Oct 16, 2017 | MNPL
Airline workers may need to study up on “Right to Work” laws, which have been helping big business defund unions for years. Important politicians are trying to extend Right to Work rules into all unions and employee groups. This may soon include airline and railroad workers, who have largely been spared until now.
Simply put, if you are paid an hourly rate, “Right to Work” laws will hurt you, and leave you with fewer rights at work.
How will “Right to Work” laws affect Employees and Employee Groups?
When it comes to unions, “Right to Work” laws unfairly (and severely) discriminate against employees that try to negotiate as a group with their employers by reducing their funding through dues. Employee groups do not have access to billions of dollars in corporate profits, and must pool their money together in order to compete. This is what “dues” are; contributions from everyone, collected for the common good.
When unions begin to evaporate, wages collapse throughout the economy, and all workers suffer.
Unions help support wage growth, even for nonunion workers, by raising prevailing pay standards and creating upwards competition between businesses trying to attract talent. Without unions, the power balance tips to the employers and away from employees, allowing bosses to lower wages, benefits and standards.
How do “Right to Work” Laws Defund Unions?
“Right to Work” laws harm workers by forcing labor unions and employee groups to provide services to nonmembers without compensation. Over time, this will eventually starve unions of the money they need to operate at all. Supporters claim that “Right to Work” is needed in order to give people that do not want to work in a unionized workplace the option to work there anyway, but without having to be a part of the union or pay dues. However, the laws still require unions to provide all the services that they perform for dues-paying members to the non-members, as well.
Non-members will still collect the pay raises and benefits that the union negotiates, and they will still receive the job protections and workplace rules that are enforced though union grievance procedures… all of which is funded by dues payments. “Right to Work” makes paying for these services voluntary.
No business or organization would survive for long if it were forced to deliver products to nonpaying consumers. By forcing labor unions to perform work without compensation, “Right to Work” Laws obviously exist to drive unions out of business. The goal isn’t to protect the right of employees to work (that’s what unions do – if they can fund themselves), they exist in order to prevent employees from working together when they negotiate with their boss.
Do Other Organizations Have Similar Rules?
It’s hard to imagine how other organizations would respond to equivalent laws. Country Clubs, Homeowner Associations or private Health Care facilities that were forced to provide services without being paid would quickly go out of business. “Right to Work” backers understand this, which is why they are spending so much to fund their anti-union efforts at the Federal level. Since “Right to Work” laws are specifically designed to destroy unions, they are only applied to employee groups. Other organizations that require membership fees or dues, such as cable companies or country clubs, are not affected.
But, shouldn’t people have a right to work in a unionized workplace without joining the union that represents those workers?
Job applicants that do not want to work in a unionized workplace will find an abundance of non-union jobs to choose from. Fewer and fewer employees in the United States belong to a union; it is very easy to find a nonunion workplace in America.
The goal of “Right to Work” is to force unions out of business, and force employees to negotiate on an “individual employee vs the Company” basis, which favors the company and places employees at a disadvantage.
Does “Right to Work” help create more jobs? Are “Right to Work” employees paid more?
There is no evidence that “Right to Work” increases hiring rates. Hiring new workers is not something that businesses do except as a last resort. And, if “Right to Work” laws actually contributed to higher wages, the only businesses that supported them would be the companies that already want to pay their employees more. And, these companies can give their workers a raise without “Right to Work.”
If “Right to Work” laws really created higher wages, companies would not support them. The fact is that work is better protected with a more equal power balance between workers and Company Bosses.
Will “Right to Work” Last?
“Right to Work” is likely to spread into the airline and railroad industries, but there are some indications that Right to Work will not hold up well if it is forced to withstand court challenges, or if it is applied to other organizations outside of organized labor. Can hospitals be forced to provide health care to non-paying consumers? Can private institutions, such as universities and country clubs be forced to accommodate non-members that do not provide financial support in return? “Right to Work” requirements that private organization should be forced to provide services to nonpaying consumers may be found unconstitutional.
Unfortunately, the current make-up of the US Supreme Court is also very likely to make “Right to Work” discrimination a constitutionally-protected practice. It will take generations to unravel the damage to employees that will result from anti-worker decisions at the high court.
But, in the meantime, airline and railroad employees need to study up on “Right to Work,” and the harmful effects that it is likely to have on their paychecks and job security.
Oct 16, 2017 | MNPL
Since the early 90’s, American workers have complained that NAFTA unfairly forces them to compete with cheap Mexican labor. Weak unions, low wages, and lax regulations south of the border have lured a steady stream of businesses away from American workers.
