IAM Local 1930 members showed up and spoke up at a City of Long Beach (CA) Council meeting, demanding cost-of-living raises and competitive wages for city employees, especially 911 dispatchers and ambulance operators.
Local 1930 represents almost 3,000 city employees, including the 911 dispatchers and ambulance operators who are now demanding safety, respect, and fair wages.
Although Local 1930’s contract with the city includes periodic wage increases, members are calling attention to the stress that comes with first-responder jobs and how Long Beach’s wages are not high enough to keep the most committed employees.
“We hear all the time about the cost of paying employees more — but no one seems to discuss the cost of not paying us proper wages,” said Local 1930 President Natalie Gonzalez during the public comment section of the council meeting. “Our members have been given more duties and fewer resources, more stress, and less compassion.”
District 947 Business Representative Devin Ablard and Local 1930 members spoke up at the meeting to shed light on how the long shifts and stress of the job are impacting employees’ health. Local 1930 member and 911 dispatcher Michelle Salas explained that her department is so understaffed that employees often work 14 to 16-hour shifts, and added that the job takes an emotional toll.
“This is an issue that is affecting members across the departments,” Gonzalez told Kristy Hutchings of the Press-Telegram. “One of the things that we’re struggling with is retaining employees because they’re going over to other, higher paying cities… This continuous and accelerated loss of institutional knowledge impacts our efficiency.”
Gonzalez and the Local 1930 membership plan to continue showing up at the City Council budget hearings to advocate for the proposed budget, which must be adopted in September, to allow for cost-of-living wages increases for city employees.
“Our members showed up in full force to engage with public officials on the Long Beach City Council,” said IAM Western Territory Grand Lodge Representative Richard Suarez. “They’re demanding what every worker deserves – safety, respect, and a fair wage. The city should not depend on our members sacrificing their health and happiness out of the goodness of their hearts to keep the city safe.”
“The city quite literally runs because of IAM Local 1930’s work,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “The city needs to step up and do right by its employees and our members. Local 1930 has the Western Territory’s full support as they fight for better wages and working conditions.”
Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 175 (District 98) employed at the Harley-Davidson plant in York, Penn., have overwhelmingly ratified a new industry-leading 5-year collective bargaining agreement.
“We are glad that Harley-Davidson realized that a two-tier system for the workforce is not good for the bottom line,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “This contract reflects IAM Local 175 members’ skills and dedication to making Harley-Davidson one of the most successful iconic brands in the world. I want to thank the negotiating committee for their patience in getting our members a deal that locks in increased wages and benefits.”
“Our members had concerns over the two-tier wage scale,” said IAMDistrict 98 Assistant Directing Business Representative Kermit Forbes. “Their solidarity paid off, and together the membership won the day, eliminating the two-tier wage system at the end of the agreement. My thanks go out to the Negotiating Committee and the membership.”
The York facility is Harley-Davidson’s vehicle operations plant, assembles motorcycles, and performs other manufacturing functions.
Members of IAM District 9 recently built two wheelchair ramps as a part of the IAM Midwest Territory’s “IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community” program. H.E.L.P.S. stands for Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing, and Servicing.
The ramps, paid for by union member donations and built completely by IAM volunteers, were built for a family in need. More than a dozen volunteers showed up to build the two ramps required to access the home. District 9 raises money through raffles as part of their community services fund.
“My thanks to the volunteers and the entire committee,” said District 9 Community Services Coordinator Scott Hargis. “They show up when it counts – with volunteers who get the work done, and on their own time too. It’s truly priceless.”
“District 9 takes tremendous pride in our community service events,” said IAM District 9 Directing Business Representative Dave Weaver. “My thanks go out to Community Services Coordinator Scott Hargis and the entire committee for their efforts and hard work.”
“This is what service to the community is all about,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Steve Galloway. “Doing things for others, good deeds and being helpful, all of which in the end are not just satisfying, but rewarding. All of this is what the IAM motto stands for – service to the community.”
For more information on the IAM Midwest Territory’s “IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community” program, click here.
Participants in this week’s Spanish Leadership Program at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center recently toured IAM Headquarters in Upper Marlboro, MD.
The group of 24 members from 10 local lodges visited various offices, where they learned about Grand Lodge resources that are available for Districts and Locals. They met with staff from the Strategic Resources, Legal, and Communications departments, the Office of the General Secretary-Treasurer, as well as the Eastern Territory and Air Transport Territory Chiefs of Staff. Members also toured the Executive Council meeting room and the office of International President Robert Martinez, Jr.. Monica Lee Silbas, Chief of Staff, welcomed the group on behalf of President Martinez and shared with the members her experience as an educator and member of the Spanish Leadership Program task force.
The Headquarters visit was the culmination of the first Leadership program in Spanish held at the Winpisinger Center this year. The next class in Spanish will be Organizing I in Spanish, scheduled for December 11. The Winpisinger Center’s schedule of programs in Spanish for 2023 will be published in the coming weeks.
