IAM members met with federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh today in Toronto, to present him with a petition signed by over 6,000 IAM members.
The petition demands that the government not privatize Canada’s airports; something that is being considered by our present Liberal government.
By changing the current airport model into a for-profit scheme, costs will rise as they already have in places such as the UK and Australia,
where higher rents and fees became a reality once fully privatized, despite assurances to the contrary. The increased costs were passed on from the airport
authorities to the airlines and finally down to the passenger. We should learn from others’ mistakes and stop the privatization now!
The IAM is Canada’s largest air transport Union. Pictured above with Jagmeet is IAM District 78 Political Action Co-ordinator Jerry Jarosz.

Local 1863 Retirees Club organized an outing for its members. This was a visit to Westlake Maple Products, Bayfield, Ontario, and a tour of the sugar bush and maple syrup evaporator owned and operated by Ron Westlake, who is a retired IAM&AW LL 1863 union brother.
Attached are two photos showing the visitors in the sugar bush, and at the sugar shack with the latest equipment that Ron has invested in to produce the end products.

Continue reading →

Toronto, On – Members of the Canadian Union of Labour Representatives, employed by the Canadian Labour Congress, are the newest members of the IAM.
“We are delighted that the 46 Canadian Labour Congress Staff Representatives have decided to join a progressive international union, the IAM,” said IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall. “The IAM prides itself on being a grassroots organization that listens to its members and works with them on issues at all levels of our movement.”

Toronto, ON – International Women’s Day is annually held on March 8 to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.

It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. “At least for one day, it highlights the work performed by women, our participation, not only in the workplace but in our communities as well,” explains Heather Kelley – IAM Grand Lodge Representative for Women’s Issues. “This has been a long and hard fought struggle just to get women some kind of recognition that we are actually people and that we have rights. The Labour movement has been a significant contributor in the fight for our rights and recognition.”

Union Brother Donald R. Watson passed away March 02, 2018 at the age of 69 years.
Don was hired at Champion/Volvo Motor Graders in Goderich, Ontario, Canada in the Fabrication Sheet Metal Department on Jan. 29, 1973, at that time becoming a member of IAM&AW LL 1863
(now LL 1975). Donald retired in June 2009.

Donald’s funeral was held at the Needham Funeral Service, 520 Dundas St., London, Ontario, Canada on March 07, 2018.

IAM District 78 is training up the next bunch of future Union leaders today, at the Toronto office.
“Ensuring that our stewards have the skills to do their job at the workplace, is vital to the future of the Labour Movement”,
stated Basic Stewards facilitator Colin Cherry.

IAM members have completed the endorsement process for the election of Grand Lodge Officers. The results from the U.S. Department of Labour–supervised election are that over 770 IAM Local Lodges endorsed the incumbent slate and 20 or 21 IAM Local Lodges endorsed opponent slate candidates. More than 97 per cent of Lodges nominated the incumbent slate.

This only applies to the U.S. GVP’s. Canada in not under the U.S. Department of Labour rules and Canadian members elect their own GVP. Canadian members do however vote for the International President and General Secretary Treasurer. In Canada, 63 Local Lodges voted in January to support International President Robert Martinez Jr. and General Secretary Treasurer Dora Cervantes. “We had one Local Lodge that had a run-off vote on February 10th,” explained IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall. “But altogether, everyone placed their Local Lodge’s nominations behind the incumbents.”

IAM Local Lodges endorsed each of the following candidates; Robert Martinez Jr. as International President, Dora Cervantes as General Secretary-Treasurer; and Philip J Gruber, Gary R. Allen, Sito Pantoja, Mark A. Blondin, James Conigliaro, Ricky Wallace and Brian Bryant as U.S. General Vice Presidents.

“The membership has spoken clearly for a second time,” said International President Robert Martinez. “This union overwhelmingly and decisively endorsed our incumbent slate and new direction we have charted for Machinists Union families. I look forward to continuing our momentum toward growing and strengthening our union.”

Final results are contingent on a U.S. Department of Labour review of any filed election protests. Detailed results will be published when final.

Over the long weekend the federal NDP held its biannual convention in Ottawa.

The IAM was there to ensure that our issues are being addressed by the NDP party both in their deliberations and in our Parliament.

It is the month in which we bear witness to the progress, richness and diversity of African-Canadian achievement.

During the 1920’s an African American named Carter G. Woodson created and promoted Negro History Week. This period in February was chosen because it included the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976 the month-long celebration was implemented, and is a time for us all to reflect on both the history and teachings of African-Americans and African-Canadians whose contributions are still too-little known. Below you will find some helpful links about Black History Month.

Ontario Black History Society
The Society was founded in 1978 as a non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion and study of Black history and heritage. Continue reading →

Union Brother David Clifford Marks passed away February 14, 2018, in his 78th year.

Dave was hired at Champion/Volvo Motor Graders in Goderich, Ontario, Canada, as a Machinist Fabricator on April 08, 1974, at that time becoming a member of IAM&AW LL 1863 (now LL 1975). Dave retired on August 01, 2001.

Dave’s funeral is on February 19, 2018. Interment at Brussels Cemetery in the spring.