This erosion of jobs and wages has caused a majority of Americans to feel that NAFTA is bad for the country, according to a recent Gallup poll. (Gallup Poll, Feb 2017) (http://news.gallup.com/poll/204269/americans-split-whether-nafta-good-bad.aspx)
Now, with the possibility that NAFTA may be renegotiated, it seems that Canadians feel the same way about their Southern partners as Americans do.
They are increasingly angry about being forced to compete with foreign workers who are underpaid, non-union and who have weak workplace protections.
However, there is one significant difference between the complaints from Canadians and those coming from Americans: the low-wage foreign workers that Canadians feel NAFTA unfairly forces their nation to compete with aren’t Mexican.
They are poorly paid Americans.
To protect living standards in their nation, NAFTA negotiators in Canada are demanding that the United States eliminate discriminatory “Right to Work” laws, among other reforms. Canada argues that such anti-worker statutes amount to unfair market manipulation on the part of the US, as underpaid American workers undercut Canadian wages.
“Right to Work” laws discriminate against Americans by defunding labor unions and employee groups that band together to negotiate with managers. “Right to Work” defunds workers and unions by forcing them to provide goods and services to consumers without payment. To compete with billion-dollar corporations, workers must pool their money together as dues contributions. “Right to Work” statutes make dues payments voluntary, but would still require unions to pay for expensive arbitrations and negotiations – costs that can quickly run into the millions of dollars.
‘Right to Work’ supporters argue that the laws help improve the American economy by lowering wages and weakening labor unions in the US… which, they say, helps business owners compete.
However, the jobs that arrive in the US from Canada are low-wage and often temporary – the type of jobs that provide no path out of poverty for American workers. Ending ‘Right to Work’ as part of any NAFTA renegotiation, on the other hand, would strengthen American workers’ ability to negotiate better wages. Better wages, in turn, help support stronger communities and more robust consumerism.
The IAM, which has a significant and growing presence in Canada, has hailed the demands to end “Right to Work” discrimination in the United States.
In a recent interview on Activate! Live, Owen Herrnstadt (the Chief of Staff to IAM International President Bob Martinez), did not mince words.
“This supports and vindicates what we’ve been fighting for all along,” said Herrnstadt, “which is that ‘Right to Work’ is nothing more than ‘Right to Work For Less.’”
He called on IAM members in the United States to take action in support of the Canadian effort. “Our members can help in a variety of ways. First of all, the negotiations are continuing, so there’s still time for our members in the US and Canada to reach out to their negotiators (For the US it’s the United States Trade Representative’s Office, USTR.gov.), and let them know that we need strong labor rights.”
“They can also contact their Congress-People, and their Senators immediately. To say that we just don’t want a renegotiated NAFTA that only tweaks around the edges. It needs to be a dramatic change that puts workers first and foremost in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.”
Activate! Live is the Machinists Union’s new weekly webcast, live from IAM headquarters in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. It is available on YouTube – Search for “Activate! Live.” The full interview with Owen Herrnstadt can be found here.
Owen E. Herrnstadt serves as Director for the IAM’s Department of Trade and Globalization, as well as Chief of Staff to the International President. He has served on the State Department’s Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy, among many other posts.
Oct 11, 2017 | Departments, Featured, Home
IAM141 President Mike Klemm presented a check for $250,000 to the IAM Disaster Relief Fund, the largest single donation in the history of the program.
The District Lodge 141 Executive Board made and approved the motion to donate $250,000 to the IAM Disaster Relief Fund. The record-shattering contribution was announced on the opening day of the IAM141 Chairman’s Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The historic donation was raised in order to address ongoing and massive flooding and storm damage caused by Hurricanes Harvey in East Texas, Irma in Florida and Maria in Puerto Rico.
The IAM Disaster Relief Fund helps ease financial challenges faced by IAM members following catastrophes such as the recent storms, as well as flooding and wildfires and other natural disasters. In most cases, the IAM Disaster Relief Fund can provide payments to affected members faster than other forms of emergency assistance.
The sheer magnitude of the damage caused by the 2017 hurricane season has strained all major disaster relief and aid programs in the United States. The IAM Disaster Relief Fund was also under unprecedented pressure. So many IAM members have been impacted by natural disasters in 2017 that the program was in danger of being unable to respond to future catastrophes.
In response, the IAM141 Executive Board passed a motion to replenish the fund, a measure that passed with overwhelming backing from District leadership. The new financial support will help the program continue to provide disaster-affected members with the money to buy meals, pay basic bills or make critical repairs to their homes and vehicles.
