Category Archives: Organizing

Honor the Spirit of Labor Day

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Dear IAM Family,

As we gather to celebrate Labor Day, let’s not just celebrate with a cookout or another day off but take time to truly honor the spirit that ignited this holiday over a century ago.

IAM Delegates from across North America are coming together this week for the 41st IAM Grand Lodge Convention in New York City, where, in 1882, the streets were filled with a parade of different labor unions, followed by a massive picnic where workers from all walks of life came together in solidarity. This was the birth of Labor Day, a tribute started by IAM member Matthew Maguire to honor the determination of working men and women who demanded fairness, safety, and respect in their workplaces.

Labor Day is a celebration of us and the communities we help thrive. It’s a powerful reminder that from those early parades to today’s picket lines, our collective voice, our unity, has the power to shape a better future. We are not alone in this fight. We are part of a larger movement, and our strength lies in our solidarity.

The fight for a national labor holiday echoed these same sentiments in Canada. In 1894, Prime Minister John Thompson’s government made Labor Day official, solidifying the recognition of workers’ contributions across the country.

Today, the IAM stands tall across North America, continuing the legacy of fighting for every worker, regardless of industry. We are united in our mission to secure fair wages, safe conditions, and the dignity every worker deserves.

According to Gallup’s annual survey of union favorability, 70% of Americans approve of labor unions, which is near a 60-year high.

Let’s celebrate our hard-won victories this Labor Day and recommit to the ongoing fight for justice. Our work is not done, and our commitment to securing fair wages, safe conditions, and the dignity every worker deserves is unwavering. Let’s use this day to reignite our determination and continue our fight.

Together, we’ll build a future where every worker’s voice is heard, every job is secure, and every family thrives.

Sincerely,

Brian Bryant
International President

The State of Our Union on the IAM’s 136th Birthday

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Dear IAM Family,

Happy 136th birthday to the IAM! It’s a testament to all of you, and all those who came before us, that our great union has risen from a railroad pit in Atlanta in 1888 to the powerful force for working people that we are today.

Since having the honor of becoming the IAM’s 15th International President on Jan. 1, myself and your Executive Council have hit the ground running to build on our successes.

We are listening to you – our membership. We are organizing and growing our union. We are embracing our diversity. Most of all, we are moving the IAM into an even brighter future.

Led by membership input gathered last year by the IAM Committee on the Future, myself and your Executive Council are already implementing changes to strengthen our union. We are working toward new ways of communicating with our members and branding our union, expanding mentorship and training opportunities, improving our union’s structure, and much more. 

And, our renewed focus on organizing is paying off. The IAM was amongst the fastest growing unions in 2023, and this year, we’ve already won campaigns to represent airline workers, healthcare professionals, artificial intelligence workers, manufacturing workers and more.

We are taking on employers big and small and winning record gains for our members. And, we are realizing our true potential by investing in the leadership of women and other under-represented groups through our new IAM Human Rights Department, and more.

As I continue to travel North America to meet our membership and hear your ideas, I am more hopeful than ever about the future of the IAM. Every day, we are moving closer to fulfilling our purpose of delivering security, dignity and opportunity for all.

Most of all, thank you to all of you for being a part of this journey. Together, we will continue to inspire, empower and create this more perfect union.

In solidarity,

Brian Bryant
International President

Resources for our Brothers and Sisters who were affected by the recent layoffs from Stolle Machinery

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Colorado Department of Labor
CDLE connects job seekers with great jobs, provides an up-to-date and accurate picture of
the economy to help decision making, assists workers who have been injured on the job,
ensures fair labor practices, helps those who have lost their jobs by providing temporary wage
replacement through unemployment benefits, and protects the workplace – and Colorado
communities – with a variety of consumer protection and safety programs.
https://cdle.colorado.gov/

Connect for Health Colorado
The Health Insurance Marketplace for Coloradans: Connect for Health
Colorado works to expand access, affordability and choice for individuals
purchasing health insurance throughout our state.
https://co.colorado.gov/access-connect-health-colorado-states-health-
insurance-marketplace

Cesar Alvarado 720-251-6855
Brandy Cronberg 303-921-9682
Garry Harper 720-490-2795

Machinists Union Celebrates Black History Month

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Machinists Union Celebrates Black History Month

February 2, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/embed/tNz06skng3E?width=640&height=360&autoplay&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goiam.org

Black History Month is a time to celebrate the fullness of African American history and culture while honoring the triumphs and struggles of African-Americans throughout U.S. history.

Black History Month has been celebrated since 1926 when Carter Woodson proclaimed a week in February “Negro History Week.” Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the entire month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada, also devote February to celebrating Black history in their respective countries.

The fight for equal rights still continues today. The IAM shares in that same fight, and has fought for Civil Rights even before the historic passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

IAM leaders knew racial equality could not be achieved without participation in every part of our union. IAM Shop Steward training played a critical role, and IAM leadership ensured a focus on recruiting and training African American men to become shop stewards going back to at least the 1950s. 

In January of 1963, Local 1781 in San Mateo, CA announced that a multiracial group of members successfully passed the Stewards Training Course. That same year, Local 1666 in Stamford, CT, had a basketball team comprised of eight players, six Black, and two white members. Teams like these continued throughout many lodges through the 1960s.

One act for justice can cause ripple effects that change the world. So don’t hesitate to get involved and support the labor movement’s push for equality. You can become a member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) or the A. Philip Randolph Institute, constituency groups that work with unions to ensure the rights of our African-American brothers and sisters are protected. 

The Fighting Machinists continue to make impacts in the community and have had a large presence recently at the AFL Martin Luther King, Jr Civil, and Human Rights Conference and March.