IAM’s Free College Benefit Makes Education Possible for Members and Their Families

IAM’s Free College Benefit Makes Education Possible for Members and Their Families

Dec 7, 2020 | Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, GOIAM Stories, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Nearly two years ago, the IAM started offering a free college program to members and their families. The program has seen fast growth, and has changed to fit the needs of the members, as COVID-19 has changed the lives and work of IAM members, the IAM’s free college program has continued to expand.

Starting as a two-year associate degree-only program, it has not only expanded to include a full four-year bachelor’s degree program, but also short-term certificate programs to help members find ways to change careers quickly because of job loss.

The Beginning

The program started in Ohio with a few locals of different unions at Eastern Gateway Community College in Steubenville, OH. It’s always been difficult for workers to find the time to further their education, and Eastern Gateway found that the online learning model worked well for union workers, making it easier to juggle work, family and other issues and get education.

Working with the Student Resource Center and several unions, this has turned Eastern Gateway Community College into the fastest-growing Community College in America. Fifteen thousand union members and their families are taking advantage of the program, and the growth is only accelerating.

“That results in over $146 million in savings for union members in college tuition,” said Dan Jones, chief engagement officer of the Free College Program. “With student debt in the $1.6 trillion range, for us to be able to provide a free option for our families, is a testament to the union to have the foresight, in seeing this as an issue and then doing something about it.”

The program and Eastern Gateway and Central States University are looking to expand their academic offerings to increased degrees on both the associates and bachelor’s side, as well as short-term industry-focused certificates to help increase job opportunities for students.

Eastern Gateway College is a brick-and-mortar college, which celebrated its 50th year in 2018. The college was previously the Jefferson County Community College, and in 2010 the college expanded to include Columbiana, Mahoney and Trumbell counties in Ohio. They have campuses in Stubenville and Youngstown. The campus has over 1,000 students in each campus, as well as 1,300 high school students that are dual enrolled.

“Our four counties in northeast Ohio are some of the poorest areas, with highest pockets of poverty, certainly in Ohio, if not the United States,” said Michael Geoghegan, president of Eastern Gateway Community College. “What the free college program allows us to do is bring federal monies with these grants into these communities, and keep people employed at the college. Recently the President of the faculty union told me they now have 100 union members. Ten years ago, we had 1,000 students. If we hadn’t done what we done, we’d probably have 1,000 or 800, and there’s no way they’d have the employment – people would have to leave, there’d be layoffs. The free college program has been able to have a great economic impact in our communities.”

“In different higher-ed institutions, staff would have fought this,” said Geoghegan. “But our staff welcomed it, embraced it, and are really true partners in this, because they see the benefits for everyone.”

As tough as it is to be in a situation where a business is shrinking, it’s also hard to manage growth. “We’ve made a significant investment in technology so we can quickly ramp up growth while providing a quality education,” said Geoghegan. The college has grown 62 per cent over last year.

Adding The Bachelor’s Degree Program

As the free college program found success quickly with the associate’s degree, it was clear IAM members wanted to expand the ability to get a bachelor’s degree. The program’s newest partner is Central State University, with two locations, in Dayton and Xenia, OH. Central State offers an accelerated program that compresses a 16-week course into eight weeks to move through two terms in one semester to complete the degree faster.

To take classes at Central State, members need 60 credits or an associate’s degree. Class size is never more than 30 students in a class. Currently Central State offers bachelor’s degrees in teacher education, business administration and criminal justice. New degree programs will be coming online in 2021 and beyond.

Covid-19 Changes Everything

When the COVID-19 virus hit, Eastern Gateway was already an expert online learning, the IAM and the free college program worked to find ways to find help for members affected by job loss. While other education organization scrambled to find ways to adapt, Eastern Gateway already had the expertise and ability for proven online learning for adults.

“We are very adaptable, very agile, so we can turn on a dime,” said Geoghehan. “We can create new programs. We’re always looking at courses and academic programs and expanding them and making them more accessible for students.”

First, the IAM extends the benefit to all members on layoff status through the end of the year without requiring out-of-work stamps. Plus, the benefit is great for members with college-age children who still need education, even if the family is short on funds for college.

Eastern Gateway’s course credits are easily transferred to colleges and universities across the country. So, children with college plans and hopes can get the general education classes free and transfer them to the college of their choice.

The short-term certificate program is for laid-off members who need to acquire new skills quickly and get right back in the workforce. Certificates are available for new careers in the health care, information technology and cyber-security areas.

