The attack of September 11 changed the course of U.S. history. The IAM Journal honors our members who lost their lives and looks at the tragedy's effects on our members and their livelihoods.  There are new concerns and questions involving anthrax, learn the facts and where to get informatiom In a press release today, the IAM announced it plans to target Republican governors in the next election. A close look at how big business wants to expand NAFTA Free Trade Area of the Americas A video interview with Dr.Chrisitan E. Weller, from the Economic Policy Institute.  Economic Stimulus Package A report on the Canadian  Machinists Conference and the new Executive, elected last month in Winnipeg. 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 GVP Eastern Territory Warren L. Mart    GVP Transportation Robert Roach, Jr.

I
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

"United Airlines will continue to fly tomorrow, next month and next year," declared Buffenbarger. There are 100,000 determined United employees who will see that it does exactly that. And they will do so with or without Mr. Goodwin."

Shares of United's stock sank as news of the letter spread and 
Reservations agents reported thousands of calls from concerned ticket holders. "Mr. Goodwin's letter undercut passenger confidence in air travel just as it was beginning to return," said the IP. "United's employees deserve better than the alarmist rant of a man who is clearly not up to the task of crisis management."

Buffenbarger and Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr. both spoke of the need to go forward not backward. "We will not give anything back," said Roach. "Congress may have failed to help airline workers, but the IAM and District 142 will not fail you." 

District 142, headed by President and Directing General Chairman William O'Driscoll, is the most diverse of the four air transport districts, administering 67 airline contracts, including TWA, Continental, Southwest and British Airways.

"Good news for working families," says an eight-page report in the latest IAM Journal. The article takes aim at the Republican governors, detailing their rise to power, critiquing their policies and handicapping the various races. Republican governors currently rule 29 states, including eight of the country's 10 largest states.

The contests in New Jersey and Virginia are especially notable for the hard right candidates being fielded by GOP operatives. New Jersey voters must decide if ultra-conservative Bret Schundler is a fitting replacement for moderate Christie Whitman, who resigned earlier this year to head the EPA for President Bush. A similar choice faces voters in Virginia, where moderate Democrat Mark Warner is maintaining a lead in the normally conservative state.

The award-winning IAM Journal is in the mail to nearly 700,000 IAM members and also appears on the IAM website at www.goiam.org.

"Western Star is a vital part of the economy, which supports a number of local businesses and up to 4,000 indirect jobs," Ritchie said.

He urged members to "phone, fax and email" their political representatives and urge them to "join forces with the workers at Western Star" and keep the facility operating.

"This vote shows that our members are prepared to do what it takes," he said. "Of course we want to reach an agreement. But our members are not willing to accept a substandard contract. They're ready to take a stand," Parent stressed.

Pratt & Whitney's parent company, United Technologies Corp., reported a 14 percent increase in earnings for the third-quarter, but said it planned to lay off 5,000 workers because of airline industry slowdowns. UTC said about half of those cuts would come at Pratt & Whitney, with another 1,500 coming from the Hamilton Sundstrand division. 

The current agreement expires December 2, Parent said.