Honor Our Veterans on Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, take some time out to remember our nation’s service men and women who are fighting in Iraq and all of our veterans past and present. “It is the sons and daughters of America’s working families who answer the call to serve our nation, and we must honor them for it,” said IAM President R. Thomas Buffenbarger. “As many of us spend time with our families this weekend, let us remember how special that time is, how lucky we are, and that the men and women in uniform make it possible for us to live in freedom.”

Auto Techs at Halleen Chevrolet Fight For Justice

IAM auto technicians at Halleen Chevrolet in Olmsted, OH are fighting their employer’s unfair stalling tactics by staging a strike for recognition and a first contract. After 100% of Halleen’s auto technicians signed cards to join the IAM, the employer refused to recognize the union and negotiate a contract. Now 100% of the membership voted to strike for recognition and a fair contract.

“Nonunion auto and truck technicians are underpaid and underappreciated,” said IAM Eastern Territory Automotive Coordinator Frank Forgione. “We place our families’ safety in these men and women’s hands – they should be paid accordingly. The continued need for training, expensive tools, and increased specialization will be the requirement of today’s career technicians.”

Many of the unfair tactics that Halleen Chevrolet is using would be outlawed if Congress would pass the Employee Free Choice Act, which strengthens the right of American workers to organize. To help our brothers and sisters Halleen Chevrolet and others who are struggling to bring dignity and fairness to their workplaces, go to the Action Alert and Advocacy section of www.goaim.org to send a message to Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.

Submit UAL Pension Stories to Congress by Friday

Friday, May 27 is the final day for United Airlines employees to submit testimony about the carrier’s termination of their pension plans. Congressman George Miller (D-CA) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) are holding the House of Representatives’ first-ever Online Congressional Hearing for what could be the largest pension default in history.

United employees are encouraged to submit their personal stories on how United’s pension termination will affect them. To submit testimony, follow the instructions at the hearing website,
http://edworkforce.house.gov/democrats/unitedhearing.html.

Once the hearing record is complete, Miller and Schakowsky will circulate a report to the public, the media, online and enter the conclusions into the Congressional Record.

Miller and Schakowsky introduced H.R. 2327, a bill that will halt pension takeovers by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation for six months, giving Congress time to enact legislation to make it harder for companies to dump their pension promises on U.S. taxpayers.

Go to the “Action Alert and Advocacy” section of www.goaim.org to s end a message today to your legislators to support H.R. 2327, the Pension Moratorium Bill.

Pension Battle Sparks Solidarity in California

United Airlines employees aren’t alone when it comes to attacks on pensions. In California, Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggar is floating plans to dismantle pensions for state employees. The Governor has made reducing the negotiated pensions of nurses, firefighters, police and all other state employees a focal point of his budget, while he champions tax breaks and subsidies to corporations.

Those attacks are sparking a new spirit of solidarity among traditionally separate sectors of working Americans. At the California State Federation meeting, IAM Local 1781 activist Joe DeBono of San Francisco, who faces termination of his United Airlines pension, joined state employees at the meeting’s session on pensions.

DeBono delivered a rousing pledge to join with state employees “in the streets, if we can't win in the courtrooms or the bargaining table,” sparking an ovation by the enthusiastic crowd.

Last Call for IAM Newsletter and Web Contest

The deadline for entries to the 2005 IAM Newsletter and Website Contest is May 31, 2005. The annual contest recognizes the outstanding efforts of the IAM’s District and Local Lodge newsletter editors and web stewards. The contest is open to all District and Local Lodges in good standing who have regularly distributed publications and/or regularly updated websites. The contest considers newsletters published between April 2004 and April 2005 and websites operating online during the judging period.

Contact the Communications Department at 301-967-4520 for entry forms and contest rules.