Americans Want Unions. And They Want Them Now.

Americans Want Unions. And They Want Them Now.

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Americans Want Unions. And They Want Them Now.

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Union membership in America may be low, but that’s not because unions are unpopular. Americans want unions – because Americans want decent wages. Because Americans want pensions. And, because Americans understand the importance of Justice on the Job. 

Many thanks to the union journalists from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees at AFSCME.org who wrote and originally published this story. Please check out their site and give them the credit they deserve. 

New survey findings by American National Election Studies (ANES) suggest the country is waking up to the union difference.

As Emily DiVito and Aaron Sojourner of the Roosevelt Institute point out, ANES data from late 2020 show “public feeling toward labor is more positive, and public feeling toward big business more negative, than at any time in five decades.”

From 1964, when ANES began collecting data, to 2012, public feeling toward unions and toward big business followed the same trend. The lines on the graph surge and dip together.

Since 2012, however, the sentiment gap has been growing, the two lines moving in opposite directions, even among Republicans. Today, as the ANES data show, the gap is as wide as ever and starkly so.

DiVito and Sojourner offer a host of explanations for the rise in union popularity – from the Fight for $15 movement to the presidential candidacies of Bernie Sanders and even the faux populism of Donald Trump.

It’s likely that the pandemic made Americans more aware of the benefits of unions since unionized workers had safer workplaces and lost fewer jobs.

Moreover, good feeling toward unions is likely both reflected and encouraged by the presidency of Joe Biden, the most vocal pro-union president since Franklin Roosevelt. Vice President Kamala Harris chairs the president’s task force on strengthening unions, which kicked off last week.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that American workers are recognizing the value of unions.

Life is better in a union. Union members make more money, have more reliable health care coverage and retire with financial security. Being in a union is also about respect for the work we do. It’s about being safe and protected on the job and having the resources and training to do our jobs well.

Although union popularity continues to rise, with more than half of Americans saying they would vote for a union at work, union membership continues to hold steady, with just 11% of American workers belonging to a union.

Current labor laws make it hard for workers to organize and easy for employers to threaten and intimidate them, as shown by the insurmountable obstacles faced by Amazon workers in their recent bid to form a union.

The federal government must make it easier, not harder, for workers in every industry to form strong unions. Employers should no longer be able to get away with crushing such efforts.

The Senate can begin by passing the House-approved Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), which seeks to make it easier for workers to form strong unions by helping to unrig the system and punish employers who coerce and intimidate workers to prevent them from organizing.

Congress should also approve the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that all states must provide to state and local government workers.

American workers are ready to experience the union difference for themselves. We must listen to them.

Action Alerts

TAKE ACTION: Scholarships Available Now!

/// The Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest is Now Accepting Applications

Tell Your Senators to Support the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) Now! 

///The PRO Act will make it easier for working people to bargain together and win good contracts because it will: Empower workers to exercise our freedom to organize and bargain. Repeal “right to work” laws. Ensure that workers can reach a first contract quickly after a union is recognized.

Machinists and Aerospace Members at Flagship Announce Tentative Agreement

Machinists and Aerospace Members at Flagship Announce Tentative Agreement

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Machinists and Aerospace Members at Flagship Announce Tentative Agreement

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A group of 41 members of the Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union has reached a Tentative Agreement with their employer, Flagship Facility Services. The agreement, which union negotiators announced this week, covers Janitors and Utility workers at the San Francisco Airport Maintenance Base. 

“This Tentative Agreement will significantly raise wages for our members,” said Troy Rivera, an Assistant General Chair at IAMAW District 141, and a union negotiator. “And importantly, it protects what we already had. There were no pandemic-related concessions or givebacks.” 

Under the new deal, Janitors and Utility workers who clean and maintain areas of the SFO Maintenance Base will see their current top wage of $16 an hour increase to just over $19 an hour on the date the agreement is ratified. San Francisco’s minimum wage law sets the low-end pay scale at $18.25, so the new deal represents a real increase of 4% this year or just over $1,600 annually in additional income. This figure will increase to $4,700 for full-timers by 2024.

The new pay scales for Forklift Operators and Leads will top out at a rate of $24 an hour in 2024. “This will bring in raises of more than $10,400 annually for those full-time workers,” Rivera said.

In addition to wage increases, the new agreement would significantly expand union pension benefits. The proposal calls for a 42% increase to pension contributions made by Flagship, which are set to begin over the summer. Over the life of the contract, pension contributions will rise by 71%. The company will make the payments to the IAM National Pension Fund, a defined benefit pension program. 

“Every contract negotiation has challenges that have to be overcome,” Rivera said of the negotiations. “But, in this case, I can honestly say that everyone was bargaining in good faith, and both sides really wanted to get a deal done.”

As for what happens next, Rivera said, “We have a deal that the company has said it will agree to. That’s where we’re at now. Now it’s the front-lines’ turn. On June 16th, it goes to the floor for a vote. If the union at Flagship votes to approve, it will go into effect immediately.”

