The IAM Executive Council R. Thomas Buffenbarger International President Warren Mart General Secretary-Treasurer Lee Pearson GVP Western Territory Dave Ritchie GVP Canada Robert Roach, Jr. GVP Transportation Lynn Tucker  GVP Eastern Territory Robert Martinez GVP Southern Territory Richard Michalski GVP Headquarters Philip J. Gruber GVP Midwest Territory » Home

Richard Michalski GVP Headquarters In 1968, Rich was initiated into IAM Local Lodge 1916 and worked as a welder at General Electric in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He held several positions in his local lodge, including steward, chairman of the bargaining committee, and president. Rich has always been politically involved at the grass roots level, volunteering many hours campaigning for candidates promoting workers' issues.  He was the Democratic committeeman for his precinct for 12 years, and elected delegate to the 1980 and 1984 Democratic National Conventions.  Rich became the IAM's Director of Legislative and Political Action Department in 1992. In this capacity, he was involved on a daily basis with legislation that affects working men and women together with the AFL-CIO and its affiliates, interfacing with Members of Congress in Washington, pushing back the extremist agenda.  Rich was also Director of Political Action for the Machinists Non-Partisan Political League (MNPL), one of the top 10 political action committees in the country.  On June 1, 2006 Rich joined the ranks of the IAM’s Executive Board as the General Vice President in charge of IAM Headquarters.

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