at LockheedMartin facilities, who do every-thing from launching satellitestomaking the world’s mostadvanced fighter aircraft. And,we are a leader in negotiatingagreements under the ServiceContract Act.”

After the narrow loss in thefirst election, LockheedMartinramped up an aggressive anti-union campaign that made theAFSS Specialists evenmoredetermined. A unique “Noticeto Employees” (NOTEM)

newsletter, issue fliers and a ded-icated area on the IAMwebsite,www.goiam.org, kept workersinformed about the organizingcampaign and about the bene-fits of voting for the IAM. AFSSSpecialists work in threemainhubs and twelve sites in thecontinental United States andHawaii.

Ready to BargainRight after the successful

vote, AFSS Specialists wasted notime in getting down to thebusiness of negotiating a firstcontract with LockheedMartin.They elected their own repre-sentatives for the bargainingcommittee to assist in negotia-tions with Lockheed. Those rep-resentatives attended aNegotiation Preparation class atthe IAM’sWilliamW.Winpisinger Education andTechnology Center in PlacidHarbor, MD.

The unique class trains

negotiating committees in allaspects of contract bargaining,including conducting membersurveys on bargaining issues,how to calculate the cost ofcontract proposals, how toprepare for negotiations andending with a mock bargain-ing session with instructorsplaying the role of Lockheednegotiators.

“The NegotiationPreparation class lets the AFSSNegotiating Committee getvaluable experience before wesit down at the table withLockheedMartin,” said IAMAerospace Coordinator JohnCrowdis, who will be leadingAFSS negotiations. “It gives us atremendous advantage whencontract negotiations begin. TheIAM already has more than 35contracts at 46 LockheedMartinlocations.We will be using all ofour experience and expertise toget the best possible agreementfor our new AFSS members.”

Members of the AFSS Specialists negotiating committee, from left, Jonathan Herman,Arthur Butler, Paul Shephard, David Walz, and Mark O’Connell, practice a simulatedbargaining session with IAM’s Winpisinger Education Center Director Chris Wagoner,right, to prepare for upcoming contract negotiations with Lockheed Martin.


IAM Scholarship WinnersCharlotte H. AndreachiIAM MEMBERLL 1713 – Tomahawk, WICollege: National Labor CollegeSilver Spring, MDMajor: Labor Studies

Monica R. BertzParent: Rita BertzLL 1487 – Chicago, ILCollege: George Washington UniversityWashington, DCMajor: Biology (Geneticist)

Jennifer R. BreckParent: Donald J. BreckLL 1173 – Concord, CACollege: University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NMMajor: Biology (Pediatrician)

Rebecca M. DentonParent: Douglas DentonLL 368 – Miami, FLCollege: University of MiamiCoral Gables, FLMajor: Anthropology and Psychology (Profiler)

Emily S. DefreeseParent: Randall DefreeseLL 751A – Seattle, WACollege: Brigham Young UniversityProvo, UTMajor: Nursing and Paramedic

Adriana C. DurandIAM MEMBERLL 1932 – Los Angeles, CACollege: National Labor CollegeSilver Spring, MDMajor: Labor Studies

Kathryn M. GrossmanParent: Dennis GrossmanLL PM2918 – Indianapolis, INCollege: Indiana University - HuttonBloomington, INMajor: Law or Journalism

Greg M. HarmonParent: Greg HarmonLL 41 – St. Louis, MOVoc-tech College: Tulsa Welding SchoolTulsa, OKMajor: Certified Welder

Eva Y. LamParent: Michael LamLL 16 – Richmond, BC - CANADACollege: University of British ColumbiaBritish Columbia, CANADAMajor: Commerce and Computer Science(Multimedia Programmer)

Jordan C. MantyParent: Donald MantyLL 771 – Fort Frances, ON, CANADACollege: Confederation CollegeThunder Bay, ON, CANADAMajor: Aviation (Commercial Pilot)

John H. IzzoIAM MEMBERLL FL2109 – Albany, NYCollege: Hudson Valley CommunityCollege, Troy, NYMajor: Electrical Construction andMaintenance (AAS)

Melissa D. CampbellIAM MEMBERLL 2559 – Phoenix, AZCollege: National Labor CollegeSilver Spring, MDMajor: Labor Studies

Rochelle A. MillsParent: Scott A. MillsLL 709 – Marietta, GAVoc-tech College: Tallahassee CommunityCollege - Tallahassee, FLMajor: Paramedic (Athletic Trainer)