“It may not seem like a lot to some people,” said Transportation General Vice President Sito Pantoja, “but for a person that has lost everything, they need that check. That means the world to them” Pantoja helps oversee the Disaster Relief Fund, along with IAM Chief of Staff Joe Tiberi.
IAM International President Robert Martinez hailed the donation at the IAM141 Chairpersons Conference. “We’ve witnessed over the past few months how the Fighting Machinists are always there for one another. And we just saw an example of this, “said International IAM President Robert Martinez. “When our membership and this District made the largest contribution to the Disaster Relief Fund in its history.”
The IAM Disaster Relief Fund has helped hundreds of members recover from disasters associated with the recent hurricanes. In Houston alone, more than 400 checks have been delivered to families in need.
The checks come in increments of $100, $250 and $500, and are typically paid out in less than two weeks.
The IAM Disaster Relief Fund is supported entirely by voluntary donations by the membership. No dues are used to pay for the program. If you or your local lodge would like to make a donation in support of the IAM Disaster Relief Fund, please visit GoIAM.org.
IAMAW District Lodge 141 Executive Board
Oct 5, 2017 | Departments, Home
IAM141 Members in EWR Send Hurricane Relief Supplies to Members in Puerto Rico.
At a Glance
- IAM141 Members in New Jersey joined together to send a shipment of relief supplies to members and their families in Puerto Rico.
- Transportation for the shipment was made possible through a joint effort between IAM District 141 leadership and United Airlines.
- The aid shipment will go directly to our affected members’ families thanks to IAM volunteers in San Juan.
IAM141 members in Puerto Rico had requested help from the union for needed items following the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. Mike Cyscon, the AGC (Assistant General Chair for IAM141) representing the EWR airport in New Jersey just happens to also represent the workers in Puerto Rico’s main airport, SJU.
IAM141 President Mike Klemm was able to broker a deal with United Airlines to allow space aboard a flight from Newark to San Juan for relief materials.
Working directly with members in Puerto Rico, District 141 assembled a list of the items that were most in need. Rather than ask for donations, which might have included some used or slightly damaged items from well-meaning volunteers, activists opted instead to purchase the items new.
Once the shipment arrived in Puerto Rico, it will be collected by Committee Person Michelle Morales Collazo. Due to the ongoing crisis on the island, Michelle will be forced to wait in line for up to five hours in order to pick up the supplies from the cargo center at the beleaguered San Juan airport.
She then has to distribute the donated items to the members and coworkers on her own time.
“We all tried to get them everything they asked for,” Cyscon said. “The only thing that we really couldn’t give them were batteries. There are safety issues that prevent batteries from being sent out by plane. But other than that, we spent the past several days at Costco, trying our best to get everything we could.”
“The main thing, for me, is that all of our members and their families are safe.” Cyscon said of the members have in Puerto Rico. “Everyone has been accounted for and are safe” Cyscon said of the members in Puerto Rico. Challenges remain, however, for the people of San Juan.
“Only about 75% of our members in Puerto Rico have been able to return to work so far,” he said. “The rest are still trying to overcome the challenges that they are facing as a result of this disaster.”
“I am so proud of the teamwork that was put in here in Newark to ensure that these supplies were being delivered to our members in San Juan.” Said Cyscon. “They went above and beyond to make this happen. This was really a team effort. I also can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the help we got from IAM141 President Mike Klemm who helped set this up with United Airlines… and from Committee Person Michelle Morales in SJU, who is working so hard to ensure that these relief materials get to our members and their families that need them. This is really good work from everyone.”
“Things like this don’t happen by accident. These things take a lot of work from a lot of people,” said District 141 President Mike Klemm.
“I want to thank all the people in Newark that have done so much to help our members in Puerto Rico,” said President Klemm. “I also want to thank our District Vice President Mitch Buckley for helping obtain more space for us to send more supplies to our members in San Juan. Along with the outstanding work that was done by AGC Mike Cyscon and Michelle Morales Collazo, this is a great example of what union solidarity should look like. Members looking out for each other.”
Sep 26, 2017 | Community Service, Departments, Home
Fundraisers are great tools for union activists. They are excellent ways to raise awareness for a cause, and to establish your local lodge as one of “the good guys.” Spending time and effort helping support a worthwhile cause will improve the unique culture of your local, promote the values of your membership, and can provide a valuable networking opportunity for your local to connect with outside activists and community groups.
