Winpisinger Center to Welcome In-Person Learning with Safety Protocols on August 1, 2021

May 24, 2021 | iMail

The Machinists Union is proud to announce the return of in-person learning at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center (W3 Center) in Hollywood, MD beginning August 1, 2021. For the safety of the membership and staff, the flagship union training facility was forced to suspend classes in March 2020.

“Education of officers, members and staff has always been an imperative focus of the Machinists Union, and nowhere does it better than the William W. Winpisinger Center,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “Their health is the priority and we will go above and beyond to ensure a safe learning environment for participants and staff. Our union has excelled for 133 years by adjusting to changing conditions, and this is no different. We are all excited to welcome members back to the Winpisinger Center.”

“We are incredibly excited to be re-opening for in person education,” said Winpisinger Center Director Chris Wagoner. “We are committed to re-opening in a way that ensures the safety and health of member participants and everyone who works at the Winpisinger Center as our highest priority. Our movement requires collective action and meaningful collective action requires solidarity. Solidarity requires the kind of trust that face-to-face interaction creates – so we are looking forward to again providing in-person education. We are committed to continuing a tradition of providing meaningful education that responds to the real and practical needs of members, officers, activists and staff.”

Because the safety of member participants and staff is of the upmost importance, the W3 Center will return with a phased reopening schedule and a strict set of protocols and procedures. The W3 Center will continuously reassess all safety measures in accordance with CDC, state and local guidelines—and where appropriate, make necessary changes.

• All participants are required to provide proof of vaccination prior to purchase of travel to attend class.
• All participants will be required to mask and socially distance while at the W3 Center.
• All W3 Center employees will be fully vaccinated.
• Leadership programs are limited to 50 percent enrollment.
• Guest rooms will not exceed 50 percent capacity. Each will be cleaned and sanitized daily and will not be used for one week after use.
• Classrooms and dining room will be cleaned and sanitized throughout each day, and set up to allow for social distancing.
• Participants will not be allowed to bring guests at this time.
• The W3 Center will carefully and fully follow CDC recommendations and fully comply with State of Maryland laws and the St. Mary’s County Department of Health guidelines.

A full schedule with the complete set of guidelines will be sent to local and district lodges in the upcoming weeks.

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Patriotic IAM Members Help Clean Up Veterans Cemetery

May 20, 2021 | iMail

Tuesday a group of Machinists traveled to southern New Jersey to help cleanup and maintain the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in the town of Vineland, a burial site that’s more than a century-old. The area, which is also known as Soldiers Home Cemetery, is dotted with at least 500 white marble headstones. Some of the graves belong to soldiers that served in the Civil War and the Spanish-American War of 1898. IAM Eastern Territory Special Representative Bryan Stymacks, a former U.S. Marine, drove hours from Maryland to participate in the event which was sponsored by the New Jersey AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council.

“As a veteran I always like to take time to appreciate those that wore the uniform before me, to understand the history of our nation and the sacrifices that those brave men and women made,” said Stymacks. “It felt good to give back a bit of my time in their service and honor them by cleaning up the cemetery, it really felt like I almost owed it to them, a way of saying thank you.”

Stymacks brought his two young sons to the event where they spent several hours picking up debris, wiping headstones and placing American flags at gravesites.

“I love bringing my boys to events like this. It gives us time to talk about things like honor, duty, sacrifice, and respect,” said Stymacks. “They weren’t born yet while I was in the service but they know how much that time meant to me, so when we go do things like wreath laying or cleanup projects together they really give it their all. It makes me proud to see them so willing to give their time to honor our veterans.”

Stymacks, who served in the Iraq War, said a more than 20 union leaders, ranging from the AFSCME to the IBEW, attended the cleanup. He urges other patriotic Machinists to volunteer at similar events in their local community.

“I would definitely encourage more of our union family to get out and participate in these events,” said Stymacks. “It was so humbling to walk between the graves of so many brave men and women that fought for our country. Especially at this location where most of the graves dated back to the 1880’s and early 1900’s.”

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