Spanish:
Los participantes de la clase de Liderazgo I celebrada esta semana en el Centro de Educación y Tecnología William W. Winpisinger visitaron las Oficinas Centrales de la Unión de Maquinistas y Trabajadores Aeroespaciales en Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
El grupo compuesto de 24 miembros procedentes de 10 logias locales visitaron varias oficinas donde aprendieron sobre los recursos disponibles en la Gran Logia para los distritos y las locales. Conocieron personal de los departamentos de Recursos Estratégicos, Legal, Comunicaciones y de la oficina de la Secretaria-Tesorera General, así como los Jefes de Personal de los Territorios del Este y de Transporte Aéreo. Los miembros también visitaron la sala de reuniones de la Junta Ejecutiva y la oficina de Robert Martinez, Jr., Presidente Internacional de la IAMAW. Monica Silbas, Jefe de Personal, dio la bienvenida al grupo de parte del Presidente Martinez y compartió con los miembros su experiencia como educadora y miembro del grupo de trabajo del Programa de Liderazgo en español.
La visita a las Oficinas Centrales fue la culminación del primer programa de Liderazgo en español efectuado en el Centro Winpisinger este año. La próxima clase en español será Organización I en español, programada para el 11 de diciembre. El calendario de programas en español del Centro Winpisinger para el 2023 será publicado en las próximas semanas.
In honor of our late Sister Maria Santiago Lillis, the IAM proclaimed every August 10 as “A Commitment to Serve Day”, or ACTS, for short. To celebrate this year’s ACTS Day, officers and members of IAM Locals 1998 and 1979 got together to volunteer at the Pantry, a food bank supporting the community of Honolulu on the Island of Oahu.
“My dear friend and sister Maria never once batted an eye at the thought of helping anyone. No matter the circumstance and no matter her workload, Maria dedicated her life to serving others,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “I am grateful for the work Local Lodge 1998 and 1979 did to honor our Sister and I look forward to what they, and the rest of the IAM, will accomplish in her honor in the ACTs Days to come.”
In addition to the time dedicated to working at the Pantry, Local 1998 set a goal to collect 300 pounds of food to donate. They were successful in meeting and exceeding that goal and donated over 400 pounds of food.
One of the goals of the Maria Santiago Lillis Advocacy Day – A Commitment to Serve (ACTS) is to highlight a member who exemplifies the qualities that made Sister Lillis an outstanding advocate for working families. For the first dedication, it makes sense to select someone who Santiago Lillis mentored and developed into the leader they are today.
Jan Suster is from Santiago Lillis’ own Local 1998. Santiago Lillis took the time and energy to mentor Suster, now a Western Territory Special Representative, over the years.
Santiago Lillis wanted the best for everyone and she would have been elated that Suster, someone she mentored, has taken on a leadership role in the Grand Lodge for the Western Territory.
“Corporate America has done an amazing job making people feel small, irrelevant, and uninfluential,” said Suster. “Maria broke this stigma by inspiring people to believe in themselves. Through her mentorship, I saw people overcome and rise as leaders. These new leaders not only believed in themselves, they believed they could make a difference.
“With Maria at the helm, she made the impossible, possible,” continued Suster. “In my eyes she was larger than life, she was hope. Maria’s devotion and drive for a better tomorrow renewed my faith in unions and humanity. She is my role model. Although she wasn’t without flaws, her dedication to her beliefs was infectious. That’s when I decided I wanted to carry on her legacy for years to come.”
Suster has already followed these words of wisdom with her own actions. She began her career with the IAM as an office assistant for Local 1998 in 2016. She was hired as an organizer in 2018 and promoted to a business representative in 2021. Effective June 2022, Suster has served as a Special Representative assigned to the Western Territory. She is active within Hawaii AFL-CIO, Hawaii Metal Trade Council, Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR), and Appleseed, an organization fighting for economic justice.
“The Western Territory, and the entire IAM, continues to mourn the loss of our Sister Maria Santiago Lillis,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “As we march into the future and carry on Maria’s legacy, it gives us all great pride to continue exemplifying the service that Maria dedicated her life to. This year, we are thrilled to recognize one of our own, Sister Jan Suster, for putting into action what Maria stood for—service, solidarity, and a dedication to a better world for all working people.”
“We help make our members’ lives better by being a part of their lives,” said Suster. “We stand with them, support them through all of life’s struggles. We feel every hardship, every triumph like it’s our own. As a union, we address the fundamentals: wages, health, and retirement. We demand equal opportunity and respect in the workforce. In turn, we help shape the labor standards for all—union and non-union. But, as an organization called to serve, the IAM is so much more.
“‘Kokua’ in a literal term means to help or to assist,” said Suster. “In Hawaii, Kokua is a lifestyle, not just a word. In the IAM, our Kokua is what sets us apart.”