As COVID-19 radically altered lives, the online learning classes didn’t have to change much. “I was teaching a class this spring when the bottom fell out” said Sandi Sumerfield, chair of the professional Education Department at Central States. “People were able to go ahead as they were. The challenges they had were the same as everyone had – ‘Oh my gosh, the children are home and I’m doing online schooling with them.’ But the fact that their education and their goals were not put on hold, they were not disrupted, they were able to move forward with the program really made a big difference.”

Online Learning

Participating in online learning is on the student’s schedule. Students have weekly classes and assignments to do, when it works for them, for instance after you putting the kids to bed. Students have professors available 24 hours a day via video and email, to get questions asked and the help needed. That being said, college isn’t easy, and requires work and commitment. But at the end of the day, it’s worth it and brings a great sense of accomplishment. For students new to college and online learning, instructors recommend taking one or two classes to get your feet wet, and to gauge the workload students can comfortably handle.

Courses are in eight-week semesters, two in the spring, one in the summer, and two in the fall, so there’s always classes coming up to jump into.

It requires a computer and internet connection. While the Free College benefit usually does not allow students to take student loans, if students have extenuating circumstances the Free College staff will work with you if help is needed to buy a computer or pay for internet access.

Both colleges use the latest technologies on the computer and phone to make it easy to learn.

It’s all about finding a way to work with you to make your dreams come true.

“If you’re anxious about this process, don’t be,” said Jones. “We’ve made this a process for working adults, so make that phone call and take that next step.”

Whether it is for you, your wife or your children, pick up the phone and call (888) 590-9009 or go to the website freecollege.goiam.org to start the path today.

What Is the Future of the Free College Program?

The IAM is working to bring new course, programs and degrees that will expand opportunities to add new skills for jobs within IAM bargaining units too.

“Free College can augment our apprentice programs and other training programs the IAM has negotiated across the country,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez. Jr. “As technology changes, the Free College Program can help IAM members and their families reach their goals, for a better and brighter future for everyone. That’s what the IAM has always been about – the future.”

Too Good to be True?

As Dan Jones, Chief Engagement Officer of the Free College Program says, “In the history of our country, a safe work environment used to be too good to be true.

“A living wage was too good to be true.

“A pension was too good to be true.

“A weekend was too good to be true.

“What happened was that unions were formed, unions fought and unions gained all of these things that we now take for granted.

“When we hear college for free is too good to be true, it’s just another example of unions seeing a need, fighting to find a solution that works for its members.”

The program is funded through a last-dollar scholarship model. Many states, like Tennessee and New York, operate free college programs for their citizens on this basis. This is how the Free College Benefit operates.

Both Eastern Gateway and Central State University are part of the Ohio Department of Higher Education, fully accredited colleges and credits are easily transferrable.

All prospective students must fill out a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) form for possible federal aid and grants. If the student is eligible for grant aid, the universities use that money to fund the program. If you aren’t eligible, the college includes you in the program on a last-dollar scholarship. There is absolutely zero costs to the student.

To be eligible, you must be 18, have a high school diploma or GED equivalent, and not be delinquent on prior student loan debt. In applying, the member must be in good standing or on layoff, paying out-of-work stamps if required. Family members must provide the membership book number of the sponsoring member.

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    Additional Details /// Story first appeared on GOIAM.org >>

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Gearing Up for the Future

Gearing Up for the Future

Nov 30, 2020 | Education, Featured News, Front Page, GOIAM Stories, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Union members want good contracts and good service for those contracts, in order to improve quality of life, through higher wages, better benefits, and safe working conditions. The IAM’s Southern Territory has changed its culture by reorganizing districts so members receive the service they expect, while making organizing a top priority.

The newly chartered districts are in Kentucky and Tennessee, with consolidated locals in Virginia and North Carolina.

“We started looking at districts that only had one representative and how we could support them better, give them more resources to help with their servicing needs, and to help with organizing,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Rickey Wallace.

District 74 in Virginia, District 110 in North Carolina, and unaffiliated Local 10 in Richmond, VA were consolidated into the new District 2020 in February. Newly-chartered District 1888 was formed when Districts 27 in Louisville, KY, 154 in Calvert City, KY, and District 711 in Murfreesboro, TN were consolidated into District Lodge 1888 in September.

“We chose that number for a reason,” said District 1888 President and Directing Business Representative Jerry Benson. “That’s the year the union started and we’re looking at this district as a rebirth in this area of our union. This union started in the South and we’re going to grow it in the South.”

