Minneapolis, Minnesota
April 6-8, Minneapolis Convention Center. More
information.
Worker's Memorial Day
April 28, 2002 Read all about how it helps to
remember the
injured and honor the fallen.
Unemployment soared and
manufacturing jobs in North America were wiped out in record
numbers, yet Congress did nothing to help workers in danger of
losing everything they have. In the
2002 Spring IAM Journal, IAM members from across North America
tell how it feels to be losing it all. |
Get Your Convention Gear
Check out gear for the
2004
IAM Convention
The IAM
Executive Council
International President
R.
Thomas Buffenbarger
Secretary Treasurer
Donald
E. Wharton
GVP Western
Territory
Lee
Pearson
GVP
Canada
GVP Canada
Dave
Ritchie
GVP Midwest
Territory
Alex
M. Bay
GVP Headquarters
Robert
V. Thayer
GVP
Southern
GVP Southern
Territory
George
Hooper
GVP Eastern
Territory
Warren
L. Mart
GVP Transportation
Robert
Roach, Jr.
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Tuesday,
April 9, 2002
OSHA Issues ‘Voluntary’ Ergonomic Guidelines
The Bush administration betrayed U.S.
workers last week when it announced its long awaited policy on workplace
ergonomic standards. The meaningless guidelines call for voluntary
industry compliance rather than legally enforceable workplace
protections. Under the Bush policy, companies bear no responsibility for
the repetitive stress injuries that seriously harm 1.8 million workers
and cost the U.S. economy $50 billion each year.
The new policy
represents a victory for industry lobbyists who waged an all-out fight
to relieve their corporate clients from responsibility for injuries
caused by prolonged exposure to certain working conditions. “If
corporate CEO’s were experiencing these injuries instead of secretaries
and cashiers, we would see a very different policy coming out of this
administration,” said Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA). Repeated activities
such as bending and lifting have been identified as causes of painful
injuries and chronic syndromes such as carpal tunnel.
IAM Members
Submit UAL
Shareholder Proposals
UAL Corp. shareholders will vote on two
important proposals submitted by IAM members at this year’s annual
meeting in Chicago.
Resolution Number 5
on the UAL proxy ballot seeks to separate the CEO and the Chairman
positions and create an independent Chair position on the UAL Board of
Directors. The change would provide a level of oversight at the airline
that is impossible when the Chair and the CEO are one and the same.
Resolution Number 4
calls for executive pay to be linked to the company’s core air
transportation business. In a letter to members at United Airlines, the
IAM Active Ownership Committee said it was critical for the company to
concentrate on rebuilding the traditional air carrier business – rather
than seeking new and riskier ventures.
Ballots for IAM
members holding UAL shares are in the mail now and members can review
the text of the shareholder proposals online at
www.goiam.org/territories.asp?c=2877 alongside recommendations from
the IAM Active Ownership Committee at United Airlines.
Harley CEO Named
to
Presidential Workforce Council
Expect Jeffrey Bleustein to bring a
unique perspective to his newly appointed position on the President’s
Council on the 21st Century Workforce. As the head of the legendary
motorcycle manufacturer, Bleustein makes no secret that his company’s
success is due in large part to a highly evolved relationship with the
IAM and other unions at Harley Davidson.
Faced with a recent
need to increase production, Bleustein described his approach. “We
needed to increase the motorcycle output of our existing factories, but
we also had to build a new factory to get the job done. But instead of
running off to a right-to-work state and setting up a non-union plant,
we decided to take our two unions, the IAM and PACE with us.”
The decision to
build the plant in Kansas City was made by a team of executives and
union representatives and serves as an example of good labor-management
relations. “The Harley Davidson vice president and general manager share
an office with the presidents of the two local unions,” said Bleustein.
“In this environment, there are no walls, no partitions, no secrets.”
Union Industries
Show Big Hit in Minneapolis
Two future riders try out an
IAM-made Harley-Davidson motorcycle at the AFL-CIO Union Industries
Show. |
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The IAM joined with dozens of other unions in
Minneapolis this past weekend to host the annual AFL-CIO Unions’
Industries Show. Thousands of show visitors got a close up view of
America’s union workers and the products they make as union members
demonstrated the work they do and passed out free merchandise.
The show’s intent
was to showcase union-management cooperation and as part of it,
IAM-represented companies donated products to be raffled off in a number
of free drawings which included a Harley Davidson motorcycle, a John
Deere tractor, Southwest Airlines and US Airways tickets, Savage and
Winchester firearms, Red Wing work footwear, and hundreds of other
prizes. Next year’s Union Industries show is slated for Pittsburgh.
IAM Local 701 Continues To Grow
IAM Local 701 welcomes 97 new IAM members
at Scaletta Moloney Armoring Co. in Bedford Park, IL and Elk Grove
Village, IL. These newly organized members reconstruct vehicles and add
armor to them for the United States government. The win represents the
largest organizing victory in Local 701 history.
Higher pay is a top
issue for the new members. "This is a very strong group. They are highly
skilled and carry a huge responsibility for creating secure vehicles,”
said IAM Local 701 Organizer Dave Mullin. “They deserve the pay that
goes along with that skilled work and responsibility. The other big
issue is the high cost to employees for health insurance."
Midwest Territory GVP
Alex Bay cites Herb Elam, Local 701 directing business representative,
Dave Mullin, organizer for IAM Local 701 and retiree Paul Espinosa for
their hard work and dedication. IAM Local 701 is located in Countryside,
IL. And has more than 8,600 members in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Global Economy
Claims U.S. Icon
A legendary pants maker that traces its
history to the roaring days of the California Gold Rush will soon go the
way of those grizzled prospectors who made blue jeans a symbol of
American ingenuity. Levi Strauss & Co, a 149-year-old firm that invented
blue jeans, says it will lay off 20 percent of its workforce and close
all but one of its U.S. plants. Its legendary blue jeans will become
just another foreign import. Low-wage workers in poverty-stricken
nations without trade unions or worker protections will now produce
those dungarees. “Most of those workers won’t be able to buy the jeans
they make,” lamented IP Tom Buffenbarger. “Those ‘free trade gurus’
seldom mention that dismal fact.”
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