We’ve Stood in Line. We’ve Voted. Now Count Every Vote.

We’ve Stood in Line. We’ve Voted. Now Count Every Vote.

Sisters and Brothers,

We must all ensure that each and every voice is heard. Machinists Union members and Americans from coast to coast have overcome a pandemic and other unacceptable barriers to vote in historic numbers. We owe it to each other to count every ballot.

We may not know who wins every race tonight—including the presidency. That’s OK.

Vote totals will shift as states count mail-in, early voting and same-day ballots at different times. That is American democracy at work and that’s OK, too.

Let’s continue to stand together and make sure every vote counts. 

In solidarity,

Robert Martinez Jr.
International President

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Voting Is An Act of Solidarity

Voting Is An Act of Solidarity

Sisters and Brothers,

As I write this, over 93 million Americans have already cast their ballot in this year’s general election. This number represents almost 69% of the total votes cast four years ago, putting our country on track to smash election turnout records that are over a century old. 

Voters are going to the polls in record numbers as our country struggles with the coronavirus pandemic and the economic catastrophe it has caused. Millions of workers, including thousands of our District 141 Sisters and Brothers, face an uncertain future. We fought together for months on several fronts to protect our jobs and our airline industry, negotiating early retirement and voluntary leave programs with our companies, and placing thousands of calls and email messages to members of Congress asking for federal help to save our jobs. Just as we thought we had enough support in Congress for extended payroll support to avoid furloughs, the US Senate diverted its attention to the confirmation of a Supreme Court justice a month before the election. This shift in priorities dealt a devastating blow to our industry and our union as thousands of airline workers joined the ranks of the unemployed. 

Facing all this hardship, we are showing up at the polls in huge numbers. IAM members traditionally vote at higher rates than non-union workers, and it looks like we are helping drive turnout. In Texas and Hawaii, early voting numbers have surpassed the total number of votes cast in 2016. In New Jersey, California, Illinois, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Colorado, over 59% of voters have already cast their ballots, with numbers surging in every state.

This remarkable voter turnout is fueled by the work of countless volunteers making phone calls, sending text messages, and delivering voting information to union households. I salute all the IAM activists who have stepped up to inform union members about pro-labor candidates and the importance of voting. We are also partnering with Power the Polls to help staff polling places on Election Day.

After a democratic process we conducted for the first time in our union’s history, Joe Biden earned the Machinists Union endorsement for president. In addition to our choice for president, I urge you to support pro-labor candidates in state races. You may recall how, in recent months, a group of 20 Senators blocked desperately needed coronavirus relief, including payroll support for the airlines. If your state is electing a US Senator this year, please review the candidates’ records carefully before you vote. You can check the list of IAM-endorsed candidates here.

Voting is a personal choice. I ask you to consider the candidates whom our Legislative and MNPL Representatives and our Machinists State Councils have endorsed based on their pro-labor platforms and voting record.

If you have already voted, Thank You! If you have a ballot at home, please make sure you deliver it to a ballot collection box in your area (it is too late to put it in the mail) or to your polling station on Tuesday. Most states will have in-person voting on Election Day; check vote.org for polling locations and voting hours.

We will all remember 2020 as a year full of challenges when we were forced to make personal decisions that had a big impact on others. Choosing to wear a mask, or to retire early or to take a voluntary leave of absence to protect our health helped save jobs, just like our choices at the ballot box will affect us both individually and collectively. Together with a collective bargaining agreement at work, our ballot is the most powerful tool we have to address our country’s problems and guide our future. Use it.  

VOTE!

In solidarity,

Michael G Klemm
President and Directing General Chair,
District 141, IAMAW

 

 

 

Additional Resources

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What’s At Stake? A conversation with District 141 Legislative and MNPL Director Dave Roderick

What’s At Stake? A conversation with District 141 Legislative and MNPL Director Dave Roderick

141 Report: New Jersey State Council of Machinists President, Ines Garcia-Keim

On the last District 141 Report before Election Day 2020, we talk with Dave Roderick about where the candidates for president stand on issues such as organizing rights, minimum wage laws, plans for infrastructure improvements, human rights, health care, retirement security, and so-called “right to work” laws. Don’t miss this side-by-side comparison on these important issues before you vote.

The Machinists Union conducted a democratic endorsement process where the majority of members chose Joe Biden as their preferred candidate for President of the United States. How you vote, however, is a personal decision. Our union has researched the candidates’ records and platforms to help you cast an informed vote.

Vote to protect your family and your union. Make your voice heard! VOTE!  

 

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Have You Voted Yet?

Have You Voted Yet?

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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VOTE! Only One Week Left

VOTE! Only One Week Left

There are seven days left before Election Day and we want to make sure every Machinists Union member has a plan to vote. There is too much at stake to sit this election out.

Visit iam2020.org today to find your polling place, see early voting locations, locate a voting dropbox, and see what’s on your ballot.

Politics affects everything about our lives. Legislation enacted and decisions made by elected officials impact our work lives and the ability of our union to fight for better pay and benefits for our families. There is a direct link between the ballot box and our economic and workplace security.

As a reminder, the IAM, in a first-of-its-kind membership vote, chose to endorse Joe Biden for president. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will fight for affordable healthcare, retirement security, and stronger unions while fighting against the outsourcing of our jobs.

Make sure you have a plan to vote. Visit iam2020.org today.

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Big Money is Buying an Anti-Union Supreme Court

Big Money is Buying an Anti-Union Supreme Court

When it comes to who is chosen to fill an open seat on the highest court in the United States, the process isn’t just a matter of picking a well-known judge from the lower courts. It’s a multi-million-dollar industry-funded from hard to trace origins.

Former U.S. Attorney and current U.S. Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI) does a good job of explaining the dark money trail fueling Supreme Court cases and Justice nominations last week during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Most notable is the part where he discusses the anti-worker Janus case and the amount of money being used to fight unions in the highest court in the U.S.

Watch the entire video here.

The current nominee to the court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett has an troubling anti-labor past, as highlighted in this IAM video.

The Senate Judiciary Committee confirmed Judge Barrett today, moving to a full Senate confirmation vote scheduled for next week.

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