What does the Union mean to you?

Greg French – Helicopter Mechanic Before they could and now they can’t. They are going to have to deal with the union and we have certain rights that are given to us by the IAM, being members and management cannot do with us what they want anymore. Simple as that.		James Eaches – Aircraft Mechanic With the IAM pension plan there, at least you will have some kind of stability when it is time for you to retire. You will get something every single month no matter what, very important.

Patricia LaSala – Nurse I have a legal team that I can refer to and consult with, there’s an Organizing Department, there’s a Communications Department. I make it a point to let my members know what’s available to them, by going to IMail and seeing all the things that they can do. Legislatively, being active legislatively. And this union is very active legislatively. That’s what the union does, the union sticks up for the nurses, the union is there to protect the nursing staff and make sure that they are treated fairly as they should be. Myself and many of my members have been fortunate enough to go the training center at Placid Harbor to take courses in leadership, and arbitration, a women’s course, communications courses.		Krystal Allen – Customer Service Representative By having the union backing us up, it really helps out as far as negotiations and contracts and I have gathered that from my fellow co-workers. It’s not about combating your employer or anything like that. It’s about equal rights, representation and your civil rights as an employee.

Debra Thompson – Bus Driver We do now have more job security…everyone is feeling like they getting equally… they have a voice whether they willing to walk up and speak for themselves. They have someone to walk up and speak for them. You know as they say in those days when you look over your shoulder and you got that Verizon team right behind you? When you look around you have the whole IAM team right behind you.		Sheldon Barber – Support Equipment Mechanic You can only take it for so long. We had conditions that were so bad for so long that I guess finally enough people go fed up and decided something needed to be done. It’s very important for our people to learn for themselves, because the company of course is only going to tell you what they want you to know. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten, you know, literature about this issue, that issue being supported. I think that it’s great. I’m just waiting for our local to get more involved in some of those kinds of things. Because that’s something I’m looking forward to personally doing, is going lobbying and things of that nature.

The post Members Speak Out appeared first on IAMAW.

June 2, 2004, was a happy day for employees of Lafarge North America in Palatka, Florida. That’s when the ballot count confirmed what the employees knew all along; life goes better with the IAM on your side. The Palatke plant is the top producer of wallboard in North America.

Lafarge employees won because of hard work and unity. The In-Plant Organizing Team fought a difficult, up-hill fight to bring fairness and justice to their workplace. Employees withstood daily antiunion meetings, one-on-one intimidation and scare tactics orchestrated by company management.

Grand lodge representative, Larry Washam headed the campaign with help from apprentice organizer, Billy Stivers and District Lodge 112 organizer, Miriam Baker. Members of IAM Local Lodge 1098 also helped as did grand lodge representatives Al Granado, Don Barker, special representative, Ray Moffat and apprentice organizer, Tommy Mayfield.

We say, congratulation to all!

of Capitol Hill Building Maintenance at the Patuxant River Naval Base enjoyed a 60-3 victory in April 2003 and are now negotiating a contract. Here”s what they have to say about organizing with the IAM:

Juliet Hewleit I think what we did to form the union was the best thing that could happen for the future of the company and the future of the employees. Now, we have a right to speak out, to vote, to make choices and make it all better. The union brings us respect.

Bonnie Pearlman I believe the union will provide better job security.

Toni Roberts (kneeling) We went union because we are united as employees. Instead of being singled out, we can stand united.

Dema Porter I think we did the right thing by going union for a better workplace.

The post New Members Speak Out appeared first on IAMAW.

So, what’s the secret to our success? The Service Contract Act provides that employees must be paid not less than the wages and fringe benefits for their Area Wage Determination (AWD) set by the Department of Labor. But the key is this, Section 4(c) of the SCA allows for the wages, benefits and working conditions to be set by union-bargaining. This means that union-bargained wages and benefits replace the AWD. Furthermore, any would-be employer has to honor the new wage and benefit rates when they bid on the government contract, and, they must abide by the contract if they win the award.

So, make the smart choice! Join our thousands of SCA members currently working for companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, AHNTECH, Inc., DynCorp, L3 Communications, Lear Siegler Services, Sikorsky, Chugach, Del-Gen, Fidelity Technologies, Yulista Management Services and many more.

Click the “Form a Union Where You Work” button (main Organize page) and get in touch today!

The post Service Contracts appeared first on IAMAW.

–United Launch Alliance-Atlas Launch Operations 
–Lockheed Martin TSI Kirtland AFB
-Northrop Gruman Ship Systems
-AK Steel
–Harley-Davidson, York,PA
–Lockheed-Martin Aeroparts Co.  Johnstown, Pennsylvania
–Lockheed-Martin Systems Management, Tyndall AFB
–Lockheed-Martin, Cape Canaveral/Vandenberg AFB
–Lockheed-Martin, Albuquerque, New Mexico
–Lockheed Martin/East & West Coast Launch Operations
–Lockheed-Martin Space Systems Silverdale, WA/Kings Bay, GA
–Army Fleet Support – Ft. Rucker, Alabama
–UTC Fuel Cells
–DynCorp Technical Services

The post Recent Contracts appeared first on IAMAW.