MACHINISTS UNION
Welcome to the first step to becoming a member of one of the largest Labor Unions. As the Organizer for District W2021, I want to congratulate you on taking that first step and doing some research. There are tons of reasons why someone would want to form a Union in their workplace, each reason
If you are interested in talking to a Union Organizer about joining our union, please fill out the survey below and click submit, an organizer will respond shortly.
Note-We are not a hiring hall, we help workers form a union at their current workplaces.
A union is not an outside entity that comes in and makes unilateral changes in your workplace, a union is YOU and your co-workers joining together to acquire a binding contract that everyone can live with. The IAM has trained negotiators to be your voice at the bargaining table with an elected bargaining committee from the shop floor to make sure your interests and needs are being fought for. We have a staff made up of skilled attorneys to hold the employer accountable under federal and state laws if it's deemed necessary to go that route, and almost 700,000 active and retired members to show solidarity when needed.
There are many reasons for wanting to join a union. Maybe your employer makes promises they don't keep, maybe management is constantly making mistakes and blaming it on team members. A union holds your employer accountable in the same way that its employees are accountable.
When you and your co-workers vote to join a union, the company is obligated under federal law to bargain with you and your co-workers.
These mandatory subjects of bargaining include Monetary Subjects which involve wages, vacation, retirement, holiday pay, sick pay, health insurance, shift differential, premium pay, overtime pay and anything else that has a cost. The law also states that the company must bargain in good faith, so no reverse bargaining.
Working Conditions which include breaks, safety, seniority, job bidding, awarding overtime, forced overtime and timeframe of notice, changes in shift schedule notices, disciplinary steps, promotions and even company provided water and cooling fans in hot work areas.
Hours of Labor which define shift schedules, overtime hours, on call guidelines, and anything else that may affect an employees work life balance.
Many of our members enjoy overtime pay and joining a union does not jeopardize that; a union simply helps establish a practice that is fair.
Example: When an extra shift is needed, a fair practice may be to have a sign-up sheet. Most senior employee's that want to work will get first choice. If there aren't enough people to run the shift, the least senior qualified employees may be forced. Employees can only be forced to work 2 overtime shifts per month.
(Language like this allows for the OT hungry employees to get all they want and the folks that need time for family or personal reasons to have that option.)