Sep 24, 2021 | Education, Education Class, Front Page, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Row 2, Video
This week, the District 141 Education Department held a two-day workshop at the District Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. The workshop was hosted by Mac McGovern, the District Director of Education.
141 Report: District Educators Hold Workshop
This week, the District 141 Education Department held a two-day workshop at the District Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. The workshop was hosted by Mac McGovern, the District Director of Education.
District educators help train union stewards and local officers by holding on-site classes at local lodges around the country. The training classes cover a wide range of union topics, including understanding contract language, officer responsibilities, and best practices for union stewards as they participate in employee discipline hearings. The lessons are available to all IAMAW 141 Members, Committee Members, and Local Officers across all airlines represented by the District.
District Educators participating in the workshop updated some elements of the union steward curriculum, adding new lessons and revamping others. “Some of the changes have been made to grievance writing and investigation sheets,” said attendee Chris Lusk. Lusk also explained that Zoom training would be used when needed, but the District Educators are moving forward with more live training. He also advised viewers seeking education classes “to reach out to their AGC’s if the locals need some education classes done.”
District 141 Educators participating in the workshop included Chris Lusk (UA), Brian Harrison (AA), Deena Pena (UA), Kim Krasani (UA), Alice Potter (AA), Ku’ueli McGuire (HA), and Jeff Carlson. The event was led by District 141 Director of Education, Mac McGovern.
Mar 16, 2020 | Airlines, Community Service Page, COVID, EAP, Education Class, Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, MNPL, Pinned Post, Safety, Safety, Uncategorized, United
Dear United Member,
I’m sure by now most of you have had a chance to read the communication put out by Oscar Munoz and Scott Kirby last night. I want to start off by commending both men and their teams for keeping the IAM completely informed with the dire financial outlook of, not only United Airlines, but the airline industry in general. They have made it clear that their number one goal is to do everything possible to limit the impact on United’s workforce, which includes approximately 28,000 IAM members. With that said, it’s important you know the financial situation is significantly worse than the days and weeks following 9/11.
Oscar and Scott stated that March is typically United’s busiest month of the year. But this year, in just the first two weeks of March, one million fewer customers have boarded United aircraft compared to March, 2019. United is also currently projecting that revenue in March will be $1.5 billion lower than last March, and the months ahead look grim as well.
I want to share something with you. When Oscar and I came into our respective positions, weeks apart in 2015, he approached the Union and committed to do right by IAM members. He expressed his desire to enter negotiations early to improve the wages of IAM members at United.
Our response was, “wages are important but more critical than money is that IAM members’ work is protected. We need real job security and to not worry which station was next to be outsourced.” He heard us, understood IAM members’ needs and he and his team negotiated in good faith. We were able to gain the security IAM members so very much deserve. Oscar’s word was good and I am grateful for that.
The IAM’s current relationship with Oscar Munoz and Scott Kirby is solid and there exists a level of trust between both parties that we value. It is because of this relationship that the IAM will have input on any decisions that are made that will impact IAM members at United.
I want to emphasize that the IAM’s ONLY priority is to protect IAM members’ interests during this very uncertain time.
As more information becomes available, I will relay that to you.
God bless, stay safe and protect yourselves and your families by following the CDC guidelines.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Mike Klemm
President and Directing General Chair,
IAMAW District 141
Please print and post on all IAMAW Bulletin Boards.
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Mar 14, 2020 | COVID, Education, Education Class, Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, Safety, Safety, Upcoming Events
GOIAM.ORG ////////
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Based on guidance concerning social distancing to slow and limit the rate of infection of COVID-19, or the Coronavirus, the IAM is temporarily suspending programming at the Winpisinger Education and Technology Center for two weeks, beginning on Saturday, March 14.
The decision was made after reviewing updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and state and local health agencies.
Programming is currently slated to resume on Saturday, March 28, but IAM and W3 officials are closely monitoring the situation and will extend the programming suspension if necessary.
The IAM’s paramount concern is that members and staff who attend W3 Center programs can learn, study and work in a safe and healthy environment. The decision was not made lightly, since education is critical to the IAM’s future as a powerful labor organization.
Participants in affected programs have been contacted directly. Any updates to the status of the W3 Center’s operations will be communicated on goIAM.org and winpisinger.iamaw.org.
All IAM members and staff are encouraged to heed advice of health officials.
Feb 27, 2020 | Community Service, Education, Education Class, Featured, Home, Organizing, Uncategorized
Three members of District 141 spent a week in late January at the Winpisinger Education and Technology Center with the IAMAW Spanish Leadership Working Group (SLWG). Local 1759 Shop Steward and EAP Representative Adriana Picasso, District 141 Communications Representative Ines Garcia-Keim, and Marilyn Soto, a District 141 Organizer and Local 914 Shop Steward, who was welcomed as a new member of the group, worked to strategize outreach, set teaching schedules and to review and update course materials for this year’s Leadership courses in Spanish. The group also includes Jorge Bonilla, an Education Representative at the Winpisinger Center who is a former District 141 AGC and a member of Local 811.
Leadership programs in Spanish track the English language curriculum while also considering cultural characteristics, developing bilingual leaders who can communicate and work effectively with an increasingly diverse membership.
International President Robert Martinez recognized the work that Adriana, Ines, and Marilyn are doing in a letter he sent to members of the SLWG. Martinez pointed out his experience as an Education Rep and praised the union’s Spanish Language Programs as “second to none.” He added, “This work…is about opening doors to greater involvement, to greater activism, and to leadership to those who have for far too long been sidelined by design or by default.”
IAM Leadership Programs help bilingual and Spanish-speaking members become officers, activists, and leaders in our union, in their workplaces, and in their communities. The programs offered at the Winpisinger Center provide participants the tools and inspiration they need to amplify a message of unity in the face of efforts to divide working people.
The 2020 calendar for Spanish Language Programs is:
March 15-20 Spanish Leadership I
May 17-22 Organizing I in Spanish
June 14-19 Spanish Advanced Leadership
July 12-17 Spanish Leadership II
August 16-21 Spanish Leadership I
August 23-28 Spanish Train-the-Trainer
November 8-13 Collective Bargaining in Spanish
If you have questions about the Spanish Leadership Programs or need additional information, please contact District 141 Director of Education “Mac” McGovern at mac@iam141.org
Feb 14, 2020 | Community Service, Education, Education Class, Featured, Home, Uncategorized, Video
District 141 of the Machinists and Aerospace union is partnering with local union lodges to help provide education and training for union stewards at airports around the nation.
The program, headed by Director Mike “Mac” McGovern, attracts hundreds of union stewards each year.
This past week, a recently expanded education staff held training classes for Union Stewards at Dulles (Local 1759) and Minneapolis (Local 1833).
“Great group of members,” said District Educator Chris Lusk of his visit to Dulles. “This is a great opportunity to meet union stewards, find out what their issues are, and help to educate them on how to be better stewards.”
“We go over a number of things in the education department. We go through scenarios, we go over things that may be shared from station to station.”
Assistant General Chairs Mike Cyscon and Rich Creighton were present in Dulles to offer expert guidance for the stewards.
