VOL. 64 NO. 11 Celebrating as 787 Soars in First Flightiam751.org/aero/Dec_09_Aero.pdf787. This...

Dec 2009/Jan 2010 751 AERO MECHANIC Page

DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010

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Inside IndexPresident's Message ...... 2Political Action ............... 3Community Service ...... 6Retirement ...................... 9Want Ads ........................ 10Eastern Washington .... 12

VOL. 64 NO. 11

Helping HandsModel EmployerThroughout the region751 members havevolunteered forcommunity service

Members at Monarch Machineappreciate the strong relationshipbetween Union and managementthat has helped make themsucccesful

The highest concentration of skilled Machinists forbuilding complex airplane parts and assemblies residesat Boeing Fabrication’s Auburn plant. These talentedindividuals make the most complex aerospace parts inthe world, hold them to extremely tight tolerances, workclosely with engineering and make modifications asrequired throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Making parts for sustaining programs and airplanesis just a small part of the work done for Boeing at thisplant. The Auburn site is home to several manufactur-ing business units, including Auburn Machining andEmergent Operations (AMEO), where one-of-a-kindreplacement machined parts are manufactured on anemergency basis to keep commercial airplane produc-tion lines moving.

Boeing has eagerly tapped into the incredible depthof resources Auburn has to offer to assist both the 787and 747-8 new airplane models. Members throughoutBoeing Fabrication have worked on various parts andassemblies for the 787 and 747-8. As the 787 took itsfirst flight on December 15, many Auburn membersbeamed with pride knowing they played a role in

making the flight a reality.“Our members are excited to show they can deliver

high-quality parts on time every time,” said BusinessRep Heather Barstow. “They want to play a larger rolein both the 787 and 747-8. Initially, they were not slatedto get this much work on the new airplanes; however,their skills, efficiency and quality have resulted in a lotof additional work on both the new planes.”

“Nearly every job is needed yesterday so our mem-bers regularly step up and volunteer for overtime and dowhatever is necessary to meet the deadlines and keepthe assembly lines moving,” she added. “Because em-ployees are working under pressure, they have to makeevery part right the first time – a credit to their skills andexperience.”

Shop A-3250 houses one of the larger machineshops in Boeing. Nearly every member there has over20 years’ seniority and has worked on multiple airplanemodels. This extensive experience helps minimize scraprate, rework and waste, which is particularly challeng-

Twenty members at the GKN Chemtronics plant inKent overwhelmingly ratified a new two-year contracton December 10 by 94 percent. While the new contractis effective January 11, 2010, members are alreadyenjoying the benefits of the new agreement. Membersreceived a $2,000 ratification bonus on December 18.

Union members appreciated the new contract thatfeatured many improvements and absolutely notakeaways. Despite the good contract, members are stillhoping there will be new life for the Kent facility, whichBoeing sold to GKN in early 2002. Currently, 100percent of their work is tied to the F-22, which isscheduled to come to an end late next year.

With the potential plant closure, the Union enteredbargaining for a new contract focused on obtaining asafety net to help members transition if the plant shouldclose. The contract also had to provide enough incen-tives for members to stay working at GKN so theCompany could fulfill the F-22 contract.

“The contract was fair. It was all pluses and improve-ments with no takeaways, which is huge in this economy.I wish we had more work because that is our biggestconcern,” said member Steve Hefford. “I want to thankthe Union for their help and support in negotiating this

The first flight of the first Boeing 787on Dec. 15 was a cause for celebration,District 751 members said.

Thousands of members lined the PaineField runway to watch the first flight inperson while thousands more watchedon TV or over the Internet as the world’sfirst composite airliner rotated back andclimbed into the mid-winter gray sky.

“I could see it just as the nose came upand the wings started to bend,” said DanStieben, a Steward on the 787 line whowatched at Paine Field. “It gave me sucha rush, the hairs stood up on the back ofmy neck. I was shaking, nervous, wait-ing in anticipation.”

Randal Fleehart had been at the firstflights of the 767 and 777, but said thiswas the most memorable one, “just be-cause there have been so many delaysand frustrations.”

“It didn’t use a lot of runway, and itwas pretty quiet,” Fleehart said. “It wasone of the most beautiful things I’ve everseen.”

All in all, it was a great moment for afactory – and a Company – that has

FABulous Work at Auburn on 787

Celebrating as 787 Soars in First Flight

struggled with years of disappointments,delays and doubts, said member GizemMoore, who watched on TV with herEverett colleagues as the plane toucheddown in the rain at Boeing Field.

“Everything’s been negative,” Mooreexplained. “Now, it’s just thateverybody’s proud.”

Members talked about the years of

hard work they’d put into getting the firstplane flying.

Member Jim Wallingford left a job ata mortgage company 2 1/2 years ago totake a job as a 787 mechanic. Until itwent out to the flight line in November,he’d spent his entire Boeing career work-ing just on Plane 1.

“It’s been that same airplane since I

got here,” he said. “It was our baby.We’d go in, take out the changes we’djust put in and do new changes.”

Likewise, member Danny Boglivispent most of a year working on just oneassignment. “I worked the 47/48 join for10 months,” he said. “We replaced al-most every fastener on it.”

Continued on page 5

Thousands of Everett members crowded the flight line eager to witness the 787’s first flight, which marks thebeginning of a ‘new generation’ of planes built with lightweight composites. 787 workers were excited to be a part ofthis historic event. Inset above L to R: Mike Fox, Bill Bush, Daovone Vannaxay, Randal Fleehart, Becky Carlyle.

Continued on page 4

ThomasMartinezexplainstoBusinessRepHeatherBarstowtheemergent787 workthey havedone.

LorettaCastilloexplains toBusinessRep MarkJohnsonthe processimprove-ments hercrewimplementedto make787 workmoreefficient.

from the Officers,Business Reps & Staff of 751

Contract Ratified at GKN

Continued on page 2L to R:GaryHaliburand PeterGuerrerocount theballots asRon Leelooks on.

AERO MECHANIC Dec 2009/Jan 20102

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District 751 AERO MECHANIC ( ISSN 0894-7864,USPS 008-660) is published Monthly except Bi-monthly in December/January by Aerospace In-dustrial District Lodge 751, 9125 15th Pl. S.,SeattleWA 98108. $3.50 of the annual dues goestoward a one-year subscription to the Aero Me-chanic. $4 per year for non-members by DistrictLodge 751, International Association of Machin-ists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO, 9125 15thPl. S., Seattle, WA 98108. Periodicals postagepaid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send ad-dress changes to District 751 Aero Mechanic,9125 15th Pl. S., Seattle, WA 98108

Union Offices:• 9125 15th Pl S, Seattle; 206-763-1300• 201 A St. SW, Auburn; 253-833-5590• 233 Burnett N., Renton; 425-235-3777• 8729 Airport Rd, Everett; 425-355-8821• 4226 E. Mission, Spokane (509) 534-9690 or 1-800-763-1305 Toll-free to Seattle from: Nationwide 1-800-763-1301

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Web site: www.iam751.org

Tommy WilsonHeather Barstow

Don MorrisRay BaumgardnerRichard JacksonMark B. Johnson

Jon HoldenBrett Coty

D. Joe CrockettRon Bradley

Emerson HamiltonCharles G. Craft

Steve Warren (Eastern WA)

Stan JohnsonUnion Business Representatives

Susan PalmerSecretary-Treasurer

Tom WroblewskiPresident, Directing

Business Representative

REPORT FROM THE PRESIDENT

751 AERO MECHANIC

District Lodge 751,International Assn. of

Machinists andAerospace Workers

Your Skills and Expertise Made 787 First Flight a Reality

James CoatsSergeant-at-Arms

by Tom Wroblewski,District President

Connie Kelliher, EditorBryan Corliss, Editor

It flew. At long last,the first 787 has climbedinto the gray winter skyabove Paine Field, prov-ing to the world once againthe value of having skilledand dedicated profession-als like you.

Throughout all the delays, I alwaysknew one thing: if there was anyone onearth who could take all those pieces ofplastic, titanium, chips, wire and steel fromall over the world and build them into a21st century airplane, it was you, the mem-bers of District 751, who just proved againwhy you’re truly first in aerospace.

In Everett we still remember “TheIncredibles” and how 40 years ago theybuilt the first 747s and the first 747factory almost simultaneously; the wayour members and our SPEEA brothersand sisters slept in their cars as the dead-line approached so they could work anextra hour each day; the way bold Seattleexecutives bet the Company on the all-new jet – but did so knowing they had thebest aerospace workers in the world be-hind them to deliver on their promises.

It is a glorious heritage, and one wecan be proud of.

So many things were different with the787. This time, timid executives in Chi-cago were afraid to risk the Company’smoney, so they devised the outsourcingplan that has gone so horribly awry. Theygave away work to contractors that couldhave – should have – been done more-efficiently by you. And here at the end –even as you were working 12-hour days,

seven days a week to make theirDreamliner a reality, executivesbranded you unreliable and turnedtheir backs on Puget Sound, and ourdecades of shared success.