Kelly A. MuroskyParent: Donald MuroskyLL 1968 – Erie, PACollege: Rochester Institute ofTechnology - Rochester, NYMajor: Biomedical Engineering

Cassie L. MurphyParent: William MurphyLL 313 – Granite City, ILCollege: McKendree University - Lebanon, ILMajor: Chemistry and Math(Engineer, Pharmacist or Teacher)

Nicholas C. PalazzoloParent: Charles PalazzoloLL 447 – New York, NYCollege: Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PAMajor: Anthropology - SociologyRROOMMAANN MMAAYYFFIIEELLDD WWIINNNNEERR

Jennifer L. PhanParent: Minh PhanLL 776 – Fort Worth, TXCollege: Texas A&M UniversityCollege Station, TXMajor: Medicine and Music (Surgeon)

Marla C. RyanIAM MEMBERLL 873 – Horicon, WICollege: National Labor College Silver Spring, MDMajor: Labor Studies


IAM Scholarship Winners 2009Monica M. WilliamsParent: Dennis WilliamsLL 839 – Wichita, KSCollege: Wichita State UniversityWichita, KSMajor: Undecided (Minor in Spanish)

Karissa K. ZastrowParent: Patrick ZastrowLL 1438 – Wausau, WICollege: University of WisconsinEau Claire, WIMajor: Secondary Education (Math Teacher)

RReeqquueesstt ffoorr IIAAMM SScchhoollaarrsshhiipp AApppplliiccaattiioonn PPaacckkeettPlease send me an Application Packet for the 2010 IAM Scholarship Competition. I understand

that this request is not an application, and that the completed Application Packet must be post-marked no later than February 26, 2010.

REMINDER: Please check the appropriate box below and the requested application will bemailed to you. As an IAM member who will have two years’ continuous membership in the IAMas of February 26, 2010, I am requesting an Application Packet for:

� Child of a Member requesting a College Scholarship

� Child of a Member requesting a Vocational/Technical Scholarship

� IAM Member requesting a College or Vocational/Technical ScholarshipIMPORTANT: Complete this coupon and enclose a self-addressed LABEL for reply. (Do not send self-addressed envelope.)

Mail to: IAM Scholarship Program • 9000 Machinists Place, Room 117 • Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-2687

If you do not qualify under the above requirements, please do not send in this coupon.

The scholarship competition isopen each year to IAM membersand their children throughout theUnited States and Canada.

Scholarships for a Bachelor’sdegree or a two-year vocation-al/technical certification are deter-mined in a competition among eligi-ble applicants that is judged by anindependent Selection Committee.

Awards to Members are $2,000per academic year. They are grant-ed for a specific period from one tofour years leading to a Bachelor’sdegree or a two-year vocation-al/technical certification.

Awards to Children of Membersare: College - $1,000 per academicyear. All awards are renewed eachyear until a Bachelor’s degree is

obtained or for a maximum of fouryears, whichever occurs first.

Vocational/Technical School -$2,000 per year until certification isreached or for a maximum of twoyears, whichever occurs first.

For complete 2010 ScholarshipCompetition Guidelines, visitwww.goiam.org/iamscholarship

2010 SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION GUIDELINES

Donovan S. Boone Parent: Ronald LenoirLL 389 – San Diego, CA

Melissa C. Grenier Parent: James GrenierLL FL2109 – Albany, NY

Bryan S. KingParent: Daniel KingLL 2296 – Havelock, NC

Kayla A. Meine Parent: Brian MeineLL 837A – Hazelwood, MO

Amy K. Messner Parent: Darren MessnerLL 2525 – Fargo, ND

Anthony S. PulleoParent: Scott M. PulleoLL 1976 – Pittsburgh, PA

Seong Hee Susan Lee Parent: James J. LeeLL 2323 – Malton, ON CANADA

Sarah E. WilliamsParent: Dennis WilliamsLL 1784 – Baltimore, MD

Honorable Mentions



T C UTCU 33rd Regular Convention

The theme for ourupcoming 33rdRegular Conventionencompasses our his-tory and celebrates

our union’s 110th anniversary.It is truly the union that makesus all strong in both good timesand bad. TCU will continue towork to improve the quality ofeach and every member’s life.

We are strong because ofour democratic past. At thevery heart of what we do is

democratic action and solidari-ty. A clear example of theseprinciples in action will be ourConvention, starting with theCarmen Division Conventionon July 27, 2009 in Las Vegas,NV and then the Grand LodgeConvention beginning July 28.Elected delegates from acrossthe country will meet and com-plete the business of this greatunion. This gathering willshow the pride TCU maintains.This Convention will bring

together the representatives ofevery member and continue toprovide every local a voice inthis union.

