Thank you to the members of IAM Local 1922 for providing me with the opportunity to attend the November 2018 session of Leadership I at the IAM’s Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, Maryland.

The week-long course was a tremendous and unparalleled learning experience in which I was able to meet, share, collaborate, and build friendships with a diverse cadre of IAM members from across Canada and the US.

The Winpisinger Center, and our dedication to hands-on labour education, is what makes us unique as a union. The learning opportunity offered to our members at the center, to explore how to best fight for dignity and economic and social justice, gives us the power we need as unionists to effect positive change in our communities.

I only hope that I can do right by my fellow members in bringing back what I’ve learned to my Local and workplace”. Stephen Michalowicz
The IAM is the only Union education centre in North America dedicated to the education of its own members.

Last week there was a celebration at the City of Mississauga for IAM District 78 member Mertol Sezer. Mertol has been employed by the City in the custodial department for 19 years.
IAM Rep. Kim Valliere, attended the celebration along with his co-workers and management. Mertol was presented with an IAM watch from Local 1922. Pizza, snacks, desserts, and cake were enjoyed by all who attended.
Mertol is looking forward to his retirement and spending time with family and friends.

On Saturday, a Political Action Meeting was held at IAM District 78 offices. The meeting was well attended, with several Locals and Districts represented. Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall and several staff from the Canadian Office ensured the meeting had an Ontario-wide perspective. The primary objective of the PAC meeting was to define an ongoing and consistent strategy of communicating with the IAM membership and their communities in the political process.
Attendees went away feeling that they had made some great movement in developing that strategy. Hopefully, if the IAM can deliver a consistent, to the point message, our members will have a better understanding of issues that could affect the working lives of themselves, and/or their families. We hope that everyone who attended this meeting, can reach out and talk to some other potential political activists, and bring those members out to our next PAC meeting on Saturday, January 12, 2019.

Montréal, QC – The IAM has broken new ground in the transportation sector in Canada by organizing its first trucking firm.

More than 120 workers employed by Transport Laberge are the newest members of IAM Local Lodge 869 and IAM District Lodge 11.

“This was a six month campaign that initially concentrated on their operations in Montréal,” explained IAM District Lodge 11 Business Representative Luc Frigon. “But once workers at their Québec City operation heard of our campaign, they also wanted representation and contacted us and we quickly signed cards. We won the organizing vote with a 78 per cent acceptance”

The members consist of mechanics, drivers, stores personnel and cleaners.

Transport Leberge transports in excess of 235,000 automobiles each year between major points in North America for the major automobile manufacturers. They specialize in transporting personal cars from Canada to Florida.

Cambridge, ON – It has had three corporate employers and merged with other IAM Local Lodges but one thing has remained constant, only one Union – The IAM. Last week, Local 2330, now part of IAM Local Lodge 103 turned to its past to celebrate its first collective agreement signed 50 years ago.

It began on May 5, 1968 when IAM Local Lodge 2330 signed its first collective agreement with Cello Products, then located on Bishop Street in the town of Preston, Ontario. Wages then were $1.15 an hour and things were pretty good for the members who worked there. Within a year, Cello became part of the Long Manufacturing Division of Borg Warner Canada, four years later Preston was amalgamated with neighbours Galt and Hespeler to form the new City of Cambridge. Over the years, the number of members at the local rose and fell with the state of the local and provincial economy and in 2003 the employer changed names again, this time to the current Dana Canada Corporation. As often is the case with a declining membership, other local lodges with similar problems were merged into Local Lodge 2330. In 2007, LL 863 at Ball Packaging in Burlington was the first, followed by Local Lodge 1547 at Anvil and Norfolk Volunteer Firefighters in Simcoe as well as Local Lodge 1673 at Flowserve in Brantford, both in 2011. Finally in 2013 Local Lodge 2330 merged with the oldest and the first IAM Local Lodge in Canada, 103 of Stratford.

IAM District 78 representatives and delegates, along with more than 300 other IAM participants are on hand for the 2018 IAM Aerospace Conference this week in Fort Worth, TX, the hometown of IAM International President Bob Martinez.
Delegates are participating in breakout sessions, learning about and discussing new technology in the industry, healthcare issues, negotiations, organizing and many other issues affecting members.
The IAM is the largest aerospace Union in Canada and North America.

Fort Worth, TX – “Companies must realize that they are profitable not in spite of this union but because of this union,” said IAM International President Bob Martinez to 300 delegates attending the 2018 IAM Aerospace Conference here.

In his opening remarks, Martinez laid down the gauntlet to aerospace companies destined to bargain with the IAM in the next few years. “It is your actions not your word that will determine if you stand with us or against us,” he told delegates. “This conference comes at a pivotal time in our union’s history and you are the people who make aerospace one of the most important industries in our countries. Just look at the impact,” said Martinez. “The airlines? They wouldn’t get off the ground without Machinists. The fighter jets and missiles keeping us safe, they would not exist if it weren’t for us. The spacecraft leading us to new frontiers? They are built and launched by Machinist Union members. We have a lot to be proud of Brothers and Sisters.”

Edmonton, AB – Fifty Business Representatives and office staff from United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401 are the newest members of the IAM.

“IAM District Lodge 14 Directing Business Representative Kevin Clark and myself, held several meetings with both the staff and the Business Representatives before they decided to join us,” explained IAM Grand Lodge Representative and Organizer Scott Jackson. “One of our strong points was that we already represent UFCW National Business Representatives.”

UFCW Local 401 covers all of Alberta and represents more than 30,000 UFCW members. The IAM also represents Business Representatives from IBEW Local 1687, the Elementary Teachers of Toronto, the Canadian Labour Congress and the Nova Scotia Government Employees staff representatives.

New executive officers and stewards ink Newest Charter!

Hollywood, MD – Four interim executive officers and 23 stewards representing homecare workers at Spectrum Healthcare signed a new charter for IAM Local Lodge 1231 during leadership training this week at the IAM W3 Education Centre.

IAM International President Bob Martinez, General Secretary Treasurer Dora Cervantes, IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall and IAM Grand Lodge Representatives Ralph Martin and Scott Jackson witnessed the signing

“We are pleased and privileged to have these new members at our training centre,” said a proud IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall. “They’re here to learn how to do their best to represent their membership and our training centre provides the best Union education in the world.”

IAM International President Bob Martinez also took the opportunity to administer the Oath of Office to the new interim executive officers of Local Lodge 1231 and all of the Stewards attending this week.

A small group of Local 1863 Retiree Club members and spouses visited the Canadian Trailer Company for a tour of the assembly line in the old Champion/Volvo building.