But even with all these delaysand disappointments, what you haveachieved is nothing short of out-standing. You have solved the prob-lems created by outsourcing. You

have invented new processes and adaptedtime-honored techniques to the new reali-ties of the 21st century. You’ve installedparts, then gone back to remove, reworkand re-install them – again and again.You’re the fixers, the re-workers and theproblem solvers, and I’m proud to have allof you as my brothers and sisters.

So congratulations to every single Dis-trict 751 member who had a part in the 787program, from the fin fabricators inFredrickson to the emergent-part machin-ists in Auburn, from the test mechanics inSeattle’s Developmental Center to every-one in Everett who’s played a part, fromthe tool room to the flight line to facilitiesworkers who keep the lights on, and espe-cially the final assembly mechanics.

What you have achieved in the face ofadversity is just as incredible as the ac-complishments of our Union forebearers,and when the 100th anniversary of Dis-trict 751 is celebrated, a quarter-centuryfrom now, your stories will be among theones to be told to inspire the next genera-tion of aerospace manufacturing heroes.

And speaking of history, 2010 willmark the 75th anniversary of the found-ing of District 751 in Seattle.

A lot has changed since Sept. 23, 1935,when 751 was first founded as a LocalLodge. Thanks to a series of Union con-

tracts, workers no longer have to line upoutside the Boeing gates each day, hopingto get picked for a day’s work by a friendlyforeman. Today’s Machinists have con-tract rights and benefits that those earlyaerospace mechanics could only dream of,and our Union now proudly includes thou-sands of workers who work for companiesand agencies across the Northwest, in awide range of skilled trades.

But one thing hasn’t changed, and that’sthe principle of solidarity, and the funda-mental truth that workers standing unitedare more powerful than any individual.

Over the decades, our members haveaccepted and lived by this principle, andthe result is what we have today: family-wage jobs with excellent benefits; jointsafety and training programs betweenthe Union and the Company; pensionsand savings programs so that memberscan enjoy the retirements they deserve.

Our Union Stewards and BusinessReps play a huge role in enforcing ourcontracts every day, making sure thatour members are safe from arbitrary orunjust actions by managers. And to ev-ery one of them who answered amember’s question about the contract,or intervened on a member’s behalf, Ioffer my sincerest thanks.

A special thanks also goes to all thosewho took part in volunteer activities dur-ing the year, whether it was in support ofGuide Dogs of America, or the Machin-ists Non-Partisan League, or one of theMachinist Volunteer Program initiatives– building wheelchair ramps or helpingat a mission or collecting food for North-west Harvest. The good work you do inthe community cannot be praised enough.

I’d also like to thank the Union staff

for all they’ve done in the past year tosupport the membership.

But most of all, I’d like to thank all ofyou, the 25,000-plus members of Dis-trict 751, for the work you do every day,and for all the work that you’ll do in theyear to come.

Every year, it seems, we look forwardto the New Year with hopes that thingswill be better than the last. We alreadyknow we’ll have challenges in 2010 –what with the tanker, and the 787 surgeline and all the other issues we face.

But it’s my sincere belief that if weact together, in solidarity, we will over-come these challenges, and truly make2010 a happy and prosperous new year,for ourselves, our families, our commu-nities and our employers.

So enjoy your Union won winter break.Wishing you and yours all the best.

contract. We recognize a lot of time andeffort went into securing this agreement.”

Members had identified severance,wages, bonuses, health care after layoffand holding down health care costs askey issues, and the Union delivered oneach of them. Highlights of the newagreement include:

• General wage increases in both yearsof the contract. 3.5 percent first year and2.5 percent in the second year. Keep inmind that GKN nationwide has frozenpay for executivesand limited all othersto a maximum 2 per-cent increase.

• $2,000 ratifica-tion bonus.

• Retention/layoffbenefit equal to fourmonths pay.

• Option to divertsome or all of reten-tion/layoff benefit to401K.

• Health care cov-erage for four monthsfollowing layoff.

• Two months of outplacement assis-tance to help employees transition tonext job.

• Health care will remain at current con-tribution levels throughout the life of thecontract. Other GKN sites have seen a tre-mendous cost shift in health care coverage.

• One additional day of vacation forall employees.

• COLA will continue to be paid outsemi-annually.

• Rate range minimums increased by$2 per hour.

Negotiations for the Union were ledby District President Tom Wroblewski,Aerospace Coordinator Mark Blondin,Business Reps Heather Barstow andMark Johnson, and Communications RepConnie Kelliher. The Union will con-tinue to look for additional work thatmight fit the skill and manufacturingbase of this company to potentially keepthe plant open in the event the F-22 workpackage is concluded.

Contract Ratified at GKNContinued from page 1

You can get your labor history allyear long by purchasing a 2010 LaborHistory Calendar for just $5. The Dis-trict 751 Labor History & EducationCommittee has these educational calen-dars available for purchase at the Everett,Seattle, Renton, and Auburn Halls.

Labor History Calendar $5

Left: GreggJohnsen machinesa part for the F-22aft boom.

Below: BernardUpham welds anF-22 part at GKN.

Dec 2009/Jan 2010 751 AERO MECHANIC

POLITICAL ACTION

More than 30 people spoke at theNational Mediation Board’s (NMB) pub-lic hearing in early December on theproposed rule change to implement a fairrepresentation election voting processfor air and rail workers.

Current NMB rules count eligiblevoters who do not participate in the elec-tion as having voted against union repre-sentation, explained IAM Transporta-tion GVP Robert Roach, Jr., who testi-fied on behalf of present and future IAMmembers. So you begin each electionwith everyone down as a ‘no’ vote.

“The NMB should support a processwhere each person has the opportunity tochoose for themselves if they want tovote ‘yes’ or vote ‘no’, and those whoabstain from voting for whatever reasondo not influence the outcome of the elec-tion,” said Roach.

The IAM is encouraging all membersand family members to contact the NMBand support this long needed rule change,

which is critical to workers’ rights asmore and more airlines merge.

Under the proposed rule change, unionrepresentation elections will be deter-mined in the same way that Americanvoters choose their presidents, senatorsand state legislators – by a majority ofvoters who choose to cast ballots.

Airline executives and their corpo-rate allies are mounting an intense cam-paign against the rule change, whichwould close a loophole they hoped to useto de-unionize large portions of the highlyunionized airline industry.

With progressive issues like healthcare, the Employee Free Choice Act andregulation of the financial industry miredin partisan wrangling, the NMB pro-posal to strengthen voting rights for trans-portation workers stands out as a goldenopportunity to quickly achieve positivechange for workers in an industry thatdesperately needs it.

IAM GVP of Transportation Robert Roach Jr testifies before the NationalMediation Board on the need to revise election rules for airline and railworkers. Under current rules, anyone who does not vote in the election countsas a ‘no’ vote against Union representation.

NMB Rule Change is HistoricOpportunity for Unions

by Mark O’Connell,Seattle FSS, IAM Union Steward

The Flight Service Specialists ofLockheed Martin organized last springwith the International Association of Ma-chinists. Flight Service is a nationwideoperation with 725 bargaining unit mem-bers in three “hub” facilities and 10 sitesacross the nation. Seattle Flight Serviceat Boeing Field currently employs 11members.

Flight Service Specialists providecritical safety pre-flight and in-flightservices to small commercial, military,and general aviation pilots. Services in-clude filing flight plans, providingweather and safety notice information,and initiating search and rescue whennecessary. Additionally, specialists pro-vide live weather information via radioto airborne pilots. Flight Service Sta-tions (FSS) are the entryway and safetyguardian of the nation’s air traffic con-trol system.

On November 18, 2009, LockheedMartin announced the closure of sevennon-hub sites, including Seattle, and theelimination of 150 specialists, about 18percent of the total workforce. Closuresare effective February 1, 2010.

With the help of District 751’s Legisla-tive Department, members of Seattle FSSare fighting to stay open to provide criticalservices to keep pilots in the Northwestsafe. Members met with Congressman JimMcDermott in September about the possi-bility of closure and to raise concerns aboutsafety issues under Lockheed Martin’smanagement. Since the announcement ofthe closure, 751 Political Director LarryBrown has intensified efforts in both theSenate and House of Representatives to

Seattle Flight Services Fight to Protect Pilots and Save Jobs

request a Congressional hearing about theseactions and the Federal AviationAdministration’s (FAA) tepid response tothe announcement.

We need your help to let Congressknow that Seattle Flight Service muststay open to protect our pilots and avia-tion safety. Cards are available to send toWashington’s two Senators, MariaCantwell and Patty Murray, and yourlocal U.S. Representative. See yourUnion Steward and complete the cards atyour earliest convenience — only yourname and address are needed, and theUnion will pay the postage. Anotheroption is to visit www.goiam.org and onthe right side under IAM Activist Cen-ter, click on the link “Tell Congress toStop AFSS Downsizing.” Your voicewill help protect this vital service and thejobs of many IAM members.