The Convention is thehighest governing body ofTCU. Elections of officers areheld, and amendments to theConstitution and other resolu-tions are considered and actedupon. The delegates will estab-lish the union’s upcomingoverall policies and prioritiesby vote. It will be hard andchallenging yet gratifyingwork.

A New ChapterWhen every challenge has

been faced and the motion toadjourn passes, theConvention will come to aclose. That close is really onlythe beginning of a new chap-ter in TCU’s strong history.

That chapter immediatelybegins with a strong addition.One of the highlights of thisConvention will be the affilia-tion and upcoming full merg-er with the IAM. This mergerhas given TCU a strong basefor the future: Strength at thebargaining table, on the joband on Capitol Hill.

Everything we are aboutbegins with the democraticaction that the Conventionprovides. The unified vote andstrength of each and everydelegate will let us step boldlyinto the future.

Our Union Makes Us Strong


T C U

Our Union Makes Us Strong

About Grievances – Duty of Members

The Laws of TCU contain specific provi-sions for the filing and progression of griev-ances. Grievances must be presented inwriting by the aggrieved employee, givingall known facts to the Local/DistrictChairman-Delegate (Article 1, Section 11(a)of the Protective Laws).

The laws of TCU also provide adequatemethods for internal appeals on grievancematters. Most contracts contain strict timelimitations on filing and progressing griev-ances. Each and every member has an indi-vidual responsibility and duty to properlyfile and appeal grievance matters under theLaws of this Union. For further information,all members should consult the Laws of thisUnion.

About Payment of DuesThe attention of our members is called

to Article 6, Section 1(a) of the Lodge andDistrict statutes which provides that mem-bers owing two months’ dues will beAUTOMATICALLY SUSPENDED at 12 o’clockmidnight on the last day of the second

month WITHOUT NOTICE. Here is the rele-vant text of Article 6, Section 1(a) forlodges and districts:

Article 6SUSPENSION–Members

Section 1(a). Dues and assessments aredue and payable on the first day of eachcalend ar month. A member owes twomonths’ dues and assessments on the firstday of the second month, which meansthat two months’ dues and assessments,and not a portion thereof, must be paid onor before midnight of the last day of thatmonth or the member will be automaticallysuspended. It is the responsibility of everymember to know when dues and assess-ments are payable and pay them within thetime limits specified in this Article. Nodemand for payment of such dues orassessments or notice of nonpayment there-of or delinquency is necessary or required.A member who fails to pay his dues andassessments within the time limits specifiedin this Article is automatically suspended at12 o’clock midnight of the last day of thesecond month for which he owes dues andassessments.

Important Noticesfor TCU Members

Note: Any individual paying an agency fee will be treated in the same manner as above set forth.Note: These notices, policies and procedures apply only to members of

the Transportation Communications Union (TCU) which is an IAM affiliate. All Constitutional references are to the TCU Grand Lodge Constitution. These and other important notices and the TCU Constitution can be found on the TCU website www.tcunion.org.


Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n

Of all the deceits, threats andfalse promises that are part of cor-porate efforts to suppress voterturnout in union elections, fewsink to the level of Delta’s currentcampaign to distort the benefitsof seniority in a union contract.

Delta is trying to convinceemployees that there is little dif-ference between Delta’s idea ofseniority, and seniority as con-tained in the IAM-NorthwestAirlines contract.

Nothing could be further

from the truth.The key difference is this:

With a contract, the employeeowns his or her seniority rightsthroughout their career, but with-out a contract, Delta owns thoserights; lock, stock and barrel.

The Union DifferenceSeniority is traditionally used

to determine shifts, choose vaca-tions, select days off and secureopportunities for promotion.While long-term employees may

also accrue additional pay basedon the number of years worked,the opportunity to work a shiftthat suits their families’ needscan have a far greater value.

Few benefits carry as muchheft as contractually-guaranteedseniority, particularly in the tur-bulent airline environment, withthe near-certain prospect of addi-tional mergers, bankruptcies andlayoffs.

And yet, Delta wants to mis-direct attention about how workgroups will be integrated onceNorthwest’s and Delta’s opera-tions are fully merged. Legally,integration of seniority lists foreach classification must be donein a “fair and equitable” manner.

This “fair and equitable”legal requirement has becomethe foundation of Delta’s claimsthat there is little differencebetween seniority with or with-out a contract.

