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.”
From Left to Right: Richard Johnsen, General Vice President, Air Transport, IAMAW, Sara Nelson, International President, Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), & Sean O’Brien, General President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
Johnsen spoke on behalf of transportation, aerospace, automotive, aviation, and rail workers. He addressed how technology continues to change the world and the importance of unions having a seat at the table in the design and introduction of new tech, automation, and artificial intelligence.
“I have spent the last year traveling the country to listen to our air transport members and address their concerns as our industry continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Johnsen said in his remarks to the Pope. “Pope Francis’s words have inspired millions of workers, especially in the airline industry, who have faced recent challenges with understaffing and unruly passengers. I look forward to jointly working with our global partners to ensure we can address ongoing global crises using social justice.”
During the two-day meeting, the group tackled various issues facing the world. Some problems included the impact of artificial intelligence, modern-day slavery, human trafficking, and climate change in the transportation industry. Other members of the U.S. delegation included Sara Nelson, International President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, and Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien.
The 12 labor unions of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council, with over 4 million members, wrote an urgent letter today urging members of the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Inflation Reduction Act without delay.
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) International President Robert Martinez Jr., chair of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council, led the letter along with Vice-Chair and President of the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Ray Curry.
“Taken together, the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act are unquestionably the most important policy measures to support domestic manufacturing in our nation’s history,” reads the letter from the 12 unions of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council. “The tax incentives, grants, and domestic content provisions will not only spur job-creating investment in the manufacturing sector, they will also move the sector towards the investment needed to reduce emissions while positioning the United States to be competitive in a wide range of clean energy goods.
“We do not expect the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) provisions to have a measurable impact on the manufacturing sector. We reject the idea that asking the largest, most profitable corporations to pay a minimum level of taxes is an economic impediment for the United States – history is replete with examples of just the opposite.”
The AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council endorses the Inflation Reduction Act as a huge step toward revitalizing domestic manufacturing and job creation in this vital sector.
Edison Fraser, IAM Air Transport Chief of Staff spoke this week at the N.J State Council of Machinists in Atlantic City. He reported about the recently ratified contract for Alaska Airlines Ramp and Customer Service workers. Brother Fraser also informed the membership about Spirit Airlines and JetBlue’s merger commenting about their job security and the upcoming IAM election for 350 Swissport workers at Newark airport.
Members of IAM Local 737 (District 77) in St. Paul, MN ratified a strong new contract agreement with 20 area automotive dealers.
The IAM represents 600 body shop technicians, painters, frame alignment technicians, advanced diagnostic and repair technicians, automotive technicians, internal technicians, parts runners, counterpersons, lot persons, stock persons, and detailers at the dealerships.
District 77 Assistant Directing Business Representative John Duerscherl said the final agreement “received nothing but praise from everybody.”
The agreement contains many highlights, including wage increases each year of the contract: 6% in year one and 2% in years two and three. It also lays out a new warranty premium pay system with increased rates and adds two paid sick days per contract year. The employers increased their contribution to the Joint Health Trust Fund and increased the tool insurance coverage. The contract also readjusted wage rates for lower classifications and adopts the IAM National Pension Fund Preferred Schedule Rehabilitation Plan.
With this contract, there is only one job class with wages under $15 an hour.
“This is another great contract out of District 77 with wage and benefit increases,” said IAM Midwest Territory Vice President Steve Galloway. “The IAM Local 737 Bargaining Committee, along with Assistant Directing Business Representative John Duerscherl and Directing Business Representative John Steigauf, put a lot of time and effort into getting a solid contract with protections for retirement. Congratulations to them and the entire Local 737 membership.”
Commander Mark Phipbin of the nonprofit organization Disabled American Veterans (DVA) presented IAM Local 4 (District 4) with an award for “dedication and devotion to fellow veterans; serving those who served” to show appreciation for their new and growing partnership.
DVA assists veterans in getting claims processed through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), provides veterans with transportation to VA hospitals and brings counseling and employment resources to veterans.
Local 4 Vice President Bob Chase is a U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force veteran and volunteer staff member for DVA Chapter 26. In September 2021, when Chase found out that Chapter 26 was going to lose its office space, he went to Local 4 President Jeremy Leissner with a proposal to allow DVA to work out of the union hall.
“I felt like it was something we had to do, not just for our members but for the community – this is the way I see our local lodge giving back to the community,” said Leissner.
Now, DVA Chapter 26 conducts its business from the IAM Local 4’s union hall one day of the week and they get the entire building to themselves.
“We represent more than 1,300 members at NAS Patuxent River, Webster Field Annex, Solomon’s Island Annex, and Charlotte Hall Veterans Home,” said Leissner, a U.S. Navy veteran. “Eighty-five to 90% of our members are veterans.”
One Saturday, DVA held a special event to provide assistance only to Local 4 members. Forty-five member-veterans attended.
“The word is getting out now that DVA is using our local lodge. I’ll have veterans come in and ask if DVA is in today. Then we get to talking and tell war stories,” said Leissner. “The word is getting out to the community that the DVA and IAM Local Lodge 4 are working together hand-in-hand to make sure that the veterans in our community are being taken care of.”
