The Adolph Stutz Scholarship Essay Deadline Has Been Extended

The Adolph Stutz Scholarship Essay Deadline Has Been Extended

Jul 14, 2020 | Education, Front Page, Organizing, Uncategorized, Upcoming Events | 0 comments

The deadline for entering the Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest has been extended to July 24th, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

District 141 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is offering six $1,000 scholarships and one $2,000 scholarship to the winners of its yearly Adolph Stutz Memorial essay contest. The contest is open to select union members and their families.

Children, spouses, and dependent grandchildren of members with one year or more of good standing in District Lodge 141 who are graduating high school seniors or who are currently enrolled full time and/or commencing college full time. The competition is also open to any members with one year or more of good standing in District Lodge 141 who are enrolled in college with a minimum of six units per semester.

Applications must be signed by a Local Lodge Recording Secretary to ensure that the sponsoring member qualifies for the scholarship program. District union officers, their families, and previous winners are not eligible.

This year’s topic is, “What I Look For in a Leader in This Election Year.” Applicants, including graduating high school seniors or college students, are asked to submit essays with at least 700 words and a maximum of 1,000 words.

Entries must be printed on standard-sized paper (8.5″ x 11″) and must also be submitted as a Microsoft Word Document. The entrant’s name or other identification should appear on each page, with the title of the essay at the top of the paper. All entries should include a recent image of the applicant.

Six essays will be selected to win $1,000 scholarships, and one will be selected for the $2,000 top prize. In addition to the money, the top essay will be featured in the  District 141 quarterly Newsletter.

The competition ends on July 24, 2020, and winners will be announced by August 1, 2020.

Click Here for full contest rules and a printable application >>

 

Union Plus: Standing Up For Union Members

Union Plus: Standing Up For Union Members

Jul 10, 2020 | Featured, Featured News, Front Page, Organizing, Row 2, Video | 0 comments

Standing Up For Union Members: Keith T.W. Anderko Explains How Union Plus Can Help 

Keith T.W. Anderko is the IAMAW’s Union Service Representative at Union Plus, which provides invaluable member-only benefits and discounts. 

Long before joining Union Plus, Keith was a campaign field organizer to elect labor-friendly candidates for public office.  He then worked with National Nurses United, organizing health care professionals in Right-To-Worse states across the US.  Keith used the Union Plus discount programs as a way to enhance his organizing campaigns, which brought over 5,000 RNs into the labor movement. 

He is proud of his labor heritage as a fourth-generation union member.  He lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with his wife, two children, and five cats. 

Union Plus Hardship Help

As we collectively battle the Coronavirus pandemic, our team at Union Plus is focused on providing you with resources to support you and your family. Participants in our Union Plus Mortgage, Credit Card, Personal Loan or supplemental insurance programs may be eligible for additional hardship assistance through our Mortgage Assistance Program or other Union Plus hardship assistance programs.

Learn More About Union Plus Hardship Help

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Local 1932 Distributes Food, Gives Hope to Los Angeles

Local 1932 Distributes Food, Gives Hope to Los Angeles

Jul 1, 2020 | Community Service, Community Service Page, COVID, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Organizing, Row 2 | 0 comments

Members of IAM Local 1932 organize and host a food distribution event at their local lodge in Hawthorne, California 

 

Joe Martinez, Community Services Representative led the collaboration between Local 1932, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor (LA Fed) and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. Volunteers from Local 1932 joined union members from several LA Fed affiliates including SEIU, Teamsters, Carpenters and other trades to receive, stage and distribute food supplies to community members in need. The three-hour, drive-through only event on Monday distributed food supplies to 1,200 families.   

The LA Fed has 300 affiliated unions representing 800,000 workers in the Los Angeles region. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, they have provided a safety net for unemployed or underemployed workers through the Miguel Contreras Foundation and Labor Community Services. 

At an LA Fed meeting in March, Joe Martinez, who also serves as Secretary-Treasurer of Local 1932, discussed the possibility of the Machinists lodge becoming a host site for a food drive. When he brought the idea to the local’s Executive Board, they endorsed the idea enthusiastically. 

