Oct 27, 2022 | Politics & Legislative News
Machinists Union members have made thousands of calls and knocked on thousands of Machinists Union members’ doors.
With less than two weeks until Election Day, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers(IAM) Labor 2022 campaign has already mobilized hundreds of volunteers to knock on thousands of doors.
The Machinists Union’s member-to-member program, which has been active since September, has made thousands of calls to Machinists Union members in Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Nevada. In addition to calls, hundreds of Machinists have been deployed to the battleground states to knock on doors and gain support for endorsed candidates and issues. The Machinists Union’s member-to-member 2022 membership political education campaign is engaging in a wide range of GOTV actions, including robocalls, text messages, emails, phone banks, and leafleting at worksites.
“I want to thank all IAM members who are participating in the get out the vote efforts in the battleground states,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “Our union is dedicated to getting worker-friendly candidates elected to office. The Biden-Harris administration needs a Congress that will move an agenda that benefits workers. We have one of the labor movement’s best Legislative and Political departments, and their political education efforts are allowing us to reach thousands of our members.”
“Our union must have a political education program that mobilizes our members to vote at the polls,” said IAM Headquarters General Vice President Brian Bryant. “We have activated the majority of our staff at our headquarters to help with the get-out-the-vote efforts in the states. We must work to get worker-friendly candidates elected up and down the ballot.”
The Machinists Union will leverage thousands of volunteer hours to reach their members in key battleground states in the remaining days before Tuesday, Nov. 8. The Labor 2022 IAM member-to-member program is crucial to help elect pro-worker candidates across the country.
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Oct 25, 2022 | Politics & Legislative News
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), North America’s largest defense and aerospace union, sent a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives in full support of retaining important language to enhance Buy American domestic content requirements for major defense acquisition programs in the final version of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
The language would bolster U.S. economic and national security and create good, middle-class jobs across the country by gradually increasing Buy American domestic content requirements for major defense acquisition programs to 75 percent by 2029.
U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) first introduced the Buy American domestic content language as an amendment to the NDAA, while U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) introduced the language as an amendment to the FY23 NDAA in the Senate with bipartisan support. Norcross championed the language to its eventual inclusion into the House-passed version of the FY23 NDAA.
“Buy American policies serve the public good by targeting our tax dollars for the purchase of American-made products, thereby employing U.S. workers and putting our federal tax receipts to work here at home,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “For far too long we have neglected to properly consider the impact of defense procurement policy on our domestic industrial base and, consequently, on the U.S. economy. We as a nation need to act strategically when it comes to defense procurement.
“Not only do we need to supply our men and women in uniform with the best possible products and equipment, but we must also support the U.S. defense industrial base, including the small and midsized firms across America that constitute the supply chain for critical defense programs,” continued Martinez. “We must understand that the foundation of our industrial base lies with the skills and abilities of the American worker. This language would help ensure that our tax dollars are used to support both the U.S. workforce and the firms who employ them.”
The IAM has been pushing for a phased-in approach to give the domestic defense industry the time and clear signal needed to create jobs by adjusting to the increased domestic content requirement.
Click here to read the full letter.
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Oct 18, 2022 | Politics & Legislative News
The IAM issued a scorecard to all the sitting members of Congress for their actions and stand on critical issues that affect working Americans including workplace protections, voting rights, government agency funding, and more.
The fundamental purpose of the report card is to ensure that IAM members are fully informed about the performance of federal lawmakers.
The report includes the voting record for 10 IAM-supported bills that were voted in the U.S. House of Representatives during the 117th Congress, which convened on January 3, 2021.
The document also includes four IAM-supported bills that had a floor vote in the U.S. Senate and the chamber’s votes to confirm nominees for top labor-related posts in the Biden administration.
“This scorecard allows IAM members, affiliates, and partner organizations to learn more about Congress members’ legislative records,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “The IAM wants to ensure that our Congressional lawmakers are fully aware that their key votes on issues of particular significance to working families will be monitored.”
The scorecard ratings to date are calculated based on IAM-supported votes that have been taken during the 117th Congress.
“We recognize that this Congress has delivered great pieces of legislation, such as the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and more,” said IAM National Political and Legislative Director Hasan Solomon. “The goal of this scorecard is for IAM members to remain vigilant and informed so they can hold their elected officials accountable and make educated decisions.”