“The company has agreed to give everyone a bonus on the date of signing, and everyone gets more pension contributions and pay raises starting on that day,” said Rivera.

The agreement would also regulate how the company fills vacancies, how workers accrue sick time and vacation, and adds provisions for bereavement leave, among other improvements.

The deal has earned a unanimous “Yes” recommendation from the union’s negotiating committee and is expected to be approved by frontline members. 

Rivera praised the work done by the Machinists and Aerospace Union negotiators, saying, “Flagship workers could not have had a better team representing them on this.” He expressed his gratitude to the Machinists’ leadership, particularly IAMAW District 141 President Mike Klemm, and to the support of representatives from the IAMAW Transportation Territory. “They made sure that we had all the resources we needed.” 

“The people working at Flagship are hard-working and dedicated employees. In every way, they are an asset to be invested in. They are the single most important part of the company, and I think this agreement goes a long way towards honoring that fact,” Rivera said. 

The Agreement will be presented to Machinists Union members at Flagship over the next few weeks, and a membership ratification vote is scheduled for June 16, 2021.

 

Action Alerts

TAKE ACTION: Scholarships Available Now!

/// The Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest is Now Accepting Applications

Tell Your Senators to Support the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) Now! 

///The PRO Act will make it easier for working people to bargain together and win good contracts because it will: Empower workers to exercise our freedom to organize and bargain. Repeal “right to work” laws. Ensure that workers can reach a first contract quickly after a union is recognized.

Machinists Union Applauds USTR Calls to Stop Labor Violations at Mexico Plant

Machinists Union Applauds USTR Calls to Stop Labor Violations at Mexico Plant

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Machinists Union Applauds USTR Calls to Stop Labor Violations at Mexico Plant

Robert Martinez Jr., International President of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), released the following statement regarding the U.S. Trade Representative’s call for Mexican authorities to investigate alleged labor violations under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement at a General Motors Plant in Silao, Mexico:

“The IAM applauds U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai for seeking review under USMCA for what appears to be egregious violations of labor standards at a General Motors plant in Mexico. The action by USTR signifies that the United States will not sit idly by while basic labor standards are violated in Mexico. We look forward to many more self-initiated actions by the U.S. under the USMCA.”

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, airline, railroad, transportation, shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.

Action Alerts

TAKE ACTION: Scholarships Available Now!

/// The Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest is Now Accepting Applications

Tell Your Senators to Support the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) Now! 

///The PRO Act will make it easier for working people to bargain together and win good contracts because it will: Empower workers to exercise our freedom to organize and bargain. Repeal “right to work” laws. Ensure that workers can reach a first contract quickly after a union is recognized.

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Remembering Our Heroes

Remembering Our Heroes

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Remembering Our Heroes

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A Memorial Day message from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers’ International President, Robert Martinez.

Sisters and Brothers,

This Memorial Day weekend, we remember military service members who have fought and died for our freedom. They were willing to put their lives on the line, at home and abroad, to defend us against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. These heroes died protecting the many freedoms we enjoy today from the comfort of our own homes.

This year’s holiday seems very significant, as our country is wrapping up the mission in Afghanistan and bringing our troops home.

Since the horrible terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, nearly 1 million U.S. service members have deployed to Afghanistan to take the fight to the enemy, with more than 2,300 of them paying the ultimate price. Americans have been kept safe from Al Qaeda terrorists because of their service, and ultimately their sacrifice.

We also owe a great debt of gratitude to our Sisters and Brothers in Canada who have given their lives protecting the values we share.

As we spend this weekend remembering those who lost their lives for our country, I ask all of you to think about how we can honor them through our own actions. Focus on what we can do as individuals, and collectively, to make their families even more proud of the freedoms they gave their lives for.

In solidarity,

Robert Martinez Jr.
International President

 

Action Alerts

TAKE ACTION: Scholarships Available Now!

/// The Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest is Now Accepting Applications

Tell Your Senators to Support the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) Now! 

///The PRO Act will make it easier for working people to bargain together and win good contracts because it will: Empower workers to exercise our freedom to organize and bargain. Repeal “right to work” laws. Ensure that workers can reach a first contract quickly after a union is recognized.

141 Report: Walt Ingram, Union Sportsmen Alliance

141 Report: Walt Ingram, Union Sportsmen Alliance

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“If you’re a Machinist and you love the outdoors, the Union Sportsmen Alliance is the place for you to be,” says Walt Ingram, Director of Union Relations for the Union Sportsmen Alliance.

141 Report: Walt Ingram, Union Sportsmen Alliance

Formed in 2007 by a group of charter union affiliates, including Machinists, Steelworkers, and Building Trades members, the Union Sportsmen Alliance’s mission is to “unite the union community through conservation to preserve North America’s outdoor heritage.”

