International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Encyclopedia
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is an AFL-CIO
/CLC
trade union
representing approx. 646,933 workers as of 2006 in more than 200 industries.
s meeting in a locomotive
pit in Atlanta, Georgia
calling themselves "The Order of United Machinist and Mechanical Engineers." The organization remained secret for several years due to employer hostility toward organized labor. Despite the secrecy, the membership continued to grow thanks to "boomers", men who traveled from place to place looking for work on the railroads. Within a year 40 locals were established. At that point machinists made 20 to 25 cents an hour for a ten hour day. In 1889 the first Machinist Union convention was held with 34 locals represented, in the chambers of the Georgia State Senate. Tom Talbot was elected "Grand Master Machinist" and the IAM monthly journal was started. Also, at the convention the union's name was changed to "National Association of Machinists." The next year, 1890, the first Canadian local, Local Lodge 103, was chartered in Stratford, Ontario
as well as locals in Mexico
. Since The NAM had spread all over North America
the union
once again changed their name, this time to "The International Association of Machinists." The national headquarters was then moved to Richmond, Virginia
.
In 1982, due to individual and corporate bankruptcies IAM membership dropped to 820,211 from a high of 927,000 in 1973. Also, in 1982 boycott was initiated by the IAM against Brown & Sharpe
, a machine, precision, measuring and cutting tool manufacturer, headquartered in Rhode Island
. The boycott was called after the firm refused to bargain in good faith (withdrawing previously negotiated clauses in the contract), and forced the union into a strike, during which police sprayed pepper gas on some 800 picketers at the company's North Kingston plant in early 1982. Three weeks later, a machinist narrowly escaped serious injury when a shot fired into the picket line hit his belt buckle.
The National Labor Relations Board
later charged Brown & Sharpe with regressive bargaining, and of entering into negotiations with the express purpose of not reaching an agreement with the union.
On September 7, 2008
the union began a strike
against Boeing
over issues with outsourcing
, job security
, pay and benefits.
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
/CLC
Canadian Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in English Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated.- Formation :...
trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
representing approx. 646,933 workers as of 2006 in more than 200 industries.
Formation and early history
The IAM was formed in 1888 by 19 machinistMachinist
A machinist is a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts, primarily metal parts, a process known as machining. This is accomplished by using machine tools to cut away excess material much as a woodcarver cuts away excess wood to produce his work. In addition to metal, the parts may...
s meeting in a locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
pit in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
calling themselves "The Order of United Machinist and Mechanical Engineers." The organization remained secret for several years due to employer hostility toward organized labor. Despite the secrecy, the membership continued to grow thanks to "boomers", men who traveled from place to place looking for work on the railroads. Within a year 40 locals were established. At that point machinists made 20 to 25 cents an hour for a ten hour day. In 1889 the first Machinist Union convention was held with 34 locals represented, in the chambers of the Georgia State Senate. Tom Talbot was elected "Grand Master Machinist" and the IAM monthly journal was started. Also, at the convention the union's name was changed to "National Association of Machinists." The next year, 1890, the first Canadian local, Local Lodge 103, was chartered in Stratford, Ontario
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
as well as locals in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Since The NAM had spread all over North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
the union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
once again changed their name, this time to "The International Association of Machinists." The national headquarters was then moved to Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
Recent history
IAM membership nearly doubled in the 1950s, in large part part due to the burgeoning airline industry, from 501,000 members in 1949 to 903,000 members in 1958. As a result of the influx of members from the airlines and the new American space program, the delegates voted to change the name to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers at the 1964 convention.In 1982, due to individual and corporate bankruptcies IAM membership dropped to 820,211 from a high of 927,000 in 1973. Also, in 1982 boycott was initiated by the IAM against Brown & Sharpe
Brown & Sharpe
Brown & Sharpe is a division of Hexagon Metrology, Inc., a multinational corporation focused mainly on metrological tools and technology. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Brown & Sharpe was one of the most well-known and influential firms in the machine tool industry...
, a machine, precision, measuring and cutting tool manufacturer, headquartered in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The boycott was called after the firm refused to bargain in good faith (withdrawing previously negotiated clauses in the contract), and forced the union into a strike, during which police sprayed pepper gas on some 800 picketers at the company's North Kingston plant in early 1982. Three weeks later, a machinist narrowly escaped serious injury when a shot fired into the picket line hit his belt buckle.
The National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
later charged Brown & Sharpe with regressive bargaining, and of entering into negotiations with the express purpose of not reaching an agreement with the union.
On September 7, 2008
September 2008
September 2008 was the ninth month of the leap year. It began on a Monday and ended after 30 days on a Tuesday.-Portal:Current events:This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from September 2008....
the union began a strike
Boeing Machinists Strike of 2008
A strike by about 27,000 machinists at Boeing over outsourcing, job security, pay, and benefits began September 7, 2008.The union, International Association of Machinists, and Boeing appeared unwilling to compromise to settle the strike...
against Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
over issues with outsourcing
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
, job security
Job security
Job security is the probability that an individual will keep his or her job; a job with a high level of job security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of becoming unemployed.-Factors affecting job security:...
, pay and benefits.
See also
- League of Independent Workers of the San Joaquin ValleyLeague of Independent Workers of the San Joaquin ValleyThe League of Independent Workers of the San Joaquin Valley is a union in the U.S. state of California.-Founding:Between 2002 and 2005, the cost of living in Livingston, California increased substantially...
- International Woodworkers of AmericaInternational Woodworkers of AmericaInternational Woodworkers of America was an industrial union of lumbermen, sawmill workers, timber transportation workers and others formed in 1937....
External links
- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO-CLC
- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Canada
- IAMAW Collection. Historical materials related to IAM held by Georgia State UniversityGeorgia State UniversityGeorgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
, Special Collections,Southern Labor Archives. Online guide retrieved April 27, 2005. - International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District Lodge 751 Aero Mechanic