Machinists & Aerospace Union IP Martinez Leads Call for Airline Worker Relief With Schumer

Machinists & Aerospace Union IP Martinez Leads Call for Airline Worker Relief With Schumer

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Machinists & Aerospace Union IP Martinez Leads Call for Airline Worker Relief With Schumer

Airline workers are grateful for the extension of a relief program that brought thousands of frontline aviation workers back on the job, IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. said on a virtual call with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The IAM is North America’s largest airline union.

Martinez led the call of IAM airline workers with Schumer, along with Transportation General Vice President Sito Pantoja and District 141 President and Directing Chair Mike Klemm.

“Without this much needed relief, our airline membership faced dire economic consequences,” said Martinez. “Many didn’t know how they were going to pay their mortgage or rent and put food on the table.”

The airline Payroll Support Program (PSP) expired in September 2020, but was extended in December through March 31, 2021. The relief program is keeping hundreds of thousands of frontline airline workers on the job as the industry reeled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My family was nowhere and got places because of the union movement,” said Schumer. “Here’s an example of why people need unions. If there was no Machinists Union, we wouldn’t have had this bill.”

At the IAM’s urging, and with the support of Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the relief program went directly to workers, not airline CEOs and executives.

“Although the four month extension of the PSP is not enough, it will still keep us from total disaster until a real recovery plan can be put in place,” said Martinez. “You have my word, the Machinists Union is totally committed to fighting for a recovery package that will lift up all workers and meet the demand of a vaccine distribution and full economic recovery.”

Small & Mighty Local Lodge 141

Small & Mighty Local Lodge 141

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This week, we visit with Tiffany Lopez, the President of Local Lodge 141, in Dearborn Michigan. Tiffany helps represent United Airlines Reservations Agents and Southwest Airlines Airport Customer Service Agents.

Small & Mighty Local Lodge 141

This week we are in the heartland, speaking with Tiffany Lopez, President of IAM Local 141 in Dearborn, Michigan. Local 141 is an amalgamated Air Transport Lodge that represents United Airlines Reservations Agents and Southwest Airlines Airport Customer Service Agents.

Sister Tiffany is a 22-year veteran at United who became a Shop Steward shortly after joining the IAM in the year 2000. She expanded on her work as a union activist when she became the chair of the Community Service Committee, later serving as Recording Secretary. She has served as president of the 200-member local for 3 years. 

Members of the small but mighty Local Lodge 141 are active in community service activities in the Dearborn and Detroit areas and hold regular training sessions to stay engaged and up to date. Local 141 also has a very active Organizing Committee led by Vice President Jeff Toms and an effective Grievance Committee led by Andrea Myers, who also serves as Vice President of District 141. 

The Organizers’ Toolkit: A New Resource for Machinists & Aerospace Workers

The Organizers’ Toolkit: A New Resource for Machinists & Aerospace Workers

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The Organizers’ Toolkit: A New Resource for Machinists & Aerospace Workers

Help Grow the Machinists & Aerospace Union

Contact an Organizer

You can help create a better life for the working class in America. Contact an IAMAW District 141 Organizer today.

 

IAM Headquarters this week is officially launching the Organizer’s Toolkit, a library of both customizable and static materials designed specifically for organizing campaigns. The toolkit, which is being run by the Organizing and Communications Departments, will include access to a customizable campaign website, organizing meeting presentations, handbills, banners, social media graphics and more.

“Growing our membership continues to be priority No. 1 for our Union,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “That means giving our organizers every resource possible to encourage them to become more aggressively involved in organizing and to help them win campaigns.”

Organizers have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years, including multi-million dollar anti-union campaigns, the most hostile labor board in modern history and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. The Organizing Toolkit is designed to help organizers address these challenges.

“Organizing is and always has been one of the most difficult tasks facing the labor movement,” said IAM Organizing Director Vinny Addeo. “Our aim is to help organizers by providing them campaign-proven, professional materials to help them navigate their way through their organizing campaigns. Not to mention open them up to focus more on the ground portion of their campaign, as well as perform servicing and other union-related tasks.”

For access to the Organizer’s Toolkit, please contact your Territorial Organizing Lead.

Machinists & Aerospace Union Recognized at Inauguration Welcome Ceremony

Machinists & Aerospace Union Recognized at Inauguration Welcome Ceremony

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The Machinists Union was recognized Saturday by the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) during its programing America United: An Inauguration Welcome Event Celebrating America’s Changemakers.

Machinists & Aerospace Union Recognized at Inauguration Welcome Ceremony

The Machinists Union was recognized Saturday by the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) during its programing America United: An Inauguration Welcome Event Celebrating America’s Changemakers. The video congratulates the incoming administration and pays tribute to IAM essential workers who have been on the frontlines during the pandemic.

The PIC hosted a welcome event to celebrate America, reflect and honor its history, and highlight the incredible diversity of the nation. It featured musical performances, celebrity appearances and remarks from some of the most popular leaders from across the country. The event kicked off five days of programming leading into Wednesday’s inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

Watch the entire program.