The FAA ran this function of air trafficcontrol until 2005, when it privatized FSSin a $2.1 billion, 10-year contract awarded

to Lockheed Martin. This is the largestnon-defense contract ever awarded by thegovernment. In 2005, FSS had 58 facilitiesand 1650 specialists. In the four years of itscontract, Lockheed Martin closed 45 sitesand laid off or offered early retirement tohundreds of specialists. Because it is afixed-cost contract, Lockheed Martin hasan inherent incentive to reduce workforceto the straining point in order to maximizeprofit. Now, seven additional closures areproposed, which includes Seattle.

Safety has suffered. Numbers of totalservices have dropped, but operationalerrors have quadrupled under LockheedMartin’s watch. This increase is a resultof specialist unfamiliarity with local ar-eas due to closures and consolidation.

Ray Jaggers is a specialist who hasbriefed in Seattle for almost 25 years. If theclosure occurs, more than 200 years ofaccumulated knowledge like his will sim-ply disappear from the aviation commu-nity. In addition to the safety of Washing-

ton pilots that he has protected for a quarterof a century, Jaggers worries about spe-cialists being laidoff in this economy. “Itdoesn’t make sense that the President andCongress are hosting job summits andlooking for ways to put people back towork,” he noted, “while their largest con-tract is laying people off.”

Pilots are worried about the effects ofSeattle’s closing. “It’s going to make lifemiserable for pilots,” says Brian Heil,first officer for a Northwest-based re-gional airline. “We fly to a lot of smallairports in the Northwest and rely onFlight Service for first-hand knowledgeof weather and locations. Someone inArizona is not familiar with us and won’tunderstand.”

Jim Owenby, safety officer for a re-gional airline, worries about pilots at-tempting to brief themselves on theInternet. “Briefer’s expertise and expe-rience cannot be substituted for down-loaded weather from the Internet,” hesaid. He is also concerned about the lackof local area knowledge of weather pat-terns and airport conditions of briefersfar removed from the pilot’s location.“Briefers are not going to have intimateknowledge in areas they will be work-ing. It’s a formula for trouble,” he said.

Northwest pilots prefer Seattle brief-ings due to knowledge of unique local-ized weather conditions caused by thePacific Ocean and the Cascade Moun-tains. Private Pilot Jeff Jorgenson ofSeattle said, “If I call Flight Service, Iexpect to talk to someone who knowswhere I’m going.” Jorgenson continued,“Hubs don’t have the capacity to under-stand all of the diverse weather patterns

Several thousand laid-off Boeing Co.workers have been granted additional fed-eral assistance under the Trade Adjust-ment Act because of action taken by theInternational Association of Machinists.

The Act provides special assistanceto workers who have lost their jobs dueto foreign competition. This ruling cov-ers Boeing workers at plants throughoutPuget Sound and in Portland, OR, whowere laid off on or af-ter May 22, 2008. Thebenefits will be ex-tended to cover anyworkers laidoff overthe next two years.

District 751 hostedmore than a dozen ori-entation sessions in De-cember for laid-offBoeing workers whonow are eligible for fed-eral job retraining ben-efits.

“The MachinistsUnion is dedicated tohelping improve notjust the lives of ourmembers, but othersthroughout our com-munities. Even though only a small por-tion of our members (a few hundred) willbe eligible, TAA provides a substantialsafety net for other Boeing employeesimpacted by layoff. We hope word getsout and those affected will take advan-tage of these tremendous benefits,” statedDistrict 751 President Tom Wroblewski.

The Trade Adjustment declaration

Trade Adjustment AssistanceSecured for Laid-off Boeing Workers

means that laid-off Boeing workers –including those who aren’t MachinistsUnion members – may be eligible for arange of federal benefits, which can in-clude:

• Up to $16,000 for training (if needed)for an in-demand industry;

• An additional one to two years ofpayments similar to unemployment in-surance if a laid-off worker needs it to

finish training or findemployment (up to156 weeks);

• An 80 percent taxcredit on healthcarecoverage premiums;

• Job Search assis-tance including helpto cover travel ex-penses to a scheduledjob interview and upto $1,500 in job searchallowances.

• Support to help re-locate to a new job; and,

• A partial wagesubsidy for workersover 50 who are re-employed in a lesser-paying job.

Trade Act benefits are administeredin Washington by local WorkSource of-fices. For details on how to apply, con-tact your nearest WorkSource office orgo online at www.go2worksource.org.Information also is available from theDepartment of Labor online atwww.doleta.gov/tradeact.

Business Reps Chuck Craft andBretty Coty attended training onTrade Act benefits.

Continued on page 8

Membersenlisted theassistance ofCongressmanJim McDermottto preventLockheedMartin’sproposedclosures. L to R:Matt Colburn,CongressmanJim McDermott,Mark O’Connelland DonWiggins.

TAKE ACTION NOW:Complete postcards available at Unionoffices or go online to www.goiam.org,under IAM Activist Center, click on the link‘Tell Congress to Stop AFSS Downsizing’

Photo courtesy of Bill Burke, Page One Photography


787 Union Steward Allen Neph iscontinually helping members in his areawith contract issues. Recently, he hadthe chance to assist a fellow Union Stew-ard who was not being compensated atthe proper pay rate.

As a result of Allen’s efforts, UnionSteward Joel Hetland received a payadjustment and back pay of over $1,500to correct a 22 cents an hour error thathad compounded since his rehire date inJanuary of 2007.

“I appreciate having Union represen-tation to pursue this issue on my behalf –especially after so much time had passed.While 22 cents an hour doesn’t soundlike much, it adds up and continues oneach pay check going forward,” Hetlandstated. “This is something I feel othermembers should look into if they havebeen laidoff and are rehired. Boeing may

not get the rate right, but the Union canhelp correct it. There are probably a lotof others in the same situation.”

Hetland originally hired into Boeingin 1997 before getting laidoff in 1999.He rehired in 2007 and questioned therate, but was told it was correct.

“It had been so long since I worked atBoeing, I decided not to push the issue,”Hetland recalled. “I came back to Boeingbecause they had great benefits – not forthe wages. But after Allen asked severaltimes, I decided to have him look intothe matter.”

After HR told Neph the pay wascorrect, he pursued the matter with com-pensation who reviewed Hetland’s workhistory, determined there was indeed adiscrepancy, and ordered the adjust-ment and back pay.

Business Rep Brett Coty applauded

Many of the members talked abouthaving to deal with problems caused bythe 787’s suppliers.

“We’ve pulled fasteners out of holesthat are supposed to be .190 (inches) andthey’re .215 or something,” said SteveMenli, a veteran 787 mechanic. “It’sjust been tearing it apart and putting itback together – many times.”

Those constant changes to fix thesuppliers’ errors have made things verydifficult for inspectors, said memberManuel Gross, who was recalled fromlayoff almost two years ago to do 787Quality Assurance.

With Boeing’s legacy airplanes, thereis a defined set of drawings to work against,he explained. But with the 787, the draw-ings have been continually changing.

Gross noted that mechanics would in-stall a part that he’d certify as being cor-rect. Then a few weeks later, they’d re-move that part to do some other re-work.In the process, the drawings would changeand the part couldn’t be reinstalled be-cause it was no longer certified.

“I can’t just reinstall that part oncewe do the removal,” he said. “It takes awhile to prove that part is supposed to bethere, and it was installed the way it wassupposed to be installed. It’s very com-plex. It’s a complex airplane and itdoesn’t seem like they (management)understand it’s complex.”

On the other hand, 787 workers inEverett praised the skills of their Unionbrothers and sisters who contributed tothe program.

“We’ve got a lot of support from thegrind shop, and a lot of support fromAuburn, making our parts,” said PaulSchubert, a 787 Steward. “Tooling hasbeen really phenomenal, coming up withour tools. Those guys are wizards.”

Older Machinists, such as tool roomlead Melinda Hulse, said they’d workedhard to mentor the many new hiresBoeing brought in for the 787 program.

“We always ask them the right ques-

tion to make sure they get the right toolfor the right job,” she said.

Other Boeing employees – like ourbrothers and sisters from SPEEA – alsoperformed well, members said.

Member Mike Fox described how heworked closely with SPEEA engineerBill Bush tosolve problemswith the leadingand trailingedges of thewings. Thatwork paid offwhen the planeleft the ground,Fox said.

“Oh hellyeah,” Bush ex-ulted. “It’s not a3-D animation for a change.”

All the delays had dampened enthusi-asm in the days before the first flight,said Hulse.

There is a mood,” she said. “We’reholding back. We went to the rollout andthen nothing, and then they had the taxithing, and then nothing. There’s been alot of let-downs.”