Chicago’s Local 1487 has established itself as a leader in the world of union fundraising. It’s Annual Golf Outing, for example, has become one of the largest and most successful charity sporting events in the IAM. Each year, they raise thousands of dollars in support of various charities, while simultaneously attracting the active participation of hundreds of members and dozens of business partners.
Here are some very simple tips from Greg Klujewski, the Recording Secretary of Chicago’s Local 1487, and the mastermind behind some of their most successful charity events.
1. Before you do anything else, make sure that you get help, and can get attention.
According to Greg Klujewski, the first step to organizing any successful charity event is to build a team. Any big event will need to be fun and engaging, but it will also be a lot of work. Having a team of event organizers that are dedicated to seeing the project through all the inevitable challenges that it will face will be critical. It helps if the team has at least one or two members that can make on the spot decisions. For example, Greg frequently works with the Secretary Treasurer Mike Finn and Tony Licciardi, the President of Local 1487. Together, the team has all the needed authority to make binding decisions about whatever project they are working on.
Once a team has been put together, it is important to ensure that your event has the support of the membership. Every charity project at 1487 tries to attract as much member support as possible. This is also an important part of advertising the event–activists at 1487 build up a “buzz” around their events as they allow the membership to see how much work goes into the charity events.
2. Partners are better than Donors.
It may seem obvious, but donor support is a two-way street. Good friends do not only come around when they need money. You need to develop and maintain healthy relationships with donors and sponsors – even when you aren’t asking them for money. Greg Klujewski doesn’t think of these businesses, individuals and organizations as “donors” that may help fund a project as much as “partners” that help make it happen in the first place.
Generally speaking, it is better to invite donors to participate in your event than it is to ask them for money. If they can’t attend or participate directly at your event, then they may want to donate financially.
3. Set a budget based on your level of support.
Once third party support has been determined, and organizers have a good idea of how much support the event will have, a solid budget can be set up. It’s a little tricky to determine a budget before business partners and donors come on board, since they will be carrying a part of the financial workload.
4. Make it personal.
The President of Chicago’s Local 1487, Tony Licciardi, is a ‘people’ person. He likes the people that he works with, and they like him back. He relies on healthy relationships with the membership, including personal friendships and networking to make sure that everyone is invited and feels welcome to charity events, and that nobody feels left out.
5. Give it time.
The biggest secret of success in charity fundraising, based on the amazing work being done at Local 1487 is…that there is no secret formula. If there is one single outstanding feature of Local 1487 fundraisers it is that they are very methodically planned out, and no shortcuts are taken. They are not planned out and executed quickly. It takes time for potential sponsors and business partners to be contacted in person. It takes time to make sure that everyone finds out about the event, gets properly invited, and for them to make plans to attend.
Does your local hold charity fundraisers? Do you have any tips or advice for union activists that wasn’t on this list? We would love to hear about the important work that your local lodge is doing. Send your ideas and stories to us at Contact@IAM141.org.
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Sep 18, 2017 | Departments, Featured, Home, Video
As East Texas rebuilds after Hurricane Harvey, three IAM Districts and three Local Lodges have banded together to help make life a little easier for residents in hard-hit areas of Houston.
Moved by the images of destruction and the needs of those impacted by the floodwaters, IAM Local 2385 in Fayetteville, Tennessee, began organizing a more than 1200-mile round trip to Houston to cook meals for impacted communities. IAM District 711 immediately began assisting the effort, and together the two organizations then started coordinating with IAM activists in Houston.
Jerry Benson, the Directing Business Rep from District 711, said, “We saw the devastation here in Houston, and we wanted to do something. So we hit the road.”
Once in Houston, Local 2385 and District 711 set up a staging area in the parking lot of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, where they were soon joined by Houston’s IAM Locals 811 and 2198. Together, the groups cooked and delivered more than 750 meals to area labor unions, FEMA relief centers and religious institutions who then provided them to individual communities.
“They were so gracious to drive all the way from Nashville, Tennessee, and come and help us,” said Linda Morales, the Organizing Coordinator of the Texas Gulf Coast Labor Federation. “And, we certainly appreciate that. That is the brotherly and sisterly thing to do, and the IAM has taken a leadership role in that effort.”
IAM District 141 Vice President, Victor Hernandez and Winpisinger Center Instructor, Jorge Bonilla, both residents of Houston, also helped organize the effort and deliver the meals.
“It was an impressive display of solidarity to see our Sisters and Brothers from across this great Union come together to help communities in need.” Bonilla said. “It goes to show – yet again – that when the Fighting Machinists are there, you are never alone.”
