Granted there are some GOOD unions-Im just NOT feeling it with this one--
IMHO, I feel they are on the company best side..
Another would be preferred-maybe, I'll start a petition..
The IAM's INTL, District, and Local structure allows for fairness. I have been an IAM member for 8 years now and have attempted other organizing drives. The fundamental problem, as I see it, is that the District has been hijacked and is a long way from home. IMO, the District was able to do this because of various mergers that left different languages on the ramp and at least a dozen chiefs. And then the America West merger culminated in yet another language and the District became even more arrogant, so arrogant that it thought it could slide the worst contract under the sun pass the members.
Not so ironically, the last TA brought an incredible wave of solidarity and energy that sparked my interest that perhaps things were solid enough with the membership to make changes within the IAM structure, as opposed to soliciting other unions. Specifically, changes to the Canale District Officer team would have to happen if the membership would ever have representation.
For this to happen, egos had to be put aside and members who once despised eachother had to talk to eachother. That has happened. A network has been formed from west to east, small station to hub, and leaders from each station understand what we have to do to keep the solidarity AND to change the District leadership which has become full blown corrupt, arrogant, and company.
Along the way, we made contacts with United Airline workers, who much to our surprise, felt the same way and wanted to make the IAM, our IAM.
To do this, we had to start at the Local level. At both United and US AIRWAYS, local grievance committees that were kissing up to Canale for $100,000 bucks were kicked out at every turn. These are those that you never hear of anymore.
The membership had to 'scorch the earth' at the local level first. This happened at UA and US. Now with Local control, the support existed to take the District back to the members. A slate was established with Local grievance chairs, Local Presidents, ect, from HNL to New York and is now in position to be placed on the ballot. The "Scorched Earth" campaign will have to happen at the District level also since Canale's Crew has hijacked the interest of the members because of personal greed and company sympathy.
I have had the privilige of being a part of this 'scorched earth campaign policy' and our confidence is in the membership. It will be the membership that will see this done and it will be the membership that will finally kick Canale and his slate back to management [or the ramp] where they belong. To accomplish this, we believe the membership will fill the local halls in Februrary so that their interest will once again be made known to the management whores at UA and US. The bigger the turnouts, the bigger the voice is heard.
In conclusion, I often said, it is easier to change the union than the leadership. However, with solidarity, it is easy to see that the leadership can be changed without changing the union. Stick with the IAM, join the network that is working within the INTL constitution, and with one language from coast to coast it is my belief that this IAM can be a fighting machinists IAM. Did I say that? Yes I did.
regards,
Tim Nelson
IAM Local Chairman, 1487, Chicago
