Thursday, June 2, 2005
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Labor issues you care about in streaming video
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Act Now: UAL Pension Virtual Hearing
(streaming | download)
Representative George Miller is holding the first ever online Congressional Hearing for the UAL pension fight.

Bush Continues Privatization Crusade
(streaming | download)
President Bush is back on the road again, attempting to sell his private account scheme. Send a message to your congressional leader.

IAM Woodworkers District 2 Convention
(streaming | download)
Woodworkers District 2 held their convention in Tunica, Mississippi from May 19-20th.

Bush Fails to Get Tough On China
(streaming | download)
The Bush Administration has declined to accuse China of currency manipulation, but then added it was likely to do so if China does not change its policy.

Video: Act Now and Join the Pension Fight
(streaming | download)
Join the pension fight, contact Congress and urge their support of H.R. 2327.


Video: Maryland Governor Vetoes Healthcare
(streaming | download)
On Thursday, May 19th Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. vetoed the Fair Share Healthcare bill.

Mind Games
(streaming | download)
Playing with the American Labor Movement like it was a chess game, dissident union leaders are playing a dangerous game.

Bombs Bursting In Air
(streaming | download)
Last week, Senator Hillary Clinton forced the Pentagon to admit that North Korea could place a nuclear warhead on a missile. On May 1, 2005, North Korea test fired a short missile into the Sea of Japan. This Bombs Bursting In Air video was created in May 2001 to educate IAM members about the proposed National Missile Defense System.

In Remembrance of Our Fallen Brothers and Sisters
(streaming | download)
Family and friends gathered on April 28th at the William W. Winpisinger Center to remember those who lost their lives in the workplace.






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More than 7,000 people showed their support for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine which is targeted for closure by the Department of Defense.

Thousands Rally For Portsmouth Shipyard

A sea of supporters wearing “Save Our Shipyard” shirts greeted members of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) when they arrived to tour the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.

“More than 7,000 people showed up. It was great to see such overwhelming community support,” said Local 836 President Jann Gray. “The BRAC members were clearly impressed. We are going to make a good case to keep our shipyard open.”

The Defense Department included Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, one of the most efficient nuclear submarine repair facilities in the country, on the list of bases slated for closure. More than 200 IAM Local 836 and S25 members currently work at the base.

The BRAC members must review the Pentagon’s list of base closures and visit each facility before they issue a final list in September. BRAC members toured the Portsmouth facility and met with workers and local officials who made a strong case for keeping the shipyard open. The next step is a regional BRAC meeting scheduled for July 6 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Transportation Adds Staff to Service Members

General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. announced that International President Tom Buffenbarger appointed Dora Cervantes and Tom Regan to the position of Grand Lodge Representatives on the Transportation Department's staff, effective July 1, 2005.

"At a time when the airline industry is in such unprecedented turmoil, our members require additional representation to deal with multiple bankruptcies, greedy management and an anti-worker administration," said GVP Roach. "Dora and Tom will not only help defend our current members, but they will be instrumental in our renewed organizing initiatives to help expand the Machinists Union."

Dora Cervantes initiated into IAM Local Lodge 2198 in Houston, TX when she began her career as a Southwest Airlines Reservation and Sales Agent. She held the position of Shop Steward, Local Lodge Organizer and Recording Secretary before becoming a District 142 Organizer in 1999 and General Chair in 2001. International President Tom Buffenbarger appointed Dora to the 2002 Blue Ribbon Commission.

Tom Regan was an aircraft fueler for Allied Aviation in Newark, NJ when he initiated into Local Lodge 1445 and served as a Local Trustee. He was hired as a Utility worker for US Air in 1987, and later became a Ground Equipment Mechanic. Tom became US Airways Grievance Committee Chairman in 1989, before transferring to Local 2508 in Orlando, FL in 1992 where he was elected to the Grievance Committee and served as the Local's Secretary-Treasurer.