Russell Wade, President and Directing Business Representative of District 2020, says the reorganization will help in a number of ways.

“It gives us a chance to collaborate between local business representatives much more easily because we talk to each other regularly since we did this combination, so to me, it’s like the sum of the parts makes a greater whole than the parts individually,” said Wade.

Servicing Members

The Machinists Union provides workers with a collective voice to communicate with company managers. Whether it’s a shop steward or a business representative, the union helps to resolve problems that may arise.

“Some of our representatives were servicing up to 45 collective bargaining agreements, which is a huge workload on somebody,” said Wallace. “It’s a juggling act for a representative, constantly with balls in the air all the time, trying to negotiate these contracts. Multiple contracts coming up at the same time. What we had done in the past is our Grand Lodge staff would go in and support these districts and helped them out when they needed it.”

Although Grand Lodge Representatives are good at multitasking, Wallace saw a need and an opportunity to get members better services, by having the Grand Lodge Representatives focus on organizing, while business representatives at the district level could concentrate on servicing.

Joe Greaser has been a Grand Lodge Representative since 2007.

“To the general member, seeing their business agent more often, they kind of have the tendency to think the union cares more about them,” said Greaser, adding that the “whole aspect of servicing should improve” under this new system and representatives can get out onto the shop floors to get to know members better.

Members often contact their shop stewards in-person and their business representatives through email, text and phone calls.

“I think they’ll see a better response from business agents, due to the realignment the Southern Territory did with the Grand Lodge Representatives,” said Wade. “It frees the business representatives up to better serve the members and be much more responsive to the members.”

The goal is to make sure members hear back from their representatives as quickly as possible.

“We believe in servicing our membership. That’s one thing I think the Machinists Union does better than any other union out there,” said Benson. “By having the reps located in different areas, different regions of the district, they’ll be able to visit their shops and visit their members. So, hopefully, the ones that are out of the [formerly] one-rep district maybe they will see their rep more often than what they were used to. Hopefully, they’ll see that their rep has more resources to use for them when having an issue.”

Organizing

Another one for the history books. New Charters for IAM Districts 1888 and 2020.

President Robert Martinez Jr. made it his top priority when he took office in 2016 and has taken steps to boost it since then.

“We weren’t using our Grand Lodge staff really to organize at all. If we got a lead, they would pick it up and run with it,” said Wallace.

But the added responsibility of organizing on top of servicing was burdensome. The reorganization of the districts in the territory will facilitate the organizing goal and streamline the process. Wallace said the territory is always working on strategic targets.

“Organizing is important to keep the balance of the union and keep the strength of the union,” said Greaser. “The biggest impediment when you’re organizing is not being able to dedicate the time necessary to have a successful campaign. As a pure organizer, when you don’t have those impediments of having to be at meetings, having to be at negotiations, having to deal with internal disputes, you can set your game plan for your organizing effort a lot more efficiently.”

A winning game plan involves a tireless fight to organize workers who need help improving working conditions. The union’s job is to show them how organizing is power.

“Working people need our help more than ever,” said Benson. “We’re in an environment now that is not worker-friendly. This new district will have Memphis, Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, Chattanooga, Knoxville, a lot of cities spread out across this new district where there are organizing opportunities. Hopefully, this district grows and with it, this union grows.”

Culture Change

Change can be a difficult, yet necessary transition in any industry. “It’s a change for us in culture,” said Greaser, “but at the end of the day we’ll do it in fine Machinists fashion.”

Greaser’s life as a Grand Lodge Representative has involved a lot of travel. He spends a lot of time in his car, traveling from city to city throughout the territory. Business representatives are also busy, making shop visits, and putting out fires.

“No one likes change, including me,” said Wade. “But if you don’t change, you go the way of the dinosaur. You’ve got to adapt and change with the times and I think these changes were in the best interest of the membership, otherwise, I would have put up a fight, so I think it’s a change in the right direction.”

The Machinists Union wants to keep moving forward together on the local, district, and territory levels, with each entity supporting the other for the greater good.

The district reorganization will take time, according to Wallace. He says it won’t happen overnight, “but we think we have a structure in place now that will better serve our members and focus on organizing at the same time. This is a change for us. And change comes difficult sometimes, but we think this is needed in the territory. The whole purpose is to grow these districts, expand our footprint, increase our union density in these districts, so we can negotiate better contracts for our members.”

District numbers may change, but the people behind the districts, who represent the union members in them, remain the same, as well as the fighting effort that makes us the “Fighting Machinists.”

