Wisconsin Local 2191 Celebrates Milestone at Chart Energy

Aug 11, 2020 | iMail

Members of IAM Local 2191 working at Chart energy surpassed a monumental landmark recently by producing 10,000 heat exchanger cores since the division was purchased from Trane. The employees who produce these huge aluminium cores, along with maintenance and tool and die makers, are all represented by the IAM.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our members and what they do at Chart and at all of our other shops in the district,” said IAM District 66 Directing Business Representative Neil Kamrowski. “Congratulations to Chart and our members in Local Lodge 2191 for achieving this great milestone.”

“Congratulations to the members of IAM Local 2191 at Chart Energy on such a remarkable accomplishment,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Steve Galloway. “As a union, we are proud to know that heat exchanger cores shipped around the world are produced right here in La Crosse, Wisconsin – by proud Machinists members. I’m looking forward to celebrating another 10,000 heat exchanger cores.”

Members at the LaCrosse, WI facility meticulously assemble the cores one layer at a time. Machinists Union members handle everything from making the fins from sheets of aluminium to assembling the core to assembling and welding the headers, to installing the headers and testing the core for leaks. The group was responsible for producing the core of the world’s largest and second largest brazing furnaces.

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Machinists Punch Back Against ‘Right to Work’ in Wisconsin

Aug 11, 2020 | iMail

A recent ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit of Appeals allows the Machinists Union to continue to deduct “fair share” fees from non-member employees at Maysteel Industries in Wisconsin, despite the state’s right-to-work law.

IAM Local 2053 (District 10) ratified a new contract at Maysteel on February 28, 2015, before the state’s right-to-work law, known as Wisconsin Act 1, took effect.

The ratified collective bargaining agreement allows the IAM to deduct fees from Maysteel employees to cover the costs of representation, whether they decided to pay dues or not. The case against the IAM was filed by a group of non-union members seeking to stop the deductions.

The case took years to come to a conclusion but IAM members in Wisconsin understand the importance of the ruling saying it was a worthy win for union members in any state.

“Right-to-work laws are a con designed to further tip the scales against workers in favor of corporations,” said IAM District 10 Directing Business Representative Alex Hoekstra. “This is a great win in the battle for fairness at work, but the war continues.

“Congratulations and thank you to the members of IAM Local 2053 and District 10 for drawing the line in the sand and standing up for workers everywhere against unfair Right to Work For Less laws,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Steve Galloway. “Machinist members in Wisconsin continue to set the standard for the rest of the country on how to fight back against these underhanded policies aimed at stripping workers of their right to bargain collectively. This is a huge win and will set a much-needed precedent as we continue this fight against Right to Work For Less laws in other states.”

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IAM Local S6, Bath Iron Works Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

Aug 8, 2020 | iMail

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2020 – The IAM Local S6 negotiating committee, representing more than 4,300 shipbuilders at Bath Iron Works in Maine, has reached a tentative contract agreement with the company, a General Dynamics subsidiary that builds ships for the U.S. Navy. The agreement keeps existing subcontracting language and protects seniority, the top issues that forced 87 percent of Local S6 members to reject the previous contract and begin the largest strike in the United States on June 22.

The tentative three-year agreement, reached late in the evening on Friday, Aug. 7, is being unanimously recommended by the Local S6 negotiating committee. Local S6 members will receive the contract in the mail and vote online and via phone in the coming weeks.

IAM Local S6 members received significant support from elected officials and the community for the duration of the nearly eight week strike. A federal mediator helped both sides come to an agreement during the past week.

“I am so proud of our IAM Local S6 membership for standing strong in defense of themselves, their families and good Maine jobs,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “I look forward to our membership doing what they do best—building the best ships in the world for the U.S. Navy. I’d like to extend my appreciation to IAM Grand Lodge Representative Dave Sullivan, the Local S6 leadership and negotiating committee, IAM District 4 representatives, and all the allies we had in this fight.”

“What we were able to accomplish at the negotiating table is a testament to the strength and solidarity of our membership,” said IAM Local S6 President Chris Wiers. “They were educated on the issues and our negotiating committee knew they had the backing of our membership. I am incredibly proud of our entire team and we’re excited to get back to work building the best ships in the world for the U.S. Navy.”

“I commend our Local S6 membership for holding out for the good of themselves and their families and making sure they got a fair deal to keep these jobs in Maine,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President Jimmy Conigliaro Sr. “We helped build this shipyard and I am glad that going forward we are making sure it stays in the hands of the members who built it. It goes to show that when we sit down and negotiate, the IAM gets the job done.”

“I want to commend the entire membership of Local S6 for their solidarity throughout this strike,” said IAM General Vice President Brian Bryant. “Their strength and resilience allowed the negotiating committee to bring back this agreement. Their solidarity was an inspiring display of the true spirit of the labor movement and the Fighting Machinists.”

“I am so proud of the men and women of Local S6 who build the best ships in the world for the U.S. Navy,” said IAM Grand Lodge Representative Dave Sullivan. “Our skilled workforce is proud to help protect our country and deserve to have a fair contract. As lead negotiator, I couldn’t be more proud of the time and effort our committee put into getting a fair contract proposal for our membership. We appreciate the hard work of the FMCS mediators and the company negotiators for working around the clock to get this done for everyone involved.”

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, airlines, transportation, shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.

goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion

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