Joe is grateful for the assistance provided by Alex Monteiro, Vice Mayor of the City of Hawthorne, and also for the support of District 141 AGC Terry Stansbury and Special Representative Nancy Sweeney. Local 1932 Auditor Tony Blannon and Committee person Patricia Aumua also joined over 20 IAM volunteers at the event. 

Los Angeles County has been hard hit by COVID, recently surpassing 100,000 confirmed cases and 3,300 deaths since March. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank reports that volunteer activity has declined during the crisis, making labor sponsored events such as this one an important part of the food bank’s work to fight hunger.

 

 

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IP Martinez Addresses Racial Justice, Voting Rights and COVID-19

IP Martinez Addresses Racial Justice, Voting Rights and COVID-19

Jun 25, 2020 | COVID, Front Page, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

As IAM members continue to bravely confront the coronavirus crisis, IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., remotely attended IAM District 751’s 2020 Membership Conference.

With the theme of “Winning the Vote! Centennial of Women Winning the Right to Vote and the Role of Labor and Race in This Continuing Struggle,” the virtual event took place June 13, 2020 with Martinez, IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, Washington State Labor Council Secretary-Treasurer April Sims, civil rights activist Bill Fletcher, along with hundreds of attendees participating via live video stream.

The protests, turmoil and calls for justice following the killing of George Floyd gave the conference even more importance and timeliness.

“As we speak right now, I feel a real change coming to our country,” said Martinez. “I see people of all races marching, speaking up and speaking out together for a better world, and demanding that justice finally be done. We are here today to turn those calls into action to use our collective voices and our votes to make real, lasting change, just like we have so many times in the history of our union.”

“The IAM has always and will forevermore fight for the rights of those who are oppressed. We fight for equal rights for women, minorities, and all people of color,” said Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “The struggle for justice and equality will always be the labor movements guiding principle.  The victories we pursue and the goals we aspire to achieve regarding equal rights for all can only be attained at the ballot box. Once we elect someone it’s only the beginning, as we must hold all politicians accountable.”

The conference was hosted by the District 751 Human Rights, Labor History, Women’s and Legislative Committees. It celebrated women winning the right to vote and emphasized the continued importance of insuring voting rights.

“We appreciate everyone that participated in our conference. It is always important to share the struggles we have come through in our history in order to identify how far we have come and how far we still have to go,” said District 751 President Jon Holden. “Even though much progress has been made for Voting Rights we have much work still ahead of us across the country.

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“It is hard to believe that nearly 250 years after the birth of our nation, we are still fighting for equality and the right to vote for everyone,” said Martinez. “This struggle goes to the very core of our democracy.”

Martinez took the opportunity to address District 751 members on the IAM’s ongoing efforts in Washington, DC to protect workers as a result of COVID-19.

“We have been relentless in lobbying Congress to provide federal unemployment relief for the millions of our brothers and sisters that are out of work. We have made certain that companies that get relief, give that relief to their workers instead of pocketing it for the CEOs and other executives,” said Martinez.

IAM Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center

Machinists Union Joins Call for Police Reform, Racial Justice

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IAMAW District President Calls on JetBlue to Respect Workers, End Outsourcing

IAMAW District President Calls on JetBlue to Respect Workers, End Outsourcing

Jun 18, 2020 | COVID, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, Organizing, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

/// En Español

Mr. Hayes,

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), District 141, has become aware of JetBlue’s plan to outsource the work of JetBlue employees in “smaller BlueCities,” which JetBlue failed to identify in its memo. I think it is unconscionable that after taking approximately $1 billion of taxpayer funded airline bailout money that you now turn your back on the essential frontline JetBlue workers who have served our nation so bravely during the worst health crisis in modern history.

I think it’s vital that everyone knows what’s going on here. You are NOT upending the lives of these JetBlue workers because you are cutting some staff to meet reduced demand for air travel. You are cutting ALL these workers and bringing in LOWER PAID workers, who likely are earning minimum wage with no benefits, to do the jobs of JetBlue workers. Classic greed.

