Tuesday October 26, 2004 |
Jobs Worth Fighting For Kicks Off in MaineThe first event in the push to make “JOBS Worth Fighting For” a centerpiece of the national debate kicked off with IAM Local 362 and other union members in Millinocket, Maine. “Too many jobs are leaving America and it’s time to do something about it,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “We’re here to get people to send a message to Washington, D.C. – ‘We want good jobs in America and what are you going to do about it?’” The Millinocket area was one of the world’s leading producers of paper products and the area mills employed thousands. Unfair competition from bad trade laws and a series of corporate takeovers left the mills reeling. Today, employment is at a fraction of former levels and the community is hurting. Members of several area unions spoke out about the need to fight unfair competition and for investment in the mills. “We’re going from good $20 an hour union jobs to eight-dollar an hour jobs at Wal-Mart,” said PACE Regional Director Gary Cook. “Is that what America is about?” The Millinocket rally is the first of several planned events for AFL-CIO affiliated union members in Maine and New Hampshire that features a 40-foot truck with “JOBS Worth Fighting For” on one side and “Don’t Take Chances When it Comes to Your Job” on the other. “Our brothers and sisters in other states made some of the machinery in these mills. Their jobs are gone and now these mills are struggling,” said Buffenbarger. “No matter what state we live in, our jobs are connected in some way. We have a common interest in this election: Our jobs are JOBS Worth Fighting For!”IAM Asks Court to Reconsider US Airways ReliefThe IAM this week filed a motion in bankruptcy court for reconsideration of the court's October 15, 2004 order granting US Airways interim relief from collective bargaining agreements. "The magnitude of wage reductions and duration of interim relief granted US Airways is unjustified," said District 141 President Randy Canale and District 142 President William O'Driscoll in a joint letter to their members: The IAM requested that the Court reconsider the interim relief by lessening the wage reductions imposed upon IAM-represented employees, allowing full contractually required employer contributions to the IAM National Pension Plan and prohibiting outsourcing of Airbus heavy maintenance. The IAM has asked for a November 18, 2004 hearing on its motion for reconsideration, which is available on the District 141 & District 142 websites. United to Outsource Reservation JobsIn a move that will negatively impact customer service, United Airlines announced plans to close a Bloomington, Indiana reservations center and subcontract some reservation agent work to India. "This is just another United Airlines assault on the morale of its employees," said General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. "The airline being in bankruptcy is no excuse for management to be morally bankrupt as well." The move is a result of changes made to the collective bargaining agreement under bankruptcy 1113(c) rules. Under those terms, no IAM member can lose his or her job because of outsourcing. The 83 IAM members at the Bloomington center will have an option to fill vacancies at the Chicago, Illinois reservation center. United is also training an additional 300 new hire reservation agents who will work in the airline's U.S. reservation centers. Federal Workers Oppose Rigged Bidding ProcessUnder pressure from lawmakers and union representatives, the federal government recently agreed to provide additional information about their efforts to shift jobs from government workers to private contractors.
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