Read the IAM Legislative Scorecard Here.
Find out where your lawmakers stand on critical issues that impact IAM members and their families here.
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Oct 13, 2022 | Politics & Legislative News
Approximately 70 million Americans, including many IAM members, will receive an 8.7 percent cost-of-living increase in their Social Security benefits. The average retired worker can expect to receive an additional $140 per month starting in January 2023.
Active and retired IAM members have been on the frontlines advocating for increasing earned Social Security benefits and for measures that secure the solvency of Social Security. As Machinists, we continue our fight to ensure Social Security continues to pay retirees their life-long earned benefits. The IAM remains committed to the fight to achieve dignified retirement benefits for our members and all seniors.
“The IAM applauds the cost-of-living increase in Social Security benefits,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “Our union is on record for declaring Social Security to be the most effective anti-poverty program in our nation’s history, but most importantly, it is our most important family income and disability protection program, and the cornerstone of retirement income security for many IAM members. This increase is why we must continue fighting to ensure the Biden-Harris administration has a Congress supporting working families. Now is not the time to go backward. We must go forward with an agenda that uplifts workers and their families.”
The Social Security Administration will mail COLA notices throughout December to retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries, SSI recipients, and representative payees. But if you want to know your new benefit amount sooner, you can securely obtain your Social Security COLA notice online using the Message Center in your mySocial Security account. You can access this information in early December before receiving the mailed notice. Benefit amounts will not be available before December.
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Sep 14, 2022 | Politics & Legislative News
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 14, 2022 – Robert Martinez, Jr., International President of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), released the following statement following today’s House Education and Labor Committee hearing titled “In Solidarity: Removing Barriers to Organizing.”
“I want to thank Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott for holding this very important hearing, which highlights the many hurdles that workers in the U.S., must endure just to exercise their constitutional right to join a labor union,” said Martinez. “Our nation is long overdue for federal labor law reform that finally tilts the pendulum away from favoring corporations that work overtime with efforts to keep employees from collectively bargaining. Barriers such as the so-called right-to-work laws suppress wages and that is simply unfair. Today’s committee hearing also once again illustrates examples of why Congress should pass the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would help break down the barriers for working people to join unions. The PRO Act has already passed the House, and it’s time for the Senate to do the same.
“Today’s hearing also shows the need to increase funding for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), to keep pace with the uptick in union representation elections and unfair labor practice complaints. The IAM firmly supports making sure the NLRB has the personnel and other resources needed to adequately ensure workers can exercise their right to join a labor union.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is among North America’s largest industrial trade unions and represents nearly 600,000 active and retired members in the manufacturing, aerospace, defense, airline, railroad, transportation, and shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.
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Sep 7, 2022 | Politics & Legislative News
TOWSON, Md., Sept. 6, 2022 – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) applauds the Baltimore County Council for passing a resolution this evening that finalizes all remaining details and ratifies the first collective bargaining agreement covering about 460 Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) employees.
The council passed Resolution 32-22, which approved the remaining portions of the contract not finalized until after the county’s fiscal year budget deadline.
The one-year collective bargaining agreement, which was overwhelmingly ratified by BCPL employees in May, includes pay increases, and paid leave, among other significant improvements. Among several work rule improvements, the agreement creates a labor-management committee.
“I thank the Baltimore County Council members for voting to pass this resolution, which finalizes a contract that gives BCPL workers a voice in the workplace, as well as the strong wages and benefits they greatly deserve,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez, Jr. “I also thank Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski, Jr., for his continued support of these BCPL workers, who are so important to the growth and prosperity of Baltimore County and its residents.”
The council’s action follows a groundswell of support from advocates urging the panel to vote “yes” on the resolution. That includes Martinez writing a letter to the panel, as well as Donna Edwards, president of the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO, who urged passage of the resolution. During its work session on Aug. 30, the county committee heard testimony from other advocates urging a “yes” vote, including BCPL Board of Trustees President Maureen David.
The first contract with BCPL comes after years of organizing, including the IAM winning a new state law allowing BCPL employees to collectively bargain.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is among North America’s largest industrial trade unions and represents nearly 600,000 active and retiredmembers in the manufacturing, aerospace, defense, airline, railroad, transportation, and shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.
goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion
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