International President
Secretary Treasurer
GVP Western
GVP
Canada
GVP Midwest
GVP Headquarters
GVP
Southern
GVP Eastern
GVP Transportation
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Tuesday, May 14, 2002 “What we are seeing is economic terrorism,” IP Tom Buffenbarger said in a rousing keynote address, “and we’re the ones being terrorized.” He pointed out that the IAM lost 75,000 members since President Bush took office little more than a year ago. “Things are tough in America. Bad economic conditions are choking the American Dream,” he said. “There is no one out there, neither Democrat nor Republican, who is speaking up for us, for working Americans.” He blamed an uncaring White House and an “out-of-touch Congress” for the dire state of the economy and the growing plight of working families. GVP Bob Thayer urged delegates to “let Congress know the ‘Fighting Machinists’ are in town. Let’s make our voices heard, we can make a difference.” Delegates took that challenge to heart, meeting with their senators and representatives on issues crucial to working families. The Delegates were slated to hear from a list of distinguished speakers including AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO).
Terms of the agreements include wage and overall compensation improvements that make IAM members at United industry leaders once again. Pay for a senior Lead Ramp worker will increase to from $20.46 to $27.04 over the life of the agreement. Hourly pay for senior Customer Service Representatives will rise from $19.74 to $26.32. Additional details of the agreements are available on the IAM District 141 web site at www.iam141.org. "District 141 negotiated with United Airlines under difficult circumstances for more than two years," said Robert Roach Jr., IAM General Vice President of Transportation. “The District's negotiators and officers spent extended time away from their families. They performed a valuable service and reached agreements they can be proud of.”
The HPWO partnership, started in 1996, helped turn around ISP in 1998 when layoffs were looming and production lines were shutting down. Since then, IAM members and ISP management worked together to reduce accidents; increase productivity by 34 percent; decrease the product rejection rate by 45 percent; increase customer satisfaction by 32 percent and reduce energy costs by $4 million. IAM Local 1720 President Monty Newcomb credits former president Tommy Mayfield for starting the HPWO process. “He was a strong union man and for him to want to do this at age 60, that’s something,” said Newcomb. “Customers, global market – all that comes into play. We didn’t used to have to worry about that.” HPWO is a program started by the IAM to help keep jobs from going overseas. “It’s a union program, one that we looked at and couldn’t improve upon,” said ISP manager Frank Stevens. “As we’re more productive, the less business we lose overseas.”
Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal filed a challenge to last week’s shareholders’ vote allowing the 159-year old company to establish the offshore equivalent of legal residence in Bermuda. The move would allow the company the shelter overseas profits from U.S. taxation. “The shareholder vote was more than slipshod and incompetent. Stanley purposely created confusion and deliberately misled shareholders,” said Blumenthal. Stanley CEO John M. Trani was cited as the source of conflicting information regarding the vote, which passed by less than 2 percent over the two-thirds majority needed. Stanley’s bid to bail is widely seen as little more than an effort to avoid paying nearly $30 million in U.S. taxes annually. Legislation is now pending in Congress to eliminate the offshore tax loophole.
After winning the grant, the local worked with local Indian tribes who used fire control in the past to set up a conference for June 12 and 13. “The conference will focus on the use of prescribed fire to reduce fuel loads, increase rural employment, and make firefighting safer,” said conference coordinator and Local 457 First Vice President Jerry Foster. “It will also benefit the surrounding communities through more jobs, and with lower fuel loads, make firefighting safer.” For more information about the conference, go to: www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette/traditionaluse/traduseposterinfo.htm.
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