IAM Wins US Airways Airbus Arbitration

In a victory for IAM members at US Airways, an arbitrator ruled the carrier acted illegally when it subcontracted heavy maintenance on 12 of the carrier’s Airbus aircraft. The arbitrator also ordered US Airways to “make whole” any IAM members who suffered financial losses due to the outsourcing.

“This decision reaffirms 55 years of contract language,” said William O’Driscoll, President of IAM District 142. “US Airways illegally outsourced Airbus work just months after IAM members provided $1.5 billion in savings to rescue the airline and allow it to emerge from its first bankruptcy.”

The legal fight to defend the IAM Mechanic & Related contract at US Airways began in October 2003, when the airline subcontracted Airbus Heavy Maintenance Visits to Singapore Technologies Mobile Aerospace Engineering located in Mobile, Alabama. The IAM won an immediate injunction in Federal District Court to halt the subcontracting, but an appeals court ruled the dispute should be resolved through arbitration.

“US Airways wasted countless dollars on attorneys to fight their employees, and is now financially liable to our members for their corporate arrogance,” said Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr. “I urge US Airways to begin embracing their employees as valuable assets and listen to our ideas for addressing the substantial challenges facing the airline.

“The IAM will use every legal venue necessary to enforce this award,” said Roach.

Voter Registration Soars, Early Voting Begins

The first votes in an election that Rep. Dick Gephardt is calling “a fight for the very existence of labor unions” have already been cast in four states including California, Idaho, Montana and Vermont. By October 18, early voting in thirteen states will be underway.

The growing use of absentee ballots and the availability of early voting are radically transforming election year campaign strategies to accommodate a 30-day election period, rather than the traditional 24-hour voting period that begins and ends on Election Day.

Voter registration across the country surged to record levels in recent weeks, with local election boards adding staff and working overtime to process the wave of new applications.

The deadline to register, however, is fast approaching in many key states. In Illinois and Missouri, the last day to register is Oct. 6. It’s Oct. 8 in North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma and Idaho. Some states, including Minnesota, Maine and the District of Columbia allow registration right up until Election Day.

Click here to find out the registration deadlines in your state.

Debating the Debates

More than 62 million Americans watched last week’s debate between President Bush and Senator Kerry, but for many viewers, facial expressions and body language carried as much weight as anything the candidates said about homeland security or foreign policy.

President Bush appeared visibly uncomfortable throughout much of the 90-minute contest, alternately scowling, blinking and squirming. By contrast, Kerry delivered a much more television-friendly appearance, leading news commentators to declare him the unofficial winner in the “who looked more presidential” category.

“The debate could prove be a turning point,” said IP Tom Buffenbarger, who watched the debate with union members in Lewiston, Maine. “Undecided voters are just beginning to tune into this election, and the President’s poor performance made a stark impression.”

The initial 90-minute debate, which failed to provide a knockout punch for either campaign, now joins a long line of presidential debates. In the first televised debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, Kennedy was given high marks for appearing calm and confident, while Nixon drew criticism for his visibly uncomfortable performance on camera. That election was ultimately decided by the narrowest of margins and confirmed the importance of televised debates in presidential elections.

The next presidential debates will take place on Oct. 8 and Oct.13. The first and only vice presidential debate will take place today, Oct. 5, at 9:00 p.m. EST.

Workers at Two Wisconsin Locations Go IAM

IAM Local 701 in Countryside, IL recently brought 16 forklift service technicians at two Material Handlings Services locations into the IAM. Our new members work in La Crosse, WI and Sun Prairie, WI.

“The technicians at Material Handling really stuck together to make this possible,” said Local 701 Business Representative Sam Cicinelli. The cost of healthcare insurance, a good pension, a guaranteed wage structure and the desire for a collective bargaining agreement were all issues in the win, according to Cicinelli.

IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President James E. Brown welcomed the new members and praised Cicinelli saying, “We would like to thank BR Sam Cicinelli for his hard work and we wish him continued success in the future.”

Card Check Recognition Under Attack

Republicans in Congress are moving forward on a proposal to prevent workers from using “card-check” verification to win union recognition and a voice on the job. The Secret Ballot Protection Act (H.R. 4343), introduced by Rep. Charles Norwood (R-GA.), would eliminate card check verification and require workers seeking union representation to hold NLRB-supervised secret ballot elections.

For years, card check recognition has leveled the playing field by averting the delaying tactics employers commonly use during the NLRB election process. The Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1925, H.R. 3619), which has gained bipartisan support from 245 members of Congress, would ensure when a majority of employees in a workplace decides to form a union, they can do so without the debilitating obstacles employers now use to block them.

Reserve Now for Guide Dogs Charity Events

From November 18 to 20, Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada will be the site for this year’s William W. Winpisinger Charity Event to benefit Guide Dogs of America. The full weekend of activities will feature the Nevada Chapter’s Hawgs for Dogs ride on November 18 th and the annual Golf Tournament on November 19 th.

The annual Guide Dogs of America banquet will take place on November 20th. Contact Rose Bricker at 702-245-5691 for more information about the Hawgs for Dawgs run on Nov. 18 th.

Be sure to make hotel reservations by October 15th to take advantage of a discounted room rate. Contact Gloria Bormann at 818-822-6041 for additional information.

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