October 2017

Senator Bernie Sanders in Toronto: "Public health is a human right!"

TORONTO – U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders addressed a vibrant speech last Sunday on the Canadian public health care system to an enthusiastic and energized crowd at the University of Toronto. Senator Sanders was visiting Canada last week to get ideas from experts, politicians and medical workers on the Canadian universal health care system. He introduced a Bill in Congress to bring a government funded health system to his home country.

Convention 2020 fundraising off to good start

Toronto, ON – Although the 40th IAM Grand Lodge Convention in San Diego doesn’t happen until September 2020, preparations began immediately after the 39th convention wrapped up in Chicago in 2016. Conventions like ours cost a considerable amount of money and require a tremendous amount of work from each and every IAM member on both sides of the border. To ensure that 2020 is a success, fund raising by local

Aviation Safety Study – A Waste of Taxpayer’s Time and Money!

By Carlos DaCosta – IAM Canadian Airline Coordinator On April 2017, the IAM made a presentation to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (SCOTIC) regarding Aviation safety concerns our members are experiencing in the air transport sector in Canada. The IAM received a response from Minister of Transport, Marc Garneau on October 18, 2017 and was very disappointed. The IAM’s submission dealt with two separate areas of concerns:

CIRB decision highlights Transportation DL 140 Conference

Toronto, ON – The highlight of the IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 convention here was the announcement that the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) told Garda Security Screening, it’s Screening Point Managers (SPM’S) at Toronto airports have the right to join the IAM.     That decision stems from unfair labour practices charges filed with the board last month against Garda by IAM Transportation District Lodge 140. In an interim order,

NAFTA Termination a Real Possibility

Old FTA not a slam dunk! Ottawa, ON – The next round of NAFTA talks are slated for Mexico City from November 17-21, 2017 and as the expression goes, the words may change but the song remains the same. U.S. President Donald Trump says he’ll cancel NAFTA if he can’t get a deal but his firm deadline of the end of this year has now been extended to March 2018.

Garda Screening Point Managers can join the IAM

Toronto, ON – The Canada Industrial Relations Board has told Garda Security Screening Inc. that its Screening Point Managers (SPM’s) at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport have the right to join the IAM. The decision stems from unfair labour practices filed with the board against Garda by IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 last month. The board also ordered Garda to reinstate IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 General Chairperson Barrington Burnett who

Airbus-Bombardier and guaranteed jobs until 2041

Tuesday October 17, 2017 For Immediate Release   Montréal, QC – “The finest aircraft to be have been developed in the past 30 years is now affiliated with a major global aircraft manufacturer,” said IAM Québec Coordinator David Chartrand. He was reacting to news late yesterday that Bombardier had sold a majority stake in its C-Series passenger jet program to European aerospace giant Airbus for no cost. “A major player

NAFTA’S Chapter 11 – why it has to go!

Toronto, ON – The Investor-state dispute mechanism under the current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is known as Chapter 11. It enables investors in NAFTA countries to sue the government of any member country. Only foreign companies are authorized to intent lawsuits. This chapter was originally drafted to prevent companies from being expropriated or victims of unfair treatment by countries with unstable governments. Remember that key point, unstable governments,

IAM Aerospace Workers Reply to the Judgement of the U.S. Department of Commerce

For immediate release Montreal, October 16th, 2017 Judgement of the U.S. Department of Commerce: Aerospace workers reply Montreal – Following the imposition of a countervailing duty of 220% and an anti-dumping duty of 79.82% by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Machinists Union (IAMAW) has replied by launching a communications campaign aimed at raising awareness and mobilizing the general public. “We are facing measures that are dangerous for the stability

Ferguson wins NDP long term service award

Cambridge, ON – IAM District Lodge 78 Directing Business Representative Derek Ferguson is the recipient of the 2017 Monty Davidson NDP-Labour Award. The award is given each year by the Cambridge NDP Riding Association to an individual for life long service to working people. The award is named after the late Monty Davidson, the first Cambridge MPP elected under the NDP banner in 1975. Ferguson, a member of the Cambridge