All that changed when the plane fi-nally flew, and not even the winterweather could cool members’ enthusi-asm, said Brett Coty, the Business Repfor the 787 workers.

“I have a lot of faith in the work ourmembers do,” he said before the flight.

“That plane’s going to fly andit’s going to do well and ourmembers are going to be proud.”

That was certainly the case,said 787 mechanic DaovoneVannaxay, who spent two hoursshivering so she could see herfirst jet fly.

“It was so cool to see yourhard work flying,” she said. “Itwas worth it, once it was up. Itwas worth all the hard work.”

Fox agreed. “We waited 2

1/2 or three years for this,” he said. “Iwasn’t going to miss it, even if I was onvacation.”

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportu-nity,” added Becky Carlyle, a longtime747 mechanic who transferred over tothe 787. “I felt like I was really part of

s o m e t h i n gnew.”

Dignitarieshad a lot to sayafter the firstflight. U.S.Senator MariaC a n t w e l lcalled theDreamliner thelatest in a “longlist of break-t h r o u g h

Boeing aircraft created in Washington,”and she praised “Boeing’s exceptionallyproductive and skilled workforce in Wash-ington state who made this historic firstflight a reality.”

Many – including Boeing Commer-cial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh –praised the work Union workers did tomake it all possible.

“Today’s a day to celebrate,” said Dis-trict 751 President Tom Wroblewski.“We’ve had a lot of disappointments anddisagreements during the Dreamliner’sdevelopment, but today we celebrate to-gether. Our members did an outstandingjob and overcame some incredible chal-lenges, and I couldn’t be more proud ofthem. The 787 wouldn’t be flying todaywithout the dedication, skills and devo-tion of our members.”

With the first flight concluded, secondshift showed up on time ready to work.

“We’re trying to get the next one up,”said Vannaxay. “We’ve got to keep going.”

But they still took a moment to reflecton what they’d achieved.

“It’s the first composite airplane,”said Stieben, the Steward. “It’s a hugedeal. It’s bigger than what we realize.”

Neph’s persistence, “I know as a Stew-ard Allen Neph has corrected this type oferror for several other members. If hebelieves the pay amount is wrong, hesimply won’t take no for an answer andwill continue to move it up the ladderuntil he gets it resolved.”

“As a Steward, I am just a small cog inthe wheel, but like Allen, I am here to help.

Nearly every week as a Union Steward Iput the skids on vendors doing rework tokeep our jobs secure,” stated Hetland.“Members need to communicate with theirStewards to ensure the Company lives upto their end of the contract. Anyone whohas been rehired should double check toensure they receive the proper pay rate.That is the value of Union membership.”

Steward’s PersistenceDelivers $1,500 Back Pay

Continued from page 1

Celebrating the Historic First 787 Flight

District President Tom Wroblewski (r) giveshis reaction to local reporters.

Member RandyBrevick (far left)said “It was nice towatch somethingyou’ve worked on goup in the air.”Everett employeesapplaud as the 787successfully landedat Boeing Field.Thousands watchedon monitorsthroughout thefactory.

BusinessRep BrettCoty (l)andStewardJoelHetland(center)thankStewardAllen Nephfor hisefforts thatdeliveredJoel $1,500in back payto correct apay issue.

of the few places to train their own work-ers onsite. That is a testament to ourWorker Training Program. It is great tosee a buildup of new faces on the site.Nearly every bargaining unit here hasseen their numbers grow thanks to thefederal stimulus dollars – including Ma-chinists Union members.”

Senator Patty Murray recently visitedthe HAMMER Center to see how some$1.96 billion in stimulus funds are beingspent.

Earlier this year Department ofEnergy’s Environmental ManagementAssistant Secretary Dr. Ines Triay alsotoured the site to observe how the stimu-lus funds were being used and sat in onseveral of the HAMMER trainingcourses. The goal is to reduce life cyclecosts, speed up cleanup and reduce theoverall footprint of Hanford.

The hiring at Hanford has spilled overinto the rest of the community, creatingdemand for retail goods and leading to atight market for rental housing. The re-sult? Benton and Franklin counties hadsome of the state’s lowest unemploy-ment rates in October, at 5.7 and 6.3percent, respectively. The statewide av-erage was 9.3 percent that month, andnationwide, joblessness was at 10.2 per-cent.

Hanford employment is expected topeak in 2010.

Local 1951 President Ken Howardteaching a safety class at theHAMMER Training Center to ensurenew hires have the skills andknowledge to perform their work ina safe, effective manner.


Stimulus Dollars BoostHanford Employment

Photo courtesy of Boeing media

The 787 took flight at 10:27 am on Dec. 15.


ing in an area where one-of-a-kind andlast-minute parts are continually beingmanufactured.

Members in Auburn continually up-date their skills, learn new programs, andimplement new processes to remain on thecutting edge and ensure they remain thebest at their trade. Boeing has also in-vested in the site by purchasing machineslike the three spindle machines, whichrecently utilized all three spindles for thefirst time to assist with 787 parts in aneffort to get the plane back on schedule.

When members in A-3250 were givenan opportunity to take on additional 787work, they willingly accepted the chal-lenge and regularly volunteer for overtime– even on holiday weekends.

“Anything we can do to help. We want

to get the 787 flying and certified. That iswhy we are here,” stated 751-memberJulio Colon.

Bruce Anderson, who has worked on737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and AOG on707 and 727, reported, “We are teamplayers and want the plane to be suc-cessful. Boeing’s reputation is on theline. With 32 years at Boeing, we allhave a big stake in the success of that andevery airplane.”

“With all the new technology andcomputers, 787 work is a bit more chal-lenging. Everyone had to learn new soft-ware,” Anderson added. “QTTP deliv-ered the training, and our members usededucational benefits for on-hour train-ing. In addition, we have new machinesthat we can program and run multiplejobs at the same time – giving us greaterefficiency and capability.”

The need for emergent support (espe-cially with the new airplanes) highlightsthe importance of Auburn’s Machiningand Emergent Operations (AMEO).Since the Auburn plant opened in 1966,it has become the industry leader with areputation for quickly delivering uniquequality parts. Like the other shops inAuburn, members in AMEO have ex-tensive experience with the least seniorperson having at least 20 years building

complex airplane parts. Most employeesare classified as N0309 and cross trained– to give Boeing additional flexibilityand members the opportunity to work ona wide range of challenges.

As a result of this tremendous skillbase, AMEO has become one of the topsuppliers for both the 787 and 747-8programs.

“We have to be innovative and makesome parts from dash M tags rather thanusing engineering drawings to get themright,” stated 35-year member JohnWoodward, who is also a team leader.“This is only possible when you haveyears of experience. The true skills aremaking it work and knowing how towork around any problems you encoun-ter, which is why the parts were sent hereto begin with.”

“Initially, we were not supposed tomake any 787parts, and Au-burn had virtu-ally no budgetfor that plane.Now I hear weare the chiefsupplier ofe m e r g e n tparts. It speaksto our skillsand commit-ment,” Wood-ward added.

B e c a u s ethey have thebest capabilityto support theprograms andmitigate lateengineer ingchange activ-

ity and/or to replace parts that have beendamaged, these shops have seen addi-tional work. About 80 percent of thework in AMEO is vendor non-support –regardless of the airplane program. Be-cause it is emergent, there is very littlerepetition in their work – making theirjob more interesting and challenging.

“We do just about everything. Thereare so many miscellaneous jobs we neversee again. We learned to multi-task to bemore efficient. While running a pro-gram, I work on the next part of theprocess,” noted 31-year member Tho-mas Martinez. “Sometimes I get so fo-cused it is like I am inside the machineworking, and I tune out the rest.”

“The work here is never the samefrom day to day. They only want one orthree of the same parts at the most, but itis always challenging and interesting.We can make anything, and everythingis needed yesterday. You get to makesomething and see the progress instantly.The sooner they get it, the happier theyare,” noted 20 year member Kelly Mayer.

In the 17-45 East Finish Shop, mem-bers stepped forward to help with thewing-to-body join parts for the 787. Al-

though this 787 work is very labor inten-sive, they willingly took it on in additionto their regular work, which has meantlots of overtime and weekend work.

After the first sets, there were moredesign changes. Since then, the crew hasdramatically improved and refined theprocess with each new part to becomemore efficient. One member noted, “Wewant to prove we deserve this work. Thelonger it stays here, the better our chancesand the more we can make improve-ments.”

Word has it that the East Finish Shopwill be building these parts through atleast Airplane 37. Members would liketo see it become permanent.

Loretta Castillo, Karen McCloskey,Dave Sichmeller and Perry Fernau areother members in the East Finish Shophelping with the wing body join parts.Credit must also be given to Team LeaderNeal Corsack whose knowledge, experi-ence and assistance early in the processensured the tightschedule was met.

“It is great to be apart of the 787 air-plane. When I heardthe news that the planeflew with the part thatI worked on – it makesyou feel good,” saidCastillo.

