IAM Northwest District 250

Richmond Honda Bargaining

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:33:46 +0000

Talks have come to a halt after the employer refuses to provide a
livable wage to its employee’s. With a proposal of one percent
increase in each of a three year agreement employee’s will not be
able to keep up with the cost of living. Although A 72 hour
strike notice was served on January 17 IAM employees remain
on the job for now in hope of getting to a fair deal.

: Richmond Honda IAM Members Serve 72 Hour Strike Notice

From the Desk of the Director

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:03:59 +0000

Sisters and Brothers:

Happy New Year!

On behalf of the Officers, Business Representatives, and staff of Northwest District 250, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best for the 2010. We have made it through 2009 – one of our most difficult years on record – and we take this opportunity to thank all of you for your ongoing support and solidarity.

In the coming year, we will all do our best to survive the Winter Olympics, and will seek opportunity to grow our membership in new ways. We are now seeing the signs of economic recovery, and business economists are predicting a turn-around in employment for workers in all sectors.

With the Christmas Season behind us, there has been time for us to reflect upon the hardships we endured through 2009. Certainly, for all of us as a Union, this was the most challenging year of this decade. We saw our membership drop significantly as the impact of the recession hit hard – especially in our manufacturing and heavy industry sectors. IAM-represented workers were laid off across most sectors where we represent them (the exception being our automotive sector, where there is still moderate demand for Automotive Technicians). Membership levels were reduced by 10-15%, with a corresponding reduction in operating revenue for our District. In many other workplaces we saw our membership enter into EI-sponsored workshare agreements.

With the loss of membership in 2009, your Business Representatives and secretarial staff both undertook substantial cost-saving initiatives (elimination of auto allowances and work-sharing arrangements, respectively), and the Local Lodges increased their contributions returned to the District – all in an effort to maintain our levels of service to our membership. At the same time, it was a heavy year for negotiations and grievances – with many employers seeking concessions. We bargained dozens of automotive and small shop agreements; and we bargained for over six consecutive months with Finning (concluding negotiations with a zero-cost agreement, but with no concessions).

In 2010 we are looking towards building our District Union back up, and we are seeking your help. In the IAMAW organizing is our number one priority.

We know that our Unionized workplaces have been difficult for our members, even with first class IAMAW representation. We also know that there are many non-Union workplaces where the employees do not have any representation at all, and in those workplaces employees are at the whims of their employers.

They have no seniority, no paid benefits, no job security, and no assurance of a living wage rate. They have no assurance of respect and dignity in their workplaces. In summary, they have no guarantees whatsoever.

We know that many of you have friends and family members who have been treated unfairly in their workplace; we also know that you would like to help them.

Introduce them to IAM District 250; we can help them to organize their own Union and gain strong, professional representation as IAM members with a solid Collective Agreement. Their anonymity is assured, and we will do all we can to build for them a better workplace. We also know that many of your co-workers have been laid off in the past year, and now find themselves in those same no-union workplaces – we want to help them get back to the IAM.

Please contact your own Business Rep or our District 250 offices at the numbers shown on this letter for more information. Once again, best wishes for success in 2010. We look forward to working with you all in the coming year.

Stay Rock Solid!

Stan Pickthall

Directing Business Representative

Communication Conference opens in Vancouver

admin — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:02:46 +0000

The New IAM Website was launched
this week providing more interaction
and accessibility



Communication Director Rick Sloan

Finning Bargaining update Finning Employees Vote Yes

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:00:15 +0000

Finning employees voted 75% in favor of a mediated final offer for a two year agreement

Hilights from 2009 Labour Day Picnic

admin — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 04:54:53 +0000

District 250 Rewards

admin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:32:42 +0000

Do you know of a group of workers who need representation? Employer treating them poorly? Wages and benefits substandard? Job opportunities not handled in objective fashion? Favoritism in the workplace creating dissension and unhappiness?

We have a solution for these employees: Join the IAM!

And as an incentive for you as the member who provides the contact information to us, there is a reward of $25.00 per working member who is brought into the Union as a result of a successful organizing campaign.

This program has paid dividends in the past: a member at Richmond Honda provided us with a contact at another Honda Dealership—Vancouver Honda. After the Union reached a successful contract with the Vancouver Honda owners, the IAM member received a cheque for approximately $300.

And the greater benefit is that your friends, relatives, and colleagues in non-Union workplaces can enjoy the benefits of Union representation: fair wages, fair working conditions, and a voice in building an equitable workplace.

Contact District 250 Organizers at (604) 513-3883 for more information on how you can work to build a stronger Union.