The deadline is fast approaching to register for the EAP I Program to be held at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, Md. from Jan. 28 – Feb. 2, 2024.
Registrations must be received by Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. 

The EAP program, offered by the IAM Retirees and Membership Services Department, equips IAM-EAP representatives with skills and resources to assist members who are seeking help for personal problems involving addictions and psycho-social issues such as:

The curriculum takes members from an introduction into the field to prospective certification. This valuable program is fully recognized at the college level, in the workplace, in the employee assistance community, and throughout the IAM. All eligible Machinists are encouraged to participate.

The deadline to register for the EAP I Program is Monday, Dec. 4, 2023

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Members of the Machinists Union recently participated in the Employee Assistance Program 3 (EAP) at the IAM William Winpisingr Education and Technology Center. The members gathered to fine-tune their skills and work together building core modules on building programs at new locations. Sisters Christine Mahoe and April Stewart comment about how vital the EAP program is for the membership using recent issues they have seen while working the program.

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The IAM Retirees and Membership Services Department will offer the EAP III program from Sept. 10-15, 2023. The program will be held at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, MD.

The registration deadline is Monday, July 17. The call letter and registration instructions for the program are located here.

This course equips IAM-EAP representatives with skills and resources to assist members who are seeking help for personal problems involving addictions and psycho-social issues. 

The curriculum takes members from an introduction into the field to prospective certification. This is a valuable program that is fully recognized at the college level, in the work place, in the employee assistance community, and throughout the IAM.

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Recently, mental health awareness has taken a front seat in society’s mainstream and here at the Machinists Union. In 2019, IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. created the IAM Addiction Services Program to help IAM members and their families struggling with alcohol and drug dependency.

“Calls to our mental health hotline have more than doubled since we first started this program. “We are currently putting 15 to 20 members a month in treatment,” said Vincent Ceraso, Director of the IAM Addiction Services Department. “The help is out there and the people that need the help are out there too.”

Since the pandemic, the world has seen an uptick in mental health cases. In July 2022, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) was changed to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Like 911, the 988 number is shorter and much easier to remember. The hotline connects callers to mental health professionals who are trained to handle anyone experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis. You can also call if you are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

As part of the new launch, a text and chat option was added and has proven to be one of the most popular ways of accessing help, especially for the younger generation. Later this year video chatting will be offered as an option.

Also added was a specified Veterans Crisis Line, which can be accessed by dialing 988 and pressing 1 or texting 838255.

By far the system has made improvements, but no rollout is perfect. For this service to be effective states have to have adequate funding and resources, and right now they don’t. “The 988 number only had $24 million dollars in funding in each of the first two years, but this year Congress has funded it with $442 million,” said Ceraso.

Aside from the 911 and 988 services, IAM members have an added resource at their fingertips. However, they don’t take the place of 988 or 911.

“Call 988 for crisis intervention, substance abuse, or mental health issues, and 911 if you’re going to hurt yourself, or someone else or end your own life,” said Ceraso.  “Call the IAM’s mental health hotline if you are experiencing non-emergent physiological issues such as depression or anxiety. You will be connected to a doctor. When you call the addiction services hotline, you will get me. I will treat it like an emergency, but not 911 worthy, and get you into treatment within a day or two,” he added.

While the world has opened back up and returned somewhat back to normal, unfortunately, our mental health won’t bounce back as easily. The IAM remains dedicated to providing help and support to our members and their families. 

The IAM Metal Health Hotline is 301-335-0735 and the IAM Addiction Services hotline is 1-800-240-4IAM or (4426).

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The deadline is fast approaching to register for the EAP I Program to be held at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, Maryland, January15 – 20, 2023.

Registrations must be received by November 21, 2022.  

The EAP program, offered by the Retirees and Membership Services Department, equips IAM-EAP representatives with skills and resources to assist members who are seeking help for personal problems involving addictions and psycho-social issues such as:

The curriculum takes members from an introduction into the field to prospective certification. This valuable program is fully recognized at the college level, in the workplace, in the employee assistance community, and throughout the IAM. All eligible Machinists are encouraged to participate.

The deadline to register for the EAP I Program is November 21, 2022.  

Click here to register.

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Approximately 70 million Americans, including many IAM members, will receive an 8.7 percent cost-of-living increase in their Social Security benefits. The average retired worker can expect to receive an additional $140 per month starting in January 2023.

Active and retired IAM members have been on the frontlines advocating for increasing earned Social Security benefits and for measures that secure the solvency of Social Security. As Machinists, we continue our fight to ensure Social Security continues to pay retirees their life-long earned benefits. The IAM remains committed to the fight to achieve dignified retirement benefits for our members and all seniors.

“The IAM applauds the cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “Our union is on record for declaring Social Security to be the most effective anti-poverty program in our nation’s history, but most importantly, it is our most important family income and disability protection program, and the cornerstone of retirement income security for many IAM members. This increase is why we must continue fighting to ensure the Biden-Harris administration has a Congress supporting working families. Now is not the time to go backward. We must go forward with an agenda that uplifts workers and their families.”   

The Social Security Administration will mail COLA notices throughout December to retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries, SSI recipients, and representative payees. But if you want to know your new benefit amount sooner, you can securely obtain your Social Security COLA notice online using the Message Center in your mySocial Security account. You can access this information in early December before receiving the mailed notice. Benefit amounts will not be available before December.

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Please see below for the 2023 Retirees and EAP Class Schedule and Official Calls.

We’re Here:

IAM EAP Services can be accessed via email iameap@iamaw.org or by calling 301-335-0735.

IAM Addiction Services contact – 888-250-4IAM (4426).

Would you and your co-workers like to enjoy these benefits and become members of the IAM?

It doesn't cost, it pays to belong to the IAM

Questions or Comments?
Contact Us:
9000 Machinists Place
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772
Phone: (301)967-4717

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