May 12, 2020 | iMail
The IAM is asking Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee for assistance in preserving U.S. domestic aluminum production capability and saving 700 aluminum smelting jobs at Alcoa Intalco Works in Ferndale, WA.
Alcoa Intalco Works, one of only seven primary aluminum smelters remaining in the United States, announced on April 22 that it was shutting down its Ferndale, WA plant.
TAKE ACTION: Ask President Trump to take all necessary actions to save U.S. Aluminum production
“For generations, the highly-skilled, IAM-represented workforce at Alcoa Intalco has proudly produced high-quality aluminum ingots which are a vital component in nearly every sector of U.S. manufacturing, from aerospace and shipbuilding to transportation, infrastructure and medical equipment manufacturing,” wrote IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. in a letter to Inslee.
U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), along with U.S. Reps. Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen (D-WA) recently sent a letter to Alcoa President and CEO Roy Harvey, urging the company to work with the IAM to find a solution to the forthcoming layoffs at Alcoa’s Intalco plant in Ferndale, WA.
The Ferndale facility is one of the largest employers in Whatcom County, and it is estimated that every job at the plant supports 4.2 indirect and induced jobs in the region.
The IAM is also asking President Trump to use all means necessary, including the Defense Production Act, to save 700 jobs at a strategically important aluminum smelter in the Pacific Northwest.
TAKE ACTION: Ask President Trump to take all necessary actions to save U.S. Aluminum production
The post Machinists Request Governor’s Help in Saving Washington State Aluminum Plant appeared first on IAMAW.
May 12, 2020 | iMail
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has tapped two Fighting Machinists to assist in guiding the policy surrounding reopening the economy and what that would look like for workers as the state moves to provide guidelines for the next phase of easing the statewide stay-at-home order issued on March 19.
As part of the governor’s “Economic Recovery and Reinvention Listening Tour: Manufacturing,” Brothers Will Morris and Jesse Wallace of District 190 appeared on a teleconference with the governor to give input and considerations for worker safety and management accountability as the state moves to get non-essential manufacturing back to work.
“I am proud and honored to have Brothers Will and Jesse speak on behalf of workers in the state of California,” commented IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “Worker safety is of the utmost importance during this global pandemic and I am pleased that our Brothers are calling on Gov. Newsom to make worker safety and personal protective equipment a top priority for getting the state back to work.”
“Will and Jesse did an outstanding job representing our union and all workers in the state of California,” said District 190 Directing Business Representative Jim Beno. “I look forward to working with them and others in holding elected officials accountable to workers as the state moves to reopen the economy.”
Brother Will Morris can be heard at 5:50 and 39:13 and Brother Jesse Wallace can be heard at 13:39 and 36:03 of the recorded video conference.
The post California Machinists Picked to Represent Workers on Call with Governor appeared first on IAMAW.
May 7, 2020 | iMail
The IAM’s campaign and the resulting public outrage against United Airlines has caused the carrier to back away from its illegal scheme to force 15,000 full-time IAM members into part-time positions.
After accepting $5 billion from taxpayers as part of the CARES Act, United made the unilateral decision to drastically reduce the wages, retirement benefits, and paid leave of IAM-represented Fleet Service and Passenger Service members.The IAM quickly responded with a lawsuit, alleging United had violated the intent of the CARES Act, as well as the Railway Labor Act and the IAM’s collective bargaining agreements with the carrier.
United has since changed course, instead offering IAM members the opportunity to voluntarily work fewer hours without losing their full-time status. The carrier, however, has left the door open to resuming its forced reduction to part-time program.
“While today it appears that, thanks to your hard work and solidarity, we have won an important battle, we have not yet won the war,” said IAM Transportation General Vice President Sito Pantoja. “We will monitor United’s action closely to see what further legal and congressional action may become necessary.”
United’s plan drew bipartisan scorn, including from U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). More than 12,000 messages were sent to members of Congress from the IAM’s action alert asking lawmakers to intervene.
The IAM’s campaign captivated the attention of the entire labor movement, since United’s action threatened to spur other companies to mistreat workers while accepting taxpayer dollars from coronavirus relief legislation. The International Transport Workers’ Federation supported IAM members in a letter to United Airlines, urging the carrier to reconsider forced layoffs.
American Airlines challenged United’s assertion that the CARES Act’s airline relief section allowed for furloughs.
IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka sounded the alarm with President Trump, asking the White House to step in and prevent United from moving forward with the furloughs.
“With over 30 million Americans out of work, now is not the time for unscrupulous companies to undermine the clear intent of the federal relief effort aimed at worker retention,” wrote Martinez and Trumka. “Is it too much to ask corporations like United to honor their commitment under the CARES Act?”
The IAM’s campaign made national headlines, including in the Chicago Tribune, CNBC, Forbes and CBS 2 Chicago.
The IAM represents more than 30,000 members at United Airlines and is the largest airline union in North America.
The post After IAM’s Pressure, United Backs Off Forced Furlough Plan appeared first on IAMAW.
May 7, 2020 | iMail
Alcoa Intalco Works, one of only seven primary aluminum smelters remaining in the United States, announced on April 22 that it was shutting down its Ferndale, WA plant and laying off 700 IAM-represented workers.
U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), along with U.S. Reps. Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen (D-WA) recently sent a letter to Alcoa President and CEO Roy Harvey, urging the company to work with the IAM to find a solution to the forthcoming layoffs at Alcoa’s Intalco plant in Ferndale, WA.
Read: Lawmakers, machinists union urge Alcoa, Trump to find a way to avoid closing Ferndale aluminum plant Seattle Times
The lawmakers took aim at the timing of Pittsburgh-based Alcoa’s decision in their letter to Harvey.
“This is the second time in five years that Alcoa has announced that it would curtail operations at Intalco, and it is deeply distressing that the company chose to make this announcement in the middle of a pandemic,” the letter states.
The IAM is also asking President Trump to use all means necessary, including the Defense Production Act, to save 700 jobs at a strategically important aluminum smelter in the Pacific Northwest.
TAKE ACTION: Ask President Trump to take all necessary actions to save U.S. steel production
The post Washington State Lawmakers Joining IAM in Fight to Save Alcoa Aluminum Plant appeared first on IAMAW.