Union Steward JimRice reported, “Every-one was glued to theircomputer screen towatch the first flight.Then at 10:27 a.m.,loud shouts, highfives, and fist bumpserupted throughoutthe shop. Everyone was proud that theparts they worked on made a differenceand they helped make it successful.”

The 17-68 building has members whowork full-time on 787 production partsrather than working on emergent parts orvendor fixes. In the Super Plastic Forming(SPF) shop, our members build the 787heat shields and tail cone muffler. Mem-bers here are classified as cellular techni-cians, which gives Boeing more flexibilityand allows members to run multiple ma-


FABulous Work at Auburn on the 787

Photo Left: L to R: GlennLahde, Ron Cimmer andKelly Peterson discusschanges to a part.

Shop A-3250 has stepped up to help with 787. L to R: Business Rep HeatherBarstow, Steve Steelsmith, Steve P. Jones, Julio Colon, Bruce Anderson, KellyPeterson, John Lopez, Glenn Lahde, and Don Kosai.

Above: Bruce Andersonsets up a program.

Julio Colon works on a part inA-3250.

Kelly Mayer (l)explains aprogram for aone-of-a-kindpart toBusiness RepHeatherBarstow. As aresult of thetremendousskill base,AuburnMachining andEmergentOperations hasbecome one ofthe topsuppliers forboth the 787and 747-8programs.

Mike Crawford works on a787 heat shield.

Steward Johnny Davis (l) and Scott Stueber (r) showBusiness Rep Mark Johnson improvements in fabricatingthe 787 heat shields.

chines.Like other shops, members in SPF are

continually updating their process to bemore efficient. Since producing the first787 heat shield, they have gone from mak-ing it in two pieces to a one piece shield.

“When the heat shield was in twopieces, it had to be assembled. We de-cided to simplify the process – saving

time and money,”said Union StewardJohnny Davis.

This is the onlyshop at Boeing thatdoes this type of su-per plastic formingwork. “We were al-lowed to bid on 787work, and we werechosen because wewere the smart busi-ness decision,” said751 member ScottStueber. “Othercompanies have thecapability, but notlike us. We are theonly ones who can

keep up with the rate and have capacity.We’re ready to take on additional workand look forward to the opportunity.”

Members remain anxious to continu-ally expand their role in both current andfuture airplane models. Machining com-plex parts, learning new software, utiliz-ing robotics, and cell manufacturing areall ways Auburn stays at the cutting edgefor Boeing Fabrication and ensures theircontinued success.


Shoot for a Cure Raises Thousands for LeukemiaDistrict 751 was the host and primary

sponsor of the first-ever Union Sportsmen’sAlliance (USA) “Shoot for the Cure” sport-ing clays shoot. The event was held in No-vember at the Sumner Sportsmen’s Associa-tion. It attracted 63 shooters from Unionsaround Puget Sound, and raised$21,000 for leukemia researchand wildlife conservation.

District 751 was representedby 11 shooters at the event. TheDistrict’s donation was made inhonor of the late Jimmy Darrah,who died in August after beingdiagnosed with leukemia.Darrah, who was the District’sgrievance coordinator at thetime of his passing, was an ac-tive outdoorsman.

Above L to R: Business Reps Don Morris and JonHolden watch as Tom Wroblewski takes a shot.

District Sec-Treasurer Susan Palmer takes aimwhile Business Rep Heather Barstow waits her turn.

Photoright:BusinessReps JoeCrockett(l) andRonBradleywere onthe sameteam.

Photo right:Local CPresidentJohn Lopeztakes aim.

Below:StoshTomala(foreground)sends aclay flyingfor JayCartermanto shoot.

Machinists OfThroughout the year, 751 members donate thou-

sands of hours of volunteer time to make thecommunity a better place to live and to help others.As the year winds down, the Machinists VolunteerProgram (MVP) ramped up its efforts to helpothers.

When the City of Auburn called requestingvolunteers for emergency sandbagging along theGreen River to prevent potential flood damage,our members responded in force for this veryphysical project.

On another weekend, volunteers spent a daycleaning barrels for the Salvation Army toy driveand preparing tags for the giving trees.

Wearing Machinists Union colors volunteersdescended on Westlake Center on Friday, Decem-ber 4 to assist the Salvation Army with holidaybellringing during the annual Figgy Pudding Car-oling Contest. Streets closed for the festivities andMachinists rang bells on every corner to collectmoney for this worthy charity.

On Saturday, December 5, Machinists were againout in force to help with the annual King 5 NorthwestHarvest Food Drive at the Everett Mall, Tacoma Malland Auburn U.S. Bank. Over 100 Machinists turnedout to help despite the extremely cold weather andwith the incredible outpouring of generosity, everyvolunteer was needed to handle the donations. Theone-day event raised over $184,000 (and still count-ing, thanks to U.S. Bank’s branch food and fundraiser) and 250,000 pounds of food, totaling 1,063,308

Various Events/Fundraisers Bring $$ for Guide Dogs

Above: Joe Smith stands among the thousands osandbags.Below: Steward buildup a sandbag wall to protenearby apartments from flooding.

Luau Delivers for Tsunami Victims

While sandbaggingwas strenuous work,Stewards enjoyedhelping to preventpotential flooding.Steward GordonTalmadge noted,“Iran into some people Iwent to school with,and we reminiscedabout old times whilehelping others.”

A packed house at the Seattle UnionHall escaped the dreary Seattle winter andfor several hours were transported to thetropics as 751 hosted a luau. The event wasorganized by employees and managers inthe Everett Wire Shop to raise money toassist victims of the recent tsunami in Sa-moa. To date the event raised $8,000 forWorld Vision and more money was stillcoming in. Boeing agreed to match whatthe luau raised.

District 751 member Ioane Fanene hadfive members of his extended family killed inthe tsunami, as well as many childhood friends.The event was a way people could cometogether to help the victims.

Those who attended were treated to adelicious roasted pig dinner and tropical foods,authentic music, as well as hula and firedancing. The hula dancers invited some to goon stage and learn the hula, which entertainedeveryone!

Both thehula andfire dancersput on agreat show.

When they pulled people on stage to learn the hula,Steward Wilson “Fergie” Ferguson stole the show with hisgrass skirt and coconuts.

BusinessRep JonHoldenhad hisentirefamily atthe event.His wifePhoeurworks inthe Everettwire shop.

Throughoutthe year variousevents were heldto raise funds forGuide Dogs ofAmerica. Hereare just a few ofthe results fromr e c e n tf u n d r a i s i n gevents.

Overall Dis-trict 751 was thetop contributorfor 2009 givingan impressive$228,700 – anew record for751.

Local C presented a check to Guide Dogs for $12,890 fromtheir various fundraiser. L to R: Susan Palmer, Dave Henry,Tom Wroblewski and John Lopez at the check presentation.Winners in the Local C holiday raffle were: $1,000 giftcard - Keight Zanghi. $250 gift cards - David Callahan andPatrick Kerrigan. $125 gift cards - Michelle Erickson andMike Ballew. Fred Meyer $20 gift cards - Dan Briones andVickie Klingman.

Above: Steward Brent Sanchez (l) soldPaul Edwards (r) the winning bigscreen TV ticket for Local A’s holidayraffle. Member Mark Flanders (notpictured) won the Wii game system.

Photoright:751volunconveon a load fooddonatatTacoMall.

Left: StewardRay Medunaand FeDeJesus wereamong themanyattending.

Carlos Lopez was one of many who responded whthe City of Auburnrequested sandbagging he


ffer Helping Hands Throughout the Regionmeals for people in need across Washington.

Steward John Lispie noted, “ Northwest Harvestwas a blast – very, very cold but lots of fun. I couldnot believe the turn out both volunteers and dona-tions. That’s a big deal. I will be going back everyyear. I have been a Steward for 12 years, and thiswas the first time for me. I ended up staying from7 am to 1 pm.”

Other recent community projects involved:• Building 12 wooden storage shelves for the

Volunteers of America warehouse in Everett.• Preparing and serving meals at

both the Tacoma Rescue Missionand the Everett Gospel Mission.

• Adopt-a-Road cleanups.• Constructing wheelchair

ramps for area residents.• Assisting KSER Public Ra-

dio with a station cleanup.Events are as varied as our

members. The goodwill contin-ues long after the projects arecomplete – showing the commu-n i t ywe arehere tohelp!

of

ct

Above: 751volunteers whoconstructedstorage shelves atthe Volunteers ofAmericawarehouse.

Photos left andright shows ourvolunteersbuilding thestorage shelves.

Some of the 751 volunteers helping with the King 5 Northwest Harvest Food Drive at theAuburn location on December 5.

Members carried boxes of food donations to theNorthwest Harvest trucks at the Everett Mall.

Above: Ron McGaha (center) donated hischange from the entire year to the SalvationArmy Kettle that Paul Burton (l) and CliffGoetsch were staffing.