Even worse, you are using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse.

I call on you to do what is right and maintain JetBlue workers in these “smaller BlueCities.” They were there for us when we needed them most. They were there to load medical supplies on flights, to transport medical professionals to where they needed to be to treat sick people and to otherwise keep our nation’s air transportation system operating. They deserve better treatment and to remain employed in the cities where they and their families live.

In the memo announcing this misguided plan from VP of Airports Experience, Mike Parkinson, to JetBlue employees, he claims, “Taking care of impacted Crewmembers is our priority.” If you truly want to take care of JetBlue employees, then don’t outsource their work and don’t upend their lives and the lives of their families. Keep them working where they live.

You can be sure that the IAM will do everything in its power to fight this unbelievably cruel plan.

Sincerely,

Michael G. Klemm

President & Directing General Chair
IAMAW District 141

Please print and post on all IAMAW Bulletin Boards.
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Senator Casey: Hours Reductions are Not Allowed Under CARES Act.

Senator Casey: Hours Reductions are Not Allowed Under CARES Act.

Jun 10, 2020 | American, COVID, Front Page, Hawaiian, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Spirit, Uncategorized, United | 1 comment

Senator Casey: “Reducing workers’ hours without their consent reduces workers’ paychecks in the same way that reducing workers’ rate of pay would.”

 

This week, Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) called on Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to issue clear guidance to airlines and industry lobbyists stating that cutting the pay and benefits of airline workers violates the CARES Act, even if those cuts come by way of furloughing full-time workers to part-time. Senator Casey is a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, which played a major role in drafting the bill. 

Senator Casey said the clear intent of the CARES Act, which delivered billions of taxpayer dollars to airlines, was “specifically to protect the jobs and livelihoods of workers in the airline industry,” and that airlines could not reduce the pay of their workers after accepting relief funds.  Further, Senator Casey said in the letter that reducing full-time workers to part-time reduces their pay and benefits, despite leaving pay rates intact. 

“I write to express my concern that multiple air carriers have threatened to or are currently involuntarily reducing the hours of employees despite receiving payroll support under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act,” Senator Casey said in the letter. “In passing this legislation, Congress made clear its intention that any air carrier receiving assistance must agree to maintain payroll and not cut employee compensation. I urge you to immediately issue guidance that makes clear that unilateral and involuntary reductions in employee hours are prohibited under the CARES Act.” 

Senator Casey also sent letters to the CEOs of United, jetBlue, and Delta, and to Airlines for America, the lead lobbying group for US air carriers, putting industry executives and lobbyists on notice about the importance of following the law and respecting workers.  

A growing number of lawmakers involved in creating the CARES Act have written to the CEOs of major airlines following a scheme by United Airlines executives to take billions in relief funds intended to cover payrolls – and then cut payrolls while keeping the money. United Executive Vice President Greg Hart tried to defend the move and said the furloughs weren’t really pay cuts because pay rates would remain the same. Senator Casey, who has a legislative record promoting economic security for working families, showed little patience for such word games. 

“This is in clear violation of Congress’ intent and should not be undertaken by any air carriers accepting federal assistance,” Senator Casey said. 

“Congress’ intent that air carriers use this assistance to fully protect workers’ compensation and employment was clear,” he wrote. 

IAMAW District Legislative Director David Roderick praised the actions of Senator Casey and other lawmakers who have come forward in defense of working families in the airline industry over the past two months. “Senator Casey is a true friend for airline workers. He’s been a trusted ally and strong voice for airline safety and the fair treatment of airline employees and passengers for years.” 

Read the full statement by Senator Casey Here >>

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Lawmakers need to know that we appreciate their help. If you are a constituent of Senator Bob Casey, please take a second to let him know that our union values his assist.

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What do YOU Think?

Do you feel that furloughs before October 1st are a violation of the CARES Act…

…even if they are only furloughing full-time agents to part-time?