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Machinists and Aerospace Union Will Partner with Biden-Harris to Heal Country, Bring Jobs Home

Machinists and Aerospace Union Will Partner with Biden-Harris to Heal Country, Bring Jobs Home

Nov 9, 2020 | Community Service, COVID, Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, GOIAM Stories, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2020 – Robert Martinez Jr., International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), released the following statement regarding the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the next president and vice president of the United States:

“The American people have spoken and democracy has prevailed. Our union and our nation are moving forward with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to do the work needed to emerge stronger than ever from these difficult times.

“We sincerely congratulate President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris, and all the pro-union candidates who won races from coast to coast. The Fighting Machinists Union was proud to endorse you in a membership vote and looks forward to building a better future with you. I am also grateful for every Machinists Union member who voted in this election, no matter how they cast their ballot.

“A new kind of work begins today—and the task in front of us is great. We have seen unemployment unrivaled since the Great Depression. Millions of American families have seen loved ones pass or sickened from an out-of-control pandemic. Our nation has deep divisions along the lines of race and class.

“But a new day has come to America. This time, the interests of working people must be put before corporations and the ultra-wealthy. Our members have seen their plants close, livelihoods upended and communities torn apart in the name of corporate greed. And just as we did during this administration, we will hold the next administration accountable to bring our jobs home.

“The Machinists Union can be counted on to serve as a trusted partner in building back our nation better than ever before. Working together, we can preserve and create good union jobs that will power us to a brighter future. We can ensure that every American has access to quality healthcare and a secure retirement. We can create opportunity for each and every one of us—no matter our race, religion, national origin or who we love.

“We can and we will accomplish great things together. The next chapter of this great American story begins now.” 

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is among the largest industrial trade unions in North America and represents nearly 600,000 active and retired members in the manufacturing, aerospace, defense, airlines, transportation, shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.

goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion

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Have You Voted Yet?

Have You Voted Yet?

Oct 30, 2020 | Community Service, COVID, Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, GOIAM Stories, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

We wanted to check in to make sure you have voted or have a plan to vote in this very important election.

Visit iam2020.org to get all the information you need to vote.

You may remember that IAM members voted to endorse Joe Biden in a first-of-its-kind membership vote this March. Click here to view the IAM’s endorsed U.S. Senate candidates.

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will:

– Defend the Voices of Machinists Union Members: Joe Biden will fight against anti-union “right to work” laws.

– Protect Our Health and Keep Us Safe: Joe Biden will make sure employers aren’t risking our health and our lives during this pandemic.

– Secure Our Retirement: Joe Biden will work hard to make sure all our retirement plans are protected.

The stakes couldn’t be higher in this election, so please make your voice heard. Visit iam2020.org and make a plan to vote today.

 

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Power The Polls: Essential Workers Needed

Power The Polls: Essential Workers Needed

Oct 21, 2020 | Community Service, Community Service Page, COVID, Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Page Three, Perusals, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Election officials around the country are dealing with the challenges of running an election unlike any they’ve run before. What was considered a healthy turnout of voters in a regular year could become a COVID superspreader event in 2020.

One of the biggest problems they are facing is a lack of workers. COVID-19 is particularly dangerous if contracted by people over 65 years of age, who are the majority of the people who work at the polls on Election Day. Many states are expanding their vote by mail and early voting programs to avoid long lines and overcrowding at the polls on Election Day, but election officials in many areas desperately need workers to also help conduct those programs.

This is where we can help. District 141 of the IAMAW is a partner with Power The Polls, a first-of-its-kind initiative to recruit poll workers to ensure a safe and fair election for all voters.

Dave Roderick, District 141 Legislative and MNPL Director, and Cristina Odoardi, Community Services Director, are excited about taking part in a project where civics and community service intersect. “This is an excellent opportunity for our members to play an important role in one of the most consequential elections in US history,” said Roderick. “We all have an interest in making sure it runs smoothly,” he said.

Odoardi sees the poll worker recruitment effort as a way to reinforce our union’s role in our communities as a force for positive change. “Helping people help themselves is at the heart of our mission to serve the community. We must do everything we can to protect our country’s core values of free speech and democracy. Becoming a poll worker to help people cast their vote is a great example of what serving the community is all about.”

Poll workers are hired by election officials to help administer the election. They do things like check-in voters, fix voting machines, and troubleshoot any other issues at the polling places. They operate in an official, non-partisan capacity, and are trained and paid for their work by the local jurisdiction, which also provides PPE. Their function is different from that of poll watchers or poll monitors, which are volunteers or staff from a political party or campaign that are certified to observe and monitor election administration. Answers to frequently asked questions about the role of poll workers can be found here.