Local 4’s leadership is looking forward to growing its partnership with DVA. They are making plans to bring in counselors and medical professionals to talk about PTSD triggers and coping tactics. Both IAM Local 4 and DVA Chapter 26 will have booths at the Saint Mary’s County Festival, and they are joining forces for the Veterans’ Day parade in Leonardtown this November.
“We want to have as many banners and flags and members out there as possible,” said Leissner. “We have a lot of things planned for the future to be a face in the community together.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of Local 4 for opening up the union hall to DVA to work out of. That’s exactly the kind of thing we should be doing as a union,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “Supporting veterans has been a theme for Local 4. Because so many members of Local 4 are veterans, I am happy about what this partnership will do for our members, providing them with an incredible resource, but also what this partnership will do for the community.”
This week over 50 Machinists Union EAP Representatives attended the Labor Assistance Professional conference in Las Vegas Nevada. The IAM was one of the dozens of Labor unions that had regional and peer coordinators there to hear from treatment center staff and providers. The training these dedicated EAP Reps receive is valuable knowledge in helping our members.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2022 – Robert Martinez Jr., International President of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), released the following statement:
“The Machinists Unions applauds the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 by the U.S. Senate. Our union considers this legislation, which now moves to the House, critical to helping fight inflation, lower costs for America’s working families, and create millions of good-paying manufacturing and construction jobs in the clean energy sector. Our nation has a clear path to a clean energy future while ensuring fairness in our tax code by making the extremely wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share of taxes.
“The Inflation Reduction Act adds fairness to our tax code by ensuring that the extremely wealthy and large corporations pay their fair share of taxes while making historic investments in clean energy manufacturing, production, and deployment. Workers will benefit from the bill’s tax credits, including labor protections that strengthen and enforce prevailing wage requirements, apprenticeship programs and Buy American domestic content standards, ensuring these investments will create high-quality jobs here at home.
“The healthcare provisions included in this legislation will cap seniors’ out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs and reduce health insurance premiums for millions across the country.
“The IAM will push to ensure that this bill that creates high-quality jobs and increases domestic manufacturing passes the House.”
More than 130 workers at Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Services (VSES) in Rochester, NY, are set to begin bargaining for a first agreement. The unit of 130 workers is made up of licensed veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, front desk staff, and other critical staff.
Some of the significant issues for Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services workers included unfair working conditions, including understaffing, and stagnant wages despite rising costs for pet medical procedures.
“These brave workers understand the importance of a strong IAM contract,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “Now begins the all-important bargaining for a first agreement that reflects their dedication to the employer and their patients.”
“In January 2022, the employees of VSES voted overwhelming for representation by the IAM,” said District 65 Directing Business Representative Ron Warner. “Thrive Pet Healthcare, VSES’s corporate owner, initially chose to fight the election result rather than bargain. The IAM is pleased to announce that Thrive has now chosen to abandon its legal appeals, and the IAM now looks forward to negotiating a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement for the workers.”
The grassroots organizing campaign was successful in part due to a partnership with Liz Hughston, president of the National Veterinary Professionals Union.
The AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) held a virtual rail worker town hall recently that featured a panel of union members moderated by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond. U.S. freight rail workers are in the third year of fighting for a new national contract with freight railroads.
Freight rail workers from across the country shared personal stories and account about “urgent” issues facing the nation’s freight rail system. At the forefront of the issues for rail, workers is the so-called Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) a scheme by the railroads that calls for fewer train starts, fewer locomotives, and fewer workers – nearly 45,000 fewer over the last five years.
Calling freight rail workers “heroic,” Redmond said while the railroads demand more with less, workers are saddled with stagnant wages, long hours, health and safety concerns, and quality of life issues, despite increased workloads and a smaller workforce, and strict schedules with little to no time off.
“It’s a hard life,” said IAM member Reece Murtagh. “The conditions we work in – 14 hours, 16 hour days outside in all kinds of weather, tool bags on our backs, walking up and down the tracks, it’s hard on our bodies.”
“I have no personal life,” said Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) member Esmerelda Montelongo. “It feels like home is at work, I literally work 70 hours a week. It’s like we’re not human, they use us until we can’t or until someone gets hurt.”
“While workers are experiencing significant hardships, major freight railroads are earning historically record-breaking profits,” said Josh Hartford, IAM Special Assistant to the International President. “All while failing to negotiate in good faith a new labor contract with the unions. “We’re fighting alongside our members until they get the contract they deserve, with the dignity and respect they have earned.”
One of the main concerns with precision scheduled railroading (PSR) is the detrimental effects that it is having on railroad workers and their safety. For example, mass layoffs are a central component of PSR operations. Fewer workers translate into a railway slashing costs and thus increasing profits.
After two and a half years of negotiations and mediation failed to yield a contract, President Biden appointed a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) on July 15th to investigate the contract dispute. The Board will issue its recommendations for a fair contract in mid-August. The creation of the PEB forestalls a rail lockout or stoppage for 30 days as the PEB investigates and develops its recommendations.