751Volunteersfilled thestaging atWestlakeCenterbeforetaking theSalvationArmykettles outto collectionsites in thearea.

Photo left:Volunteersat theEverettMall hauldonationsreceived tofeed the lessfortunate.

Below: Stewards took a break from sandbagging

Above: Mike and SusanCummins brought theirgrandson Kellen to help.

Photo left: Soliciting NWHarvest donations at theAuburn collection site.

George Braun and Brian Pankratzmaking food at the mission.

Photo above, right and below: 751 Volunteers atthe Tacoma Rescue Mission on various weekends.

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AERO MECHANIC Dec 2009/Jan 2010 8

The Christmas season brings with itmany things. There’s the music. There’sthe eggnog. Sometimes there’s even snow.But, more than anything, Christmas inAmerica means shop-ping. And retail stores allacross the country waiteagerly to cash-in on themerry season of giving.Unfortunately for one re-tailer, MontgomeryWard & Company, theChristmas season of1944 brought with itsome strong lessons aswell.

Founded as theworld’s largest catalogretailer in 1872, Mont-gomery Ward & Com-pany was a householdname for decades.Known also for its “un-veiling” of Santa’s fa-vorite helper, Rudolph,in its 1939 Christmascatalog, the company was the retailer tobeat in catalog-order retail sales at thebeginning of the twentieth century. Aleader in retail even during the GreatDepression, Montgomery Ward em-ployed over 70,000 people by the early1940s.

Led by Sewell Avery, an anti-NewDeal businessman bred of lumber baronsin Michigan, the retailer refused to signcontracts with employees in early 1944.Avery, who fought against unions at allcosts, found himself in a bitter strugglewith the President and the National WarLabor Board in April of that same year.It was his staunch and illegal anti-labor

Montgomery Ward’s Not-So-Merry Christmas in 1944stance that would ultimately make theChristmas season of 1944 a nightmarefor his company.

In 1942, President Franklin D.Roosevelt created the National War La-

bor Board in an attempt toavert strikes in criticalindustries that supportedthe war effort across thecountry. During WWII,Montgomery Ward &Company was relied uponas a supplier of clothing,auto parts, and many otheritems considered criticalto winning the war over-seas.

Just two years later, in1944, Avery refused to rec-ognize the agreements thatthe United Mail Order,Warehouse, and RetailEmployees’ Union had pre-pared the year prior. Aftermultiple orders to complythat were sent by the Na-tional War Labor Board

went ignored, Roosevelt called on the ArmyNational Guard to seize the company’smain plant in Chicago. As they seized theplant on April 24, the National Guard wasforced to physically remove a livid Avery,who screamed “let go of me, you NewDealer!.” A photograph of the chairmanbeing carried out of his office ran in news-papers nationwide, and sent a strong mes-sage to employers that there would beserious consequences for any companythat opposed workers’ right to organize.

In response, Avery told the media“…the government has been coercingboth employers and employees to accepta brand of unionism” and that govern-

ment actions to enforce col-lective bargaining agree-ments and workers rightswere only a disguise forleading the nation into agovernment of dictators.”

Thinking that Avery hadlearned his lesson, the Chi-cago plant was returned tomanagement in May. But itdidn’t take long for Averyto move forward with moreillegal, anti-labor activities.Later that year, the Con-gress of Industrial Organi-zations (CIO) won an elec-tion at the Chicago loca-tion only to be ignored byAvery.

Still dismissive of gov-ernment authority and flip-pant about his duty to treatworkers fairly, Avery ulti-mately forced PresidentRoosevelt to seize Mont-gomery Ward facilitiesacross the country. By De-cember 27, locations in New York,Michigan, California, Illinois, Colorado,and Oregon were all officially seized bythe Secretary of War. On December 28,the army seized all catalog operations inChicago, resulting in an order pile-up of10,000 per day.

Though Avery regained control of Mont-gomery Ward & Company as the new yearbegan, the experience taught top board brassa tough lesson. By the close of 1944, theretailer saw year-end sales figures that showedSears, Roebuck & Company leading Mont-gomery Ward by nearly 40%. For the firsttime since the company’s foundation, it wasfalling behind its two largest competitors,Sears and JC Penney, in overall sales. Andthe board knew exactly who to blame.

Associate General Council to theAFL-CIO, Damon Silvers, wrote that,because of the actions that led to itsseizure, Montgomery Ward was “theWal-Mart of its day.”

After the end of WWII, Avery contin-ued to conduct business in a way thatboth the union and the board consideredout of touch. And, though it took a de-

cade until he was replaced as presidentand chairman, in 1954 his previous in-discretions came back to haunt him. Ex-actly ten years after the government sei-zure of Montgomery Ward & Company,Avery resigned in the face of a certainunseating by fellow board members. Hewas replaced by John Barr who wouldnever be able to regain the strength thecompany had seen prior to Avery’s anti-union leadership.

This Christmas, as we walk the localmalls and supermarkets looking for thatperfect meal for big family gatherings, theperfect red dress for our youngest girls andthat perfect video game for our oldest boys,we should remember the strength of theunions that made it possible for retail work-ers to organize. We should remember thepresident that made retail workers andothers all over the country a priority duringthe Christmas season. And the movementthat made it possible for retailers to seesuch sales by helping everyday workingpeople earn wages and paid time off thatallows them to celebrate the holidays asthey should be celebrated: with family.

Retired 751 Business Rep-resentative and Joint ProgramsExecutive Director JohnMcGinnis was recently honoredwith the “Heart Of Bates Vi-sion Award”.

The award was presented atthe Bates Technical CollegeFoundation Annual Banquet “foran individual whose efforts con-tribute to the growth of the col-lege and the community.” Johnhas been a longtime supporter ofcareer and technical education inthe State of Washington and atBates Technical College. Johnwas appointed to Bates’ Board ofTrustees as the Labor Represen-tative from 1991-94. He alsoserved on the Washington State WorkforceTraining and Education CoordinatingBoard from 1997-2005.

Although retired from the MachinistsUnion, he continues to promote educationand currently serves as the Chairman of theBates General Advisory Committee – as-sisting the president of the college. Inaddition, John is a member of the Bates’Machinist Advisory Committee and theMachinist Joint Apprenticeship Program.

McGinnis Receives ‘Heart of Bates’ Award -Machinists Scholarship Endowed

When receiving the award John stated“This Heart of Bates Vision Award is ameaningful tribute recognizing my leader-ship and ability in a long career of activismin this community and the State. I amdeeply humbled by this great honor.”

In conjunction with the ceremonyDistrict 751 President Tom Wroblewskiannounced the establishment of the IAM751/McGinnis Family Scholarship – anendowed scholarship to support quali-

fied students at Bates Techni-cal College. The McGinnisfamily and District 751 jointlycontributed $12,000 to theBates Foundation, which willprovide student assistance in-definitely into the future. In-terest earned on the endow-ment will allow for a $500annual scholarship to beawarded, which can be used tocover tuition, books or tools.Students in the machinists andsheet-metal programs are eli-gible. The foundation hopes toincrease the payout over time.

District President TomWroblewski presented theUnion contribution at the ban-

quet and stated, “We are happy to be ableto present this gift to Bates in recognitionof John’s service and look forward to meet-ing the first scholarship recipients, whowill be announced this spring.”

John thanked District 751 for theirparticipation in this endeavor. Personalcontributions to this scholarship can bemade to Bates Technical College Foun-dation, 1101 S. Yakima Ave, Tacoma,WA 98405, Phone: 253-680-7160

by Rosanne Tomyn

Secretary-Treasurer Susan Palmer (l) and District PresidentTom Wroblewski (r) congratulated John McGinnis on the“Heart of Bates” award and announced the establishmentof an endowed scholarship to support qualified students atBates Technical College.

in an area as large as the west.”The Department of Homeland Security

and the Department of Defense have issuedincreased security measures and flight re-strictions for the 2010 Vancouver/WhistlerOlympics for pilots coming through Se-attle from around the country and the world.Seattle FSS is scheduled to close three daysafter these measures go into effect.

Furthermore, no other facilities arecapable of backing up the western hub inArizona in case of system failures oremergencies. “I think there is a genuinedisconnect when you try to manage some-thing this large from that far away,”Jorgenson said. “There is too much roomfor error.”


Fighting to Save SeattleFlight Services Jobs

Lockheed Martin has proposedclosing the Seattle facility, affecting11 members and could dramaticallyimpact flight safety for this region.

Once anindustryleader,MontgomeryWard neverregained thestrength it sawprior to WWIIand SewellAvery’s anti-labor actions.

Rudolph the Red-NosedReindeer was introduced in a1939 Montgomery Wardcatalog insert. Robert L. May,who created Rudolph’s cartoonand wrote the famous storywhile employed at the catalogstore, wasn’t given any rightsto the story until 1947.