Courtney Cardin, Director of Non-Profit Partnerships for Power the Polls recently sent District 141 a list of the cities and counties most in need of poll workers. The areas at the top of the list are Polk County, FL, Gwinnett County, GA, Flint, MI, Allentown/Lehigh Valley, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, San Antonio, TX, Green Bay, WI, and Racine, WI. The following areas are also recruiting workers and could use more help: Chicago, IL, Detroit, MI, Charlotte, NC, Cleveland, OH, Philadelphia, PA, and Houston, TX. Cardin stressed that bilingual people are particularly needed in Florida, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

“Machinists Union members always vote in great numbers, and we understand the value of essential work. Democracy is not a spectator sport, and we are proud to join volunteers from labor and non-profit organizations in this great effort to power the polls and our voices,” said Mike Klemm, District 141 President and Directing General Chair.

To sign up to Power The Polls, please use the District 141 link: https://www.powerthepolls.org/?source=iam141

Once you’ve signed up, depending on your jurisdiction, you will either be contacted by Power the Polls, a partner organization, or your local election administrators regarding your application.

Election Day is less than two weeks away, so please sign up today! 

 

Defending Democracy Takes Work.

Volunteer to serve your country as a poll worker today.

See What's Involved

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Aviation Supports 46 Million Jobs. Congress Must Act.

Aviation Supports 46 Million Jobs. Congress Must Act.

Oct 20, 2020 | Airlines, COVID, Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Page Four, Perusals, Row 2 | 0 comments

The severe downturn in air traffic caused by Covid-19, followed by a slow recovery, will result in a loss of up to 46 million aviation-dependent jobs. The findings come from an industry study by Air Transport Action Group, released this week.

Airlines directly support 11 million jobs, including airline and airport workers, aircraft manufacturers, and aviation-related agencies. Counting those whose jobs are dependent on air travel, such as the tourism and hotel industries, another 87.7 million jobs require a healthy airline industry for their survival.  

Many experts do not expect air travel to return to normal levels until 2024. 

“Our analysis shows that up to 4.8 million jobs in aviation may be lost by the beginning of next year, a 43% reduction from pre-Covid levels,” ATAG Executive Director Michael Gill said of the research.

“When you expand those effects across all the jobs aviation would normally support, 46 million jobs are at risk, Gill continued. “These include highly-skilled aviation roles, the wider tourism jobs impacted by the lack of air travel and employment throughout the supply chain in construction, catering supplies, professional services and all the other things required to run a global transport system.”

International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 141 President Mike Klemm underscored many of the study’s findings. “The economy needs airlines, just like it needs roads, bridges, and the internet. And, airlines need a well-trained and experienced workforce. The longer Congress refuses to act to protect this workforce, the more permanent the damage to this industry and economy becomes.”

The study, titled “Benefits Beyond Borders,” can be downloaded HERE>

Key Findings From the Report

In a typical year…

  • Air transport supports 87.7 million jobs and $3.5 trillion in global economic activity.
  • Over 11 million people work directly for the industry itself. Aviation jobs are, on average, 4.3 times more productive than other jobs in the economy.
  • Air travel carries 35% of world trade by value ($6.5 trillion worth in 2019), but less than 1% by volume (61 million tonnes in 2019).
  • Airfares today are around 90% lower than the same journey would have cost in 1950 – this has enabled access to air travel by greater sections of the population. Scope of the industry: 1,478 airlines flew 33,299 aircraft on 48,000 routes between 3,780 airports in airspace managed by 162 air navigation service providers.
  • 58% of world tourists travel to their destinations by air.

The Impact of Covid-19 on Aviation:

  • Aviation-supported jobs potentially fall by 46 million to 41.7 million (-52.5%)
  • Direct aviation jobs (at airlines, airports, manufacturers, and air traffic management) fall by 4.8 million (a 43% reduction compared with the pre-Covid situation)
  • Nearly 39,200 special repatriation flights took almost 5.4 million citizens home after borders closed in March 2020.
  • Nearly 46,400 special cargo flights transported 1.5 million tonnes of cargo, mostly medical equipment, to areas in need during the height of the pandemic response.

Additional Resources

///  Contact Your Senator and Ask Them to Extend the Payroll Support Program

/// The report can be downloaded at www.aviationbenefits.org. It was prepared by ATAG with other global aviation industry associations and research by Oxford Economics.

 

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