Enforceable RulesFederal law may require

seniority lists to be merged in a“fair and equitable” manner, butit is totally silent on how thatseniority is to be applied onceestablished. Lacking a legally-binding contract, with language

Delta / Northwest Merger

Real Seniority orDelta Seniority?

Transportation Vice President Robert Roach, Jr., traveled to Delta’s hometownof Atlanta, GA, to address the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and urge allunions to oppose the carrier’s effort to suppress workers’ voting rights.

spelling out precisely how andwhen seniority is to be applied, aworker’s seniority is little morethan a number on a list.

For years prior to last year’smerger announcement withNorthwest Airlines, Deltaemployed a seniority system thatprovided telling examples ofhow a company-owned senioritysystem would operate.

In the event of a layoff, aDelta employee had no optionto exercise his or her senioritybeyond the borders of the sta-tion where he or she wasemployed. By contrast, theseniority language in the IAM-Northwest contract guaranteedthe right of employees to exer-cise their seniority across theentire system, rather than a sin-gle location.

This single differencebetween Delta seniority and IAMseniority could mean the differ-ence between a paycheck and anunemployment check.

The guaranteed right of recall

after a layoff is also absent fromDelta’s idea of a seniority system.Without a contract, a Deltaemployee must rely solely onmanagement’s discretion for anyrecall to work following a layoff.

Guaranteed RightsThe current IAM-Northwest

agreement guarantees fur-loughed employees a right torecall to their prior location, not at the discretion of manage-ment, not in some randomorder, but according to theirseniority, period.

The assurances by Deltamanagement that committees ofemployees and arbitrators willgovern the integration processshould provide little comfort forDelta and Northwest employees.

Employee committees out-

side of the union context arefree to make suggestions, butthe company is free to ignorethose suggestions. And whilearbitrators provide somedegree of neutrality, operat-ing under the “fair and equi-table” standard, arbitratorshave erased decades of work-ers’ seniority when unionrepresentation did not sur-vive a merger.

Even after an integratedseniority list is established,

nothing, in the absence of a con-tract, prevents a company fromaltering the benefits and modify-ing terms that are traditionallyderived from seniority.

A strong, secure senioritysystem is a basic right of anyunion-represented employee.With it, every day, every yearon the job is credited, respect-ed and valued. Without it, anemployee must rely on man-agement to always act in a fairand impartial manner – a tallorder indeed.

The Machinists union is fighting to protect seniority rights for Northwestand Delta workers as the two carriers continue to merge.

“Seniority is an important right,and it’s only truly enforceable in aunion contract,” said NorthwestAirlines Customer Service Represen-tative Erin Marker of Local 1833 inMinneapolis, MN.


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30 IAM JOURNAL SUMMER 2009

I am Union. I am Sportsman.

I Belong. The Great Outdoors.

It’s deep inside your bones. Like the blood coursing through your veins, it’s at the very core of who you are.

Whether it’s fins, fur or feathers that calls you, everything else takes a back seat when the season opener rolls around. You’re always ready to gear up, get out and experience the rich rewards that only you and those who share this special bond can understand.

At the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance we understand that connection because our bond with each other runs as deep as our love of the great outdoors. We are an exclusive community of hunters and anglers who also share the brotherhood of being proud Union members. That’s what makes the USA so special. It is by and for Union members and it comes to you with the generous and dedicated support of your Union.

But above all, the USA is your club. When you join the USA, you’re helping to ensure future generations have quality places to hunt and fish. You’re also making a commitment to encourage friends and family to participate. More members means bigger and better benefits, discounts and services. More members means more USA hunting, shooting and fishing events. More members means we have a stronger, more unified voice to preserve our hunting and fishing heritage.

So, join us today and help spread the word about the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance. Because as a proud member of both your Union and the USA, you’re more than welcome. You belong.

USA-logo Buck knife ($30 value)

12 chances to win in a Gun-a-Month giveaway

1-Year subscription to a top outdoor magazine

Subscription to the USA newspaper, The Union Sportsmen’s Journal

$25 gift certi�cate for Beretta �eld gear

Money-saving discounts on outdoor gear

Personalized USA membership card

Free MyTopo.com online mapping subscription

Chances to win exceptional prizes and trips

Access to “Members-Only” section of the USA website

Free membership in the TRCP

Your $25 USA Membership Comes Loaded With Bene�ts:

A $115 Value for just $25!