Sewell Avery, chairman and president ofMontgomery Ward, being physically removed fromhis office in 1944 by the National Guard afterdefying a Presidential order. The photo ran in papersnationwide and sent a strong message that theunfair treatment of workers would not be tolerated.


Congratulations to the followingmembers who retired from the Union:

Union Retirees:

RETIREMENT NEWS

Dennis G AndersonAndrew AndringaDennis M AnthonyRoger W BeckPatricia D BriggsJoe S BrinkmanRonnie R Burtis SrJames W EaganRodney W FowlerDuane A HarperCherly J HealyJames L HoltSharon L HopkinsHernan A HoyosRobert D JasperAlvina R KittelmanPaula J LauterbachCraig D LeGerald E LindsayKristin E LoveRicky A LudingtonRosie M MackRonald S MusolfDonald J NicholsJoseph P RyanTimothy D ValvodaRobert L WoodruffDenis E Youngson

Walter Berg, who served as bothPresident and Secretary-Treasurer ofDistrict 751 and was a member for morethan 50 years, passed away on Oct. 24 atthe age of 90.

The son of Swedish immigrants, Bergwas born on Dec. 19, 1918, in Harper,Wash.

Berg hired on at Boeing in 1940,working as a structural mechanic. Hewas active in the Union, holding variousLocal Lodge leadership positions fromSteward to Local Lodge President andDistrict Council Delegate.

In 1957, Berg ran unopposed and waselected District Secretary-Treasurer.

In 1965, it was a time of turmoil.District President John Sullivan suffereda heart attack and died the same day asUnion members gathered to approve thecontract and end a 19-day walkout.

Berg led the Union through the after-math, and continued as District 751 Presi-

dent through the successful contract talksof 1968, where the Union won pensionimprovements, wage and cost-of-livingincreases, and the first Boeing dental plan.

Berg believed it was important to havethe Union involved in the political systemat both the federal and state levels andcontinually lobbied for workers’ issues.

Berg was the Union’s leader duringthe launch of the 747 program – andduring the dark days that followedCongress’s decision to kill the SuperSonic Transport, which led to the“Boeing Bust” of 1970-71.

Berg lost his re-election for DistrictPresident in 1970, but continued on as aLocal C officer and District Councildelegate, and was later appointed to bea Grand Lodge Rep, a post he held untilhis retirement.

Berg retired from Boeing in 1981,and from the IAM in 1990 – after col-lecting his 50-year pin. He spent the rest

A Festive Feast for the Holidays

Helen and Leroy Miller announcedtheir 60th wedding anniversary atthe luncheon. Their anniversary isDec. 18.

The Seattle Union Hall was packed for the annual event.Retirees enjoyed holiday music before the formal program began.

Liz Menzel selected wineglasses when her number wasdrawn in the prize raffle.

Retirees enjoyed a delicious turkey lunch complete with thetrimmings and pumpkin pie.

Secretary-Treasurer Susan Palmer visitswith past Sec-Treasurer Jerry Dargitz.

Hundreds of prizes were donatedto help kick start the holidayseason.

Hundreds of 751 retirees kicked off the holiday seasonby attending the annual retired club Christmas luncheon onDecember 14. TheSeattle Hall waspacked and retireesenjoyed a deliciousturkey lunch, fes-tive music,reaquainting withold friends andmaking new ones.

Walt Berg Passes at Age 90

of his years at his home in Gig Harbor,with his wife of the past 30 years, Arlene.

Jerry Shreve, who served as a Union BusinessRepresentative from 1981 through January 2004,passed away on December 4.

Jerry hired into Boeing in June 1955 and workedfor over 25 years as an Electronic and MechanicalInspector. He was featured on the cover of theFebruary 14, 1966 edition of Aviation Week &Space Technology while working on the LunarOrbiter.

Immediately after hiring into Boeing, Jerrybecame active in the Union and began working hisway up through the leadership ranks – serving asUnion Steward and holding various Local Lodge

positions, including Local E President, Record-ing Secretary and District Council Delegate.

In 1981, he was elected as a Business Repre-sentative and enjoyed serving the membershipfull time and working to protect their rights andensure the contract was enforced. Jerry was re-elected to five additional terms until he retired inFebruary 2005.

Although Jerry was perceived by many to besoft spoken, co-workers at the Union describedhim as tenacious and passionate when fightingfor the rights of a member.

Remembering Long-Time Business Rep Jerry Shreve

Teresa Moore was festive in hercandy cane hat posing with Frank“Bob” Agnew.

Betty Degerstromand James Evansonwore santa hats

Photoright:TerryHolmand hismomClarissa‘Chris’Holmwhowas aRosiethe Riveter and is featured in October ofthe 2010 Women In Industry calendar.

Jerry Shreve served asBR from 1981 to 2004.

Lobbying for jobs and support of theSupersonic Transport in the late1960’s: L to R: 751 President WalterBerg, 751 Sec-Treas. Ray Johnson andIAM Leg. Director George Nelson.

WANTED: KITCHEN HELP FOR 751RETIRED CLUB

Help is needed in the kitchen forRetiree Business Meetings that takeplace every second Monday of the

month at 11AM. Additional help canbe used each Monday. A small

stipend is offered. If interested,please call 206-764-0340


CABLE CHAINS, 2 pairs, new fit 235/758 andmany other sizes, $35.00 each. 206-762-4732

USED RCA COLOR TV, works good,$35.00. Assorted decorative bear plates, 8inch, $1.00 each. 425-226-7252

BRAND NEW ALUMINUM CRUTCHES,never used, $45. 253-862-2040

COMPUTER STAND & HUTCH, onwheels, has 2 3-4 shelves with pull-out key-board shelf, oak laminate, measures 59H x31W, good condition, $65. 425-432-6134

HALLMARK KIDDIE CAR CLASSICS,large collection of cars, sidewalk, mini, andlarge all for sale at the retail price on box. Allare in original boxes with packaging and carsin new condition. 425-432-6134

2007 CHEVY _ TON WHEELS, caps, andlugs, 265/70 R17, Goodyear Wranglers, about_ tread, $250 OBO. 253-922-6291

CHANDELIER, eight lights, heavy metaltrim with glass sides, $30. 206-937-8731

OSTER MIXING SET, all parts, bowls com-plete, nice Christmas present, $90. 253-875-7944

DELUXE CHILD’S CARRIAGE, $35. 206-935-6535.

ADULT SKIS with binding and poles, bestoffer. 206-935-6535.

2 SHEETS _” PLYWOOD, $15. Wet/dryvac. 206-935-6535.

LEATHER COUCH & MATCHINGCHAIR, $300 OBO, above average condi-tion. 253-863-7299.

KENMORE 3-DRAWER STORAGE CEN-TER, $100 OBO. 253-863-7299

HIS & HERS SCHWIN MOUTNTAINBIKES, above average cond. 253-863-7299

SAXAPHONE – TENOR – SELMER,$1950. 425-255-1184

GREENWOOD MEMORIAL PARKCEMETARY, lot 503, block 39, space 4,section Azalea, $7500 firm, selling now for$7997. 206-767-3228

RETIREES FROM SHOP 2-2165, KENTSpace Center, Bldg 18-62, meet for breakfastmonthly. Please join us. For details [email protected]

ALBUMS: 13 Readers Digest albums,Beethoven and popular music etc, 12 Ger-man records, 40 VHS recorded movie tapes,$1.00 tapes and each record. 253-852-6809

CHRISTMAS WRAP and ribbon, $10.00all. 253-852-6809

2 CHRISTMAS SNOW DOMES, six inchmusical, 2 porcelain lighted houses, Santa’sand ski shop, Dickens Collection 1 – Xmasporcelain carolers, $8.00 each. 253-852-6809

10

FORMEMBERS

ONLY

ANIMALS ELECTRONICS & ENTERTAINMENT PROPERTYBOATS FURNITURE & APPLIANCES RECREATIONAL MEMBERSHIPTOOLS RECREATIONAL VEHICLES SPORTING GOODSHOUSING MISCELLANEOUS VEHICLESAUTO PARTS & ACCESSORIES COTTAGE INDUSTRIES

WANT ADSFREEANIMALS

Each single ad must be 25 words orless. Use a separate piece of paper orad blank for each ad, as they are pre-classified physically. Ads are freeonly to members - active, laid-off, orretired. For best response, includephone number instead of addressesin ad copy. Members' "cottageindustries" will be OK in ads, but nocommercial ads. When using ownpaper for ads, include informationrequired on regular ad blank.

ATTENTION TOAD RULES

Circle One:

Ad (25 word limit. Pleaseprint)._____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone (or Address)______________________________________________________________________________________________

The following information must be filled in for your ad to appear:

Name __________________________________________________________ Clock Number _________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________ Shop Number __________________________________

Mail Coupon to AERO MECHANIC NEWSPAPER, 9125 15th Pl. S., Seattle, 98108 Deadline is Jan. 12th!