Baltimore County Library Staff Want to Join the Machinists & Aerospace Union

Baltimore County Library Staff Want to Join the Machinists & Aerospace Union

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“These hardworking men and women are the keepers of history in the community.  They provide an essential service for families in and around Baltimore. They deserve to have a voice and a vote on the job,” says Fitzgerald. 

Baltimore County Library Staff Want to Join the Machinists & Aerospace Union

For nearly two years, the Baltimore County library staff have been trying to organize.

And then, COVID-19 hit and the need became even more crucial. Citing better transparency and communication from management, alongside health care benefits for nearly half the staff, the employees of the Baltimore County library want the IAM in their corner. 

But since local library systems are state agencies, state legislation has to be passed for this to happen. Bills, filed by Maryland House Del. Cathi F. Forbes (D-District 42a) and Maryland State Sen. Shelly Hettleman (D-District 11) would allow the nearly 600 employees to bargain and form a union.

Lead organizer Grand Lodge Representative Bridget Fitzgerald says the onset of the pandemic has brought to the surface the underlying issues of these employees. Especially since so many of the staff do not have health care benefits.

“This group of workers love what they do and just want to make sure it’s safe to come to work,” explains Fitzgerald. “They want to know that management has their best interests at heart when making decisions that will affect them, especially with the cases of COVID-19 on the rise again.”

A statement put out by the library and its board of directors says they “support the right of employees to pursue collect bargaining.” Hearings on the bill are scheduled for February, and the Machinists Union is working with the library staff to assist in any way possible, believing a union contract is the best way to make sure these workers are heard and protected during a time that’s rewriting the history books they shelve.

“Collective bargaining rights should be the basic principles afforded to every worker in our country,” says IAM’s Director of Organizing Vinny Addeo. “Unfortunately, because of the intricate county laws that apply to the State of Maryland’s Baltimore County Library staff, they currently do not have these basic rights. I am confident that with the combined professional teamwork of IAM GLR Bridget Fitzgerald, Assistant Political and Legislative Director Monica Lee Silbas and Associate General Counsel Laura Ewan, we will get the job done and bring justice to these workers.”

“These hardworking men and women are the keepers of history in the community.  They provide an essential service for families in and around Baltimore. They deserve to have a voice and a vote on the job,” says Fitzgerald. 

READ: Baltimore County librarians seek to unionize through legislation that’s going before General Assembly The Baltimore Sun

IAMAW Artwork by Victor Acosta Featured at SUNY Empire State College

IAMAW Artwork by Victor Acosta Featured at SUNY Empire State College

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IAM District 141 member Victor Acosta’s artwork appeared on the back of the calendar. The painting entitled “Helping Hand” shows a greyish white background with two brown arms extending and shaking hands. Acosta says it represents the relationship between union members and the district’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), an employee benefit program that assists workers with personal problems such as mental and emotional well-being. 

IAMAW Artwork by Victor Acosta Featured at SUNY Empire State College

Handcrafted artwork from two IAM members appeared in a 2021 SUNY Empire State College calendar. The pieces were part of an annual calendar distributed by the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School of Labor Studies in New York, an associates, bachelors and master’s degree program that includes prominent IAM alumni.

“Everyone who has received a copy of the calendar loves it – not only because it celebrates the incredible creativity of our students but because it also offers a snapshot of labor history at your fingertips,” says university spokesperson Solomon Syed. “Too many people are not familiar with labor’s rich history and how it has benefitted all working people.”

A photo of an album cover for a re-mixed version of the popular labor song “Solidarity Forever” represents the month of January and was created by IAM Organizing Grand Lodge Representative Gabrielle Rogano. The original image is a collage composed of union literature, images of women workers and colorful font.

“It took me a full day of crafting. The center piece is made from a canvas which is glued onto a piece of cardboard,” said Rogano. “It feels phenomenal to have my artwork featured.”

IAM District 141 member Victor Acosta’s artwork appeared on the back of the calendar. The painting entitled “Helping Hand” shows a greyish white background with two brown arms extending and shaking hands. Acosta says it represents the relationship between union members and the district’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), an employee benefit program that assists workers with personal problems such as mental and emotional well-being.  

“The artwork is an oleo or oil as it is known and took three hours to complete. The canvas size is 18×24 inches,” said Acosta, District 141 EAP Department Regional Coordinator. “I’ve been an artist since early childhood. Early in my youth I learned how to produce acrylic, watercolors, pastel and oil art.” 

The first calendar was released by SUNY Empire State College in 2020 and the university plans to create another edition in 2022. Invitations to submit artwork are offered to students who are enrolled in the Labor Studies program. Since 2014, the IAM has partnered with SUNY Empire State College to offer degrees in labor studies through the Harry Van Arsdale, Jr. Center for Labor Studies.

More information on the IAM’s partnership can be found here.