LL 1005 News

A NEW YEAR, A NEW IAM DISTRICT!

Now We’re IAM DISTRICT W24

By Joe Kear

Business Representative-Organizer

When you thought of the Machinists Union in Portland, you probably thought of the locals in District 24, and the jobs we represent in the Portland area including Boeing, various machine shops, Gerber Knives, Johnson Controls, ConMet, Silver Eagle Manufacturing, the Daimler Truck Plant, diesel mechanic shops, etc. Now we are much more than that, with the creation of the new International Association of Machinists District W24. Our new district organization is chartered to cover Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and yes, even Alaska and Hawaii.

Beginning January 1, our former District 24 no longer exists. Instead we are part of a newly merged district with the IAM Woodworkers District W1. Woodworkers have been part of the IAM since 1994. Woodworkers District W1 has offices in Gladstone, Oregon and has IAM represented shops and mills in some areas of Oregon and Washington where we also have represented shops. Our new combined District W24 is the result of several years of discussions, with a merger agreement reached in October of 2010 and ratified by the District 24 Delegate Council and the District W1 Executive Board. The new District W24 has been approved by our IAM International Executive Council.

Why merge? We have been struggling with expenses during difficult economic times which have resulted in layoffs and fewer members. For instance, we began 2007 with 1300 members at the Daimler Truck Plant and we are beginning this year with 500 members. Our district membership has dropped to about 2800. We have seen large layoffs on the Woodworkers side too. What is the answer? Help people get the Union going at non-represented workplaces. But that takes resources too. A combination of the staffs and the local leaderships from both District 24 and District W1 is a great way to maximize the effectiveness of our organizing efforts. This is the way forward for our Union, and for working people in the Northwest. The newly created District W24 represents a hope of reaching out and helping people who really need representation and rights on the job. We can leverage the strength of our combined numbers to make this a reality. It isn’t an easy task, but with the support of all members and some dedicated work, we can make our organizing efforts succeed.

Of course we can also save money by sharing resources and not duplicating services or areas we represent. That means eventually leaving the current Machinists Building on 32^nd Ave. near Powell Blvd. That building jointly belongs to three Portland locals (63, 1005, 1432), and they have all voted to look into placing the building up for sale. For the time being though, this will still be your location for meetings and for your dues office and your business representative.

By the ratified merger agreement, Bob Wilson from the Woodworkers side is the new President / Directing Business Representative. Bob Petroff from former District 24, Steve Wilson from the Woodworkers W1, and Chip Elliott from the Woodworkers W1 are Assistant Directing Business Representatives. Dan Sass from former District 24 is the Secretary-Treasurer.

Bob Wilson, Dan Sass, Bob Petroff,

President/ DBR Secretary-Treasurer ADBR

Steve Wilson, Chip Elliott,

ADBR ADBR

President/DBR Bob Wilson, and Assistant DBR’s Bob Petroff, Steve Wilson, and Chip Elliott attended the monthly Local 63 and Local 1005 shop steward classes in December to explain how the merger will work.

Bob Wilson offered that “you need to see the merger agreement.” He promised to make the merger agreement and the new District W24 bylaws available to all members very soon. “There are no secrets,” he said. He explained that the merger will not affect the functioning of your local, or your local meeting, except that the meeting location may change in the future. The Labor Press will still be the method of communication to you. The locals on the Woodworkers side have been receiving a newsletter, which will be continued for the time being. The governing body for the new District W24 is a Delegate Council, which will meet at least twice a year. An Executive Board, consisting of the five officers mentioned above, also includes four trustees: John Hall of Local 63, Ray Simonis of Local 1005 and Mike Heuer and Gary Lokan from the Woodworkers side.

Assistant Directing Business Representative Steve Wilson commented that the merger is not between strangers. “We have worked together on the Oregon Machinist Council, on the annual Legislative Conference and more.” He explained that the merger is “the right thing to do. We are dying on the vine if we don’t put it together.” Our new District W24 puts us in the position to focus on organizing.

Bob Wilson commented that Woodworkers side has been aggressive about organizing over the last 18 months. “We have won 6 out of 8 campaigns. We are organizing because it helps us at negotiations. Everyone fails together if we aren’t organized. If we are, we rise together.”

Bob Wilson also pointed out that “…in the long run we will be spending less on administration.” But he emphasized “We won’t sacrifice representation.” He explained that we are combining about 60 union contracts under former District W1 and about the same number under former District 24 for a total of 120 contracts. Add a total membership of over 6000 and a much larger area to cover than the old District 24 and we have a lot to work with.

The former IAM Woodworkers District W1 has approximately 3400 members with locals and union offices in California, Idaho and Washington as well as Oregon. In Oregon there are three locals: W12 in Klamath Falls, W246 in Springfield and W261 in Central Point. Oregon members work at several locations of Weyerhaeuserincluding in Springfield, Collins Products in Klamath Falls, Timber Products in Medford, Georgia Pacific in Coos Bay and Sierra Pine in Springfield. There are five locals in Washington: W2 in Aberdeen, W38 in Shelton, W130 in Centralia, W157 in Tacoma and W536 in Longview. IAM Woodworkers locals represent loggers and drivers as well as every position associated with a mill: electricians, millwrights, machinists, operators, electronic techs and mechanics.

Woodworkers locals also represent public workers in several smaller cities and towns, including Reedsport, Winston, and Elkton in Oregon. Recently the Woodworkers have successfully organized healthcare workers and auto mechanics. If you want to learn more about this part of our newly combined District W24, look up the former District W1 web site at: http://www.woodworkersdist1iam.org.

The next time you think of your union, you can think with pride that our new District W24 represents many different occupations and trades and regions of the Northwest and we are stronger for that. And if you know someone who is in need of a union at their job, remember to tell them about your own IAM District W24. With this new district, the IAM is in a good position to represent them too!