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Writer's pictureShawn Vanderjack

Vertex Bargaining Committee Receives World Class Training


The IAMAW Local Lodge 18, Vertex bargaining committee is gearing up for negotiations on behalf of the members at the Meridian, Mississippi location. Vertex Aerospace is a service contract company that builds and maintains equipment for the United States government.

IAMAW Local Lodge 18 voted in favor of sending two outstanding members to the IAM's own Winpisinger Center of Education and Technology. The IAM is the only union in the United States that owns its own labor school, in fact many of the classes qualify for college credits.


IAMAW Local Lodge 18 members, Amy Bannister, Sarah Gifford and their Business Representative John Piatt spent a week at our facility in Hollywood, Maryland learning the ins and outs of contract negotiations. The course "negotiation prep" focuses on what to expect, preparing proposals, member communications, labor law, committee conduct, and even a mock negotiation exercises with some of the best in the labor movement.


"My name is Amy Bannister. My job here at Vertex is an Aviation Life Support Equipment mechanic. I work on the AIMD side in Meridian, MS. My job is scheduled maintenance on life preservers, life rafts, parachutes, oxygen regulators, oxygen hoses, and ejection seat survival kits."


Sarah Giffard works as a Calibration and Avionics Lead at NAS Meridian for V2X. She specializes in manage workload, communications, and customer service for the Calibration and Avionics work centers. Sarah is also a Calibration Program Manager for the T45 program at NAS Meridian. She is responsible for scheduling service and calibration of test equipment use in maintenance and support of T45 aircraft, also tracking of equipment scheduled for offsite Calibration.

The IAM is not a union that just comes in and implements a contract. Our members nominate and elect from the shop floor to represent their interests at the table. Our members are assisted by a skilled negotiator like Business Representative John Piatt who knows the law, contract framing and the industry. It's important to have both members and a Business Rep at the bargaining table, our rep can easily see through the lawyer jargon and our members know the ins and outs of their workplace.

Vertex AIMD in Meridian, Mississippi is in good hands!

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