WE ARE ON STRIKE!!
Update for 11-18-05
Press Release: Machinists Launch on Boeing Rocket Safety
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Machinists Launch on Boeing Rocket Safety
Cape Canaveral, FL, November 17, 2005 – The International Association of Machinists
and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is charging the Boeing Co. with circumventing critical safety regulations in an attempt to meet
launch deadlines for NASA’s plutonium powered New Horizons mission. The Machinists Union represents striking technicians
at Boeing’s launch facility at Cape Canaveral, FL.
“There are personnel currently working on this project that do not meet Air Force requirements
for hazardous operations such as cranes, tools and test equipment,” said IAM spokesman Bob Wood. “At particular
risk is the Pluto-bound New Horizons mission, planned for a January launch, carrying 24 pounds of highly radioactive plutonium.”
IAM-represented technicians employed by Boeing at Cape Canaveral struck on Nov. 2 after Boeing
proposed massive concessions in health care for current and future employees. The same proposals led to a costly 4-week strike
at Boeing’s Commercial Aircraft facilities in Kansas, Oregon and Washington.
“Boeing’s practice of using unqualified and inexperienced replacement workers
is a recipe for disaster,” warned Wood. “The Air Force’s Range Safety department at the Cape has already
issued two Corrective Action Reports (CAR), both in the first week of the strike. The Air Force has threatened to shut down
the project if one more CAR is issued.”
“A single error by a replacement worker could cost them their life,” said Wood.
“The last thing we want to see is a similar error with radioactive material on board.”
Full certification and familiarization on flight hardware processing normally takes approximately
one year. After the IAM presented their concerns to NASA, Boeing ordered employees to cease speaking with IAM representatives
about safety issues. NASA has yet to give the IAM a promised answer to their concerns.
“Secrecy and safety don’t mix,” added Wood. “A cover-up isn’t
what we need. For everyone’s safety, we need a full and complete investigation into Boeing’s actions. The stakes
are just too high to do otherwise.”
Update for 11-06-05
Labor
News
International Assoc. of Machinists
Western Territory Office
5402 Bolsa Ave, Huntington Bch, CA 92647
Ph: 714 898-9141
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
November 6, 2005 – Huntington Beach, CA: Hundreds of members of the Machinists union still staff the picket lines at Boeing. Pickets are being
maintained 24-7 at most of the eight locations where members of the IAM&AW are on strike against Boeing. Currently
there are no plans for the negotiating teams for the two sides to meet and attempt to resolve the dispute.
Machinists
member Bill Davis said, “I’m a Vietnam veteran, and I stood
up to make this country better for all of us. I am disappointed that Boeing doesn’t share that dream, and has
forced us into this fight. Our children will need good jobs, they will need to have protections when their careers are
over. I will not give in, we are on the right side of this fight, and my sisters and brothers here are just as committed.”
Despite posting
a Billion dollars in net income over the past quarter, Boeing has insisted on concessions from its workers. Their attempt
to take away retiree medical from future workers, and remove caps on employee out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare, resulted
in a 28-day strike by the machinists union members at Boeings’ commercial division. Despite the fact that the
workers were able to protect those two items through the strike, Boeing insisted on forcing the same concessions at the workers
from their Space Systems Division.
------- end of release -------
in solidarity,
Kevin Cummings
IAMAW Western
U.S. Communications Representative
Office: 916
985-8101 Fax: 916 985-8121
Update for 11-04-05
Feel free to copy the following to use as a handout for people who stop to ask about the strike.
This is NOT about money!!!
The main issues are that Boeing wants to remove limits on our out-of-pocket expenses for medical premiums and
co-pays, and they want to take away retiree medical from workers who hire in after us. Those that will hire into Boeing in
the future are our children and grandchildren – those are all the kids in the community. This is America, we don’t
line up to agree to harm our kids. Today’s retirees have it bad enough, and we have no intention of voting to make sure
the next generation of senior’s have it worse.
SHAME ON BOEING FOR FORCING US INTO THIS FIGHT.
We are benefiting from the gains made by those who went before us, and we don’t have the right to give
it away, especially after Boeing just posted ONE BILLION in net income last quarter.
We have made concessions in the past, when Boeing was in trouble, but that is not the case today.
We are NOT fighting for improvements; we are fighting to protect what we already have.
Update for 11-01-05
The
Boeing Company has chosen to ignore the Federal mediator and has walked out of negotiations. We'll see you on the picket lines!
Labor News
International Assoc. of Machinists
Western Territory
Office
6402 Bolsa Ave,
Huntington Bch, CA 92647
Ph: 714 898-9141
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
October 31, 2005
– Huntington Beach, CA: As a strike is set to begin at one minute after midnight Tuesday evening, the Machinists
union has been contacted by a Federal Mediator in an effort to avoid work stoppages at several Boeing facilities. The
meeting is scheduled for tomorrow morning between the IAM, the mediator and Boeing. As reported earlier, six locations
represented by the IAM are set to strike the Space and Defense Systems unit of Boeing. Five of the locations are in
California, with two located in Huntington Beach, and one each in Torrance, Edwards AFB and Vandenberg; the sixth location
is Cape Canaveral in Florida.
In
addition to those six locations, two more Boeing SDS units have also voted to strike the company. Two units in Alabama,
one in Huntsville and one in Decatur, voted Saturday to reject the company’s final offer and are also preparing to strike.
Eighty-four percent of the workers in Huntsville rejected the offer, and ninety-one percent in Decatur also turned in down.
The two locations in Alabama have also set Tuesday evening at one minute after midnight as their strike deadline.
The
main issues at each of the eight locations are the absence of a cap on out-of pocket medical costs, and the removal of retiree
medical coverage for any future employees. Dick Schneider, overall coordinator of all Boeing negotiations for the union,
said “We hope tomorrow’s meeting will result in something that addresses the concerns of our members. Our
people are prepared to fight as long as they have to in order to get a fair contract. We will not sell out future workers;
previous generations fought to give retiree medical to us, and we refuse to give it away and deny the people who come after
us. Especially since Boeing just reported a net income of over one-billion dollars just last quarter.”
in solidarity,
Kevin
Cummings
IAMAW Western
U.S. Communications Representative
Office: 916 985-8101
Fax: 916 985-8121