Walt explains how the group provides opportunities for members to build relationships and become more engaged with their union away from the workplace. It is also a tool for union leadership to get to know members “on their level,” doing activities they enjoy outside of work. “Many Machinists Union members care about the outdoors and engage in outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, and are engaged in activities to preserve the environment,” he says.

USA hosts several Conservation Dinners every year to raise funds for their community outreach program, Work Boots on the Ground, which has completed hundreds of infrastructure projects around the country that provide access to the outdoors regardless of ability. Two of the dinners are held in Machinists Union halls in Seattle and St Louis, and Walt says there is always a Machinists table at every event. 

Walt calls the Work Boots on the Ground program “the hallmark of our organization,” and we see a short video of their restoration project in Henryetta, Oklahoma. Nichols Park, a historic park built in 1941 under President Roosevelt’s New Deal Program, was restored by USA members who built a new fishing pier and pavilion, which is very popular with families in the area. He says these projects help “connect your Local with your community in a powerful and positive way that lasts forever.” 

Members of the Machinists Union may join the Union Sportsmen Alliance at no cost, a benefit provided by the IAMAW as a Charter Union. Benefits include a subscription to their quarterly journal, access to an exclusive website for members to purchase equipment, and the opportunity to participate in “Brotherhood Outdoors,” their television show that showcases members’ stories, besides the community outreach programs. 

Through July 1st, USA will send a bonus gift to any District 141 member who applies for membership, while supplies last. 

Winpisinger Center’s Chuck Lowe: A Lifetime of Service to Military Veterans

Winpisinger Center’s Chuck Lowe: A Lifetime of Service to Military Veterans

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Winpisinger Center’s Chuck Lowe: A Lifetime of Service to Military Veterans

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The motto of the Machinists Union, forever emblazoned on its flag, is “justice on the job, service to the community.”

That’s not just a catchy phrase. In the Machinist Union family, those are words to live by.

Many thanks to the Machinists & Aerospace journalists at GOIAM.org who wrote and originally published this story. 

IAM member Chuck Lowe, the lead groundsperson at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center (W3 Center), exemplifies the true meaning of what it means to be guided by these values.

“Our flag says it all. The IAM can be an example to other unions and to the public and lead the way,” said Lowe. “We can start something that other people may want to copy.”

In 2001, when Lowe was hired as a full-time groundskeeper at the W3 Center, he had already lived a life to be proud of. Serving in the U.S. Army as a corporal, with time in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm, he arrived understanding the values of what it means to be a veteran and how important it is that we take care of these heroes when they return home.

“It’s very easy in this country to forget about things that happened in the past,” explained Lowe. “That’s why we have days like Memorial and Veterans Day, to take time out of your schedule to think about all the people who put their lives on the line for the freedoms that we all enjoy now. But that also needs to happen when it’s not a holiday.”

So, he put his words into action, in more ways than one, to be of service to the veteran community. As a 30-plus year member of the American Legion, Lowe spends much of his free time volunteering in schools across St. Mary’s county, teaching elementary kids the importance and meaning of the American flag and sharing his story of being a veteran with high school students.

But for Lowe, that wasn’t enough – he wanted to do more to honor those who had served in the armed forces. Something even closer to home. The IAM was more than happy to assist. 

That’s when the idea for a luncheon at the W3 Center came to life. A day to honor, recognize and thank the people in the community who ensured the freedoms we all enjoy today. So, in 2013, Lowe began organizing and coordinating a twice-yearly luncheon at the W3 Center for the men and women who live at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in St. Mary’s Country, an assisted living facility where the IAM proudly represents the caregivers who take care of these veterans.

“On the day of the luncheon, we just sit around and talk and the employees and participants will come up and thank them for their service. We share stories and camaraderie,” said Lowe with a laugh. “And we always serve crab cakes that day because that’s something they don’t get at Charlotte Hall.”

But to the men and women living at Charlotte Hall who served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, this day means so much more. The same can be said of the IAM members there to witness the event.

“The first time we held the luncheon, as these veterans were leaving the dining hall after lunch, the entire room full of IAM members and staff stood up and started clapping in their honor. It was not planned or prompted, it just happened and I really lost it because it was so amazing,” remembered Lowe.

“Chuck has worked hard to ensure that those who have sacrificed much on behalf of our country are not forgotten, but acknowledged and honored,” said W3 Center Director Chris Wagoner. “His activism on behalf of veterans exemplifies the IAM’s motto perfectly. I am incredibly proud of Chuck – he does a great job here as a Master Groundskeeper – and beyond that, a great job being an activist for veterans in our community”

Outside the dining hall, Lowe organized the planting of a tree and the placement of a plaque to honor these men and women who have made the world a better place for us all. It remains there today.

A few weeks ago, the IAM held the 2021 International President’s Capital Classic Golf Tournament, which raised nearly $100,000 for capital improvement projects for those who live at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home. Lowe will be at the event when the check is presented. He can’t wait for another opportunity to let these veterans know how much they mean to this country.

“That will be an awesome day to be a Fighting Machinist,” said Lowe.

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