Toronto, ON – Effective January 1, 2019, the new Directing Business Representative of IAM District Lodge 78, is Sister Kim Valliere. She replaces Derek Ferguson who was appointed as Grand Lodge Special Representative for Political Action.

Kim became a member of IAM Local Lodge 2230 in 1990, when she was hired as production worker at Long Manufacturing (Dana Canada) in Cambridge, Ontario. She became a steward in 1991, then served in positions of Health and Safety Co-chair, Workers Health and Safety Center certified instructor, and Vice President before becoming Local Lodge President in 2005.

Valliere has served on the executive of the Ontario Provincial Council of Machinists (OPCM) becoming President in 2010 through 2016.

In 2013, Kim was selected for the mentoring program at District Lodge 78 becoming a Business Representative/Organizer in January 2014.

A 29 year IAM member, Kim has served as executive board member on several community organizations such as; The Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Region, United Way of Waterloo, Waterloo Regional Labour Council, and the Cambridge NDP Provincial and Federal Riding Association.

Toronto, ON – IAM Canadian General Vice President Stan Pickthall is pleased to announce that Derek Ferguson has
been appointed Special Representative assigned to Political Action, effective January 1, 2019.

“Derek is being acknowledged for his hard work on behalf of his members, and his dedication to the New Democratic
Party on both the Provincial and Federal levels,” said Pickthall. He replaces Grand Lodge Representative Lou
Pagrach who has been assigned to field servicing in Cambridge, Owen Sound, Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay.

Ferguson became a member of IAM Local Lodge 2330 in 1984, when he began work as a Tool and Die Maker at
Dana Canada formerly Long Manufacturing in Cambridge, He served as he Secretary Treasurer of the Local Lodge
for nearly two decades, some of the positions he has held include Steward, Health and Safety Committee Co-Chair,
Shop Committee, and Negotiations Committee member.

He joined IAM District Lodge 78 as an organizer in 2009, becoming a Business Representative in 2010. Ferguson
became Directing Business Representative in 2014, a position he held until this appointment. He has also served as
Vice President of the Waterloo Regional Labour Council and Vice President of the Ontario Provincial Council of
Machinists.

His political ties to the New Democratic Party go back more than 30 years as a member of both the Provincial and
Federal Riding Associations. “My political involvement is well established,” I look forward to working with IAM
members and staff across the country to help overcome the challenges we will face in this ever changing political
climate ….”

At GKN in St. Thomas, we recently wound up our United Way drive with a lunch. The lunch tickets were entered into a draw for donated prizes from vendors and our Union, the IAM, including T-shirts, hats and golf balls.
We also made donations through payroll deductions, which are then entered into a draw for bigger prizes, including $125 donated by our IAM Local 1975.
This year our goal was to raise $17,000 and after a lot of hard work, we managed to raise over $20,000 for local charities.
We also have a Christmas tree set up in the cafeteria with stockings on it with gift suggestions. Here is a picture of the tree taken in early December. I think we will be making Christmas merrier for a lot of kids.
Ken Atterbury, Local 1975

Cambridge, ON – The members of IAM Local Lodge 103 have ratified their first collective agreement with Cambridge Shelter Corporation.

“They fought us hard getting unionized earlier this year and again during negotiations, this was a long and tough battle,” said IAM Grand Lodge Organizer Scott Jackson. “The members and the negotiations committee of Joyann Robbins, Eric Johnson and Dean Hislop stayed strong and achieved their goal.”

The one-year agreement provides the membership with job security and a grievance procedure. Other agreement highlights include:

IAM Pension plan
Improved vacation benefits
Bereavement leave
Modest wage increase for most employees Continue reading →

Union Brother Jeff Bissett passed away November 21, 2018 at the age of 50 years.

Jeff was hired at Champion/Volvo Motor Graders in Goderich Ontario, Canada, May 20, 1986 in the Welding Dept. at that time becoming a member of IAM&AW LL 1863 (now LL 1975).

Jeff was there until the plant closed in 2009.

Jeff’s Funeral is November 26, 2018 at the McCallum & Palla Funeral Home in Goderich. Interment Maitland Cemetery.

On Monday, at IAM District 78 office in Toronto, eager workplace stewards attended a basic stewards seminar. The IAM knows that the Local stewards are the primary connection most members have with their Union. This training will help them to better assist and deal with their members in the workplace

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.