A Hunting and Fishing Club Exclusively for Union Members,

Retirees and Their Families

Join Today At www.UnionSportsmen.org Or call us at 1-877-872-2211

Pension Protected inLockheed Contract

A e r o s p a c e

Jobs with a secure pensionplan and employer-paid healthbenefits are rapidly becoming anendangered species on theAmerican industrial landscape,but not for IAM members ofDistrict 776 in Ft. Worth, TX.

The benefits of unionmembership were readilyapparent in the finalterms of a three-year con-tract recently ratified bysome 3,500 workers whoassemble F-35, F-16 and F-22 fighter jets forLockheed MartinAeronautics Corp.

In addition to a front-loaded wage schedule thatincluded annual raises offour percent in the firstyear and three percent inthe second and thirdyears, the workers also

received a $2,000 ratificationbonus and an annual cost-of-liv-ing payment of $800.

Among the contract’s moststriking improvements was themonthly pension multiplierincrease from $68 to $79 per

month of service, the largestincrease in the bargaining unit’shistory.

The union’s negotiators werealso able to block a companyproposal to eliminate pensionbenefits for new-hires.

District 776 members at Lockheed Martin in Ft. Worth, TX, listen to the details of a new contract offer. They voted to accept the new contract that improved wages, pension and other benefits.

The U.S. Air Forcewill hold a thirdround of bidding thissummer to determinewho will replace itsaging fleet of aerialrefueling tankers. Thelast attempt was scut-tled following revela-tions that govern-ment officials failedto account for thecontract’s massiveimpact on U.S. jobs.

“In addition tobeing a criticaldefense contract, therefueling tanker pro-ject is a $100 billioneconomic stimuluspackage with thepotential to create andsupport more than44,000 jobs in theU.S.,” said GVP RichMichalski. “The casefor a U.S.-built andU.S.-maintained aerial

refueling tanker hasnever been stronger.”

Boeing has a 60-year history buildingrefueling tankers forthe Air Force and isprepared to offertanker versions of its777 or 767 aircraft.

Rival Europeanaerospace firm, EADS,plans to resubmit atanker version of itsAirbus A330.

Tanker Fight Enters Third Round

I am Union. I am Sportsman.

I Belong. The Great Outdoors.

It’s deep inside your bones. Like the blood coursing through your veins, it’s at the very core of who you are.

Whether it’s fins, fur or feathers that calls you, everything else takes a back seat when the season opener rolls around. You’re always ready to gear up, get out and experience the rich rewards that only you and those who share this special bond can understand.

At the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance we understand that connection because our bond with each other runs as deep as our love of the great outdoors. We are an exclusive community of hunters and anglers who also share the brotherhood of being proud Union members. That’s what makes the USA so special. It is by and for Union members and it comes to you with the generous and dedicated support of your Union.

But above all, the USA is your club. When you join the USA, you’re helping to ensure future generations have quality places to hunt and fish. You’re also making a commitment to encourage friends and family to participate. More members means bigger and better benefits, discounts and services. More members means more USA hunting, shooting and fishing events. More members means we have a stronger, more unified voice to preserve our hunting and fishing heritage.

So, join us today and help spread the word about the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance. Because as a proud member of both your Union and the USA, you’re more than welcome. You belong.

USA-logo Buck knife ($30 value)



Subscription to the USA newspaper, The Union Sportsmen’s Journal


Money-saving discounts on outdoor gear



Chances to win exceptional prizes and trips

Access to “Members-Only” section of the USA website


Your $25 USA Membership Comes Loaded With Bene�ts:




Join Today At www.UnionSportsmen.org Or call us at 1-877-872-2211

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International Association of Machinistsand Aerospace Workers9000 Machinists PlaceUpper Marlboro, MD 20772-2687

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

To learn more about the Plan and see what kind of benefit you couldget, visit the National Pension Plan online at www.iamnpf.org.

Talk to your business representative about negotiating the NationalPension Plan into your collective bargaining agreement.

For more information contact the Education & CommunicationDepartment at the IAM National Pension Fund at 1-800-424-9608.

IAM National Pension Fund1300 Connecticut Avenue, NWSuite 300Washington, DC 20036-1711

The IAM National Pension Fund’sNational Pension Plan

For nearly 50 years, your best bet

for financial well-being in retirement

The National Pension Plan is a traditional defined benefit pensionplan that provides lifetime benefits you can count on.

When you’ve put in a lifetime of hard work, don’t let a strugglingeconomy stand between you and the kind of retirement youdeserve.

In good times and bad, the Plan comes through for you.

Make the National Pension Plan a Part of Your Retirement

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