In 1998, Tom became a District Lodge 141 Vice-President and then a District 141-M Assistant General Chairman in 2001. Tom has been instrumental in US Airways negotiations and servicing the District's many fixed base operators.

Indiana Auto Techs Rally at Heart City

Local 1315 members and supporters held an informational picket at Heart City Toyota / Chrysler / Plymouth in Elkhart, Indiana to inform the public about steep wage cuts and insurance increases proposed by the dealership during recent contract negotiations. The IAM represents the Automotive Mechanics and Body Shop Technicians at Heart City.

The rally was called after the company made an unacceptable contract offer for the technicians, who have not received a pay increase in three years while the dealership continued to boost the cost of repairs to customers.

Fair Share for Health Care

Wake-Up Wal-Mart held press conferences in eight states to bring attention to the health care costs Wal-Mart passes along to the taxpayers in the states in which they do business. Organizers presented a “Wal-Mart Health Care Tax” bill which represents cost to state taxpayers for providing health care to Wal-Mart’s workers.

State legislators are being encouraged to create a “Fair Share for Health Care Act” that would protect their states against the hidden costs borne by taxpayers. The act has three basic principles; a taxpayer impact disclosure, health care spending disclosure and a requirement for companies to pay their fair share for health care.

The Maryland legislature passed “Fair Share Health Care” legislation but Republican Governor Ehrlich vetoed the measure. Minnesota has similar legislation pending that could go to a special session vote this month.

Book Broadens Outsourcing Debate

The new book Outsourcing America: What’s Behind Our National Crisis and How We Can Reclaim American Jobs broadens the debate on the growing crisis resulting in mass U.S. job loss and is an invaluable companion to the Lou Dobbs book, Exporting America.

The authors, Ron and Anil Hira, experts on outsourcing and international economic policy and trade issues, focus on the steps that must be taken to bring more high-paying jobs back to the U.S.

Outsourcing America presents facts and clarifies the issues presented by outsourcing and its impact on jobs and the economic outlook, national security and global standing.

“This invaluable book cuts right through the myths and phony statistics in the debate over white-collar outsourcing,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “It also takes the next and crucial step: outlining a reasonable and achievable set of policy proposals to ensure that ordinary working Americans don't get left behind as the offshore outsourcing trend accelerates.”


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China Dolls
Behind China's economic miracle is a stark reality of oppressive working conditions for millions of Chinese women and men.


IAM Election Report IAM members in the United States and Canada have reelected national leaders to four-year terms commencing July 1, 2005.


Break out the camera and take it to work. It's time for the IAM Photography Contest.

We want to take www.goiam.org to the next level as a tool for the membership. You can help by completing this short survey. We'll use your feedback to guide our planning for the new site.


See who works for you, how the IAM is structured, and what services the IAM offers. Go to: IAM2005


With proposals based on labor’s strengths rather than weaknesses, the IAM has unveiled a seven-point strategy to help guide the debate over reform at the AFL-CIO. Take a look.


The 2005 IAM Calendar is now available. Send $7 to: IAM Calendar, 9000 Machinists Place,
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772


Who cares about us? Check out the online edition of the 2004 IAM Journal.



The winners of the 2004 Newsletter & Website Contest.



Check out NewsBriefs, a regular online news service for IAM editors, webstewards & communicators. En Francais.


FlatRateTech is an organization “created for and by Ford and Lincoln Mercury service technicians solely to speak as one loud voice rather than 50,000 smaller voices.” according to their website The fast-growing site offers forums for Ford customers, technicians and dealers to exchange information.

IAM
Executive Council


Tom Buffenbarger
International President


Warren L. Mart
Secretary-Treasurer


Lee Pearson
GVP Western Territory


Dave Ritchie
GVP Canada


Robert Thayer
GVP Headquarters


Robert Roach,Jr.
GVP Transportation


Lynn Tucker
GVP Eastern Territory


Robert Martinez
GVP Southern Territory


James Brown
GVP Midwest Territory