Deadline For Next IssueJanuary 12th

ELECTRONICS &ENTERTAINMENT

FURNITURE ANDAPPLIANCES

HOUSING

MISCELLANEOUS

COTTAGEINDUSTRIES

PROPERTY

RECREATIONALMEMBERSHIP

REC VEHICLES

SPORTING GOODS

TOY POODLES, just in time for Christmas,two black female puppies, adorable, playful,loving, 2 months old, shots, dewormed, $325each. 360-691-5890

DOG HOUSE, never used, 2 years old, paid$110, will sell for $90 or best offer. 206-772-3074

WANTED: Free cats for retired member. Ifyou have any cats you would like to giveaway, please give me a call on 425-251-8168. I love cats. I have a large garage, whichcats have access in and out of, as well as alarge wooded area and outbuildings. Theperfect home for cats.

SCHNAUZER PUPPIES, ready for Christ-mas, AKC reg., tailes docked, see pix onKjiji Auburn Area, $600 for females, $500for males. 253-833-0842

AFFORDABLE PROFESSIONAL PHO-TOGRAPHY, Studio J Images is a localphotography company offering professionalwedding, anniversary, engagement, preg-nancy, family, graduation, and specialty pho-tography. All digital packages available ordesign your own package. Flexible, reliable,and eager to be a part of your event or specialoccasion. Ask about our SPECIAL FORMACHINISTS MEMBERS. More infor-mation and slideshows at \o “blocked::http://studiojimages.net/” http://studiojimages.net/or call Beth at 402-730-8663.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMETHINGTO DO IN YOUR RETIREMENT? SunsetView Garden Club meets the third Thursdayof each month at the Golden Pine Apart-ments, 2901 10th NE, Renton, WA. Every-one is welcome. Contact 425-255-8195 or425-255-0859 for more information

PHOTOGRAPHER. VERY affordable digi-tal wedding photography. Save money. Alsoavailable for family portraits, senior picturesand special events. Call about Christmasevents now. 206-240-9773

GOLD’S GYM, RENTON, 10728 NE CarrRd. Take advantage of Special Boeing Em-ployee Rate - simply present your Boeingbadge for discount! Family Owned & Oper-ated by Boeing Employee Michael Cavaiani,a strong Union brother! One time processingfee of $49, single monthly membership duesof $29, family add-ons $20. Personal Train-ing rates available at $49 per session (reg$60). 425-793-5457

LAKE TAPPS BACKFLOW. For all yourbackflow testing and repair needs. $5 dis-count for members. $10 discount for seniorsand veterans. Licensed, bonded, insured - aservice disabled, veteran-owned small busi-ness. Call 253-217-7751 or [email protected]

STUDIO IV SALON & DAY SPA offers awide range of services and highly trainedstaff. $5 off any service for Aerospace Ma-chinists members. Located in Auburn at 119East Main St. Walk-ins welcome or call 253-333-8617 for an appointment.

TATTOO SPECIALS of the month, allBoeing employees and families 25% off,Underground Tattoos. 253-590-3892

WURLITZER ORGAN 435, funmaker spe-cial, Mediterranean pecan, work books andmusic, $110. 206-937-8731

COMPUTER SET, older, has Windows ’98,10GB, 192MB Ram, no internal modem, buthas Ethernet connection port, comes with moni-tor, tower, keyboard, mouse, and speakers, allin excellent working cond, $75. 425-432-6134

HOME FOR SALE, 3BD/2BA, living, din-ing room, 2 car covered carport, storageshed, 2 years old, $78,000 cash. Call Ron480-654-8840

1600 SF CREEKFRONT RAMBLER in 95acre gated community, 3bed, 2bath, fire-place, covered patio and carport, deck, ga-rage, 20 miles east of Arlington. $175,000.

2008 VSI PARK MODEL CABIN, like new,on deeded lot in Lost Lake Resort, nearLacey, WA, tons of amenities with indoor/outdoor pool and private fish stocked lake ingated resort, for families or snowbirds,$145,000. 425-432-6134

KONA, HAWAII oceanfront condo. Enjoy 2Bd/2 Bath fully equipped condo – pool,jacuzzi, private lanai, DSL, color TV w/VCR/DVD. $1175/wk.www.banyantreecondo.com 206-938-9214

1600 SF CREEKFRONT RAMBLER, in 95acre gated community, 3BD/2BA, fireplace,covered patio and carport, deck, garage, 20miles east of Arlington, $175,000. 425-743-9488

LAKERIDGE AREA HOME, for rent orsale, open floor plans, newly remodeled, sixminutes to Renton Boeing, Harley riders getreduced rent, $950/month or $219 ownercontract. 425-679-1839

ANTIQUE TRUNK/COFFEE TABLE,carved elephants on four legs, copper bind-ings riveted, $110. 206-937-8731

ANTIQUE ARMOIRE, metal, four-waymirror, wash basin, a steal at $110. 206-937-8731

TWO GLASS END TABLES & COFFEETABLE, new exercise bicycle, $50. 360-387-6904

KITCHEN HELP FOR THE DISTRICT 751RETIREE CLUB, help is needed in thekitchen for Retiree Business Meetings thattake place every second Monday of the monthat 11AM. Additional help can be used eachMonday at the weekly meetings. A smallstipend is offered. If interested, please call206-764-0340

IN HOME CAREGIVER needed for retiredBoeing IAM worker, lives in Burien, 3 hourstwice per week or more. 206-242-2635

ELECTROLUX STYLE R NEW FILTERBAGS, for canister type vacuum cleaner, 43bags for $25.00. 253-852-6809

EUREKA STYLE disposable dust bags forupright – 16 for $12.00. Collectible shoebox,cardboard, holds 9 pair, $20.00. 253-852-6809

PICTURE OF THE BEETLES, 12x37, 1987,$35.00. Oak frame, 12x36, $20.00. 253-852-6809

JARS, quart and pint, 60 for crafts not usablefor canning, $25.00 all. 253-852-6809

FRALEY MT. RIVER RANCH, 5 acrewooded lot, just a few minutes east of Ar-lington, WA, electricity and telephone areunderground, $67,521. 360-435-2430

MOBILE HOME, 55+ park, 2 million dollarview, Redondo Beach, South of Des Moines,1,856 sq. ft., perfect condition, $124,000 oroffer. 253-839-9169.

GREENWOOD AZALEA GARDEN,Renton, WA, 2 adjoining lots, $5000 forboth. 425-255-1184

PROPERTY ON WILLPAPA RIVER, one10.933 acres, $99,000 after down $644.79per month. One 12.933 acres, $105,000 afterdown, $752.26 per month. 10% down, 6%interest, 20 year contract. 360-249-5083

2004 DUPLEX, excellent condition, zoned(commercial), L.I.C. low intensity comm..,2BR/2BA, 2 car garage, sewer, bus line oneblock. 360-275-0974

SIDE-BY-SIDE PLOTS, Auburn MountainView Cemetery, next to veteran’s section, 2or more $1650 each, 6 available if you wanta family section. 360-494-4118

MEMBERSHIP WITH WORLDMARK, forless than _ of retail, go anywhere, anytime,approximately 3 weeks of red season annu-ally, $15,000. 253-221-1499

31 FT ALEGRO MOTERHOME & ’98CHEVY 5 SPEED PICKUP, both run great,1988 motorhome comes with tow package andpickup comes with canopy, $10K for all, con-sider selling motorhome without tow packageand truck. Call Robert at 253-846-1736

1991 KOMFORT 5TH WHEEL TRAILER,26 foot, in good cond, sleeps 4-, $5,000. 206-653-7135

WEATHERBY VANGUARD 30/06 stain-less synthetic Leopold VX-1, 3_ boxes pre-mium ammo, like new, $350, cash and IDrequired. 360-652-7962

PACKBOARD WITH ROPES and straps,military type, $30. 253-941-5987

HELP WANTED


TOOLS

VEHICLES

CRAFTSMAN 6.5 HP YARD VACUUM,used 5 hours, cost $600 sell for $250, N.Arlington. 425-422-4908

1979 LINCOLN MARK 5, running condi-tion, no-dents, classic, call for more informa-tion. 425-988-3500

1966 CHEVY CAPRICE, very rare musclecar, 396 big block Muncie m21 close ratio 4speed 12 bolt posi-traction 3:73 ratio originalbutternut yellow paint, beautiful black benchseat interior, four wheel disc brakes with twoinch prop spindles, and drilled and slottedrotors all around, much more. 509-731-0267

2006 NISSAN 350-Z, with only 6,000 miles,looks and smells like new, extended war-ranty ends in 2014 or 100,000 miles, $25,000.425-760-6354.

1997 BUICK SKYLARK CUSTOM,129,500 miles, excellent condition, $2200OBO. 360-893-6438

1971 CHEVROLET C-10 LT-1, all new partsfront to rear, exceptional value, over 15,000in parts last three years, must see, propanepowered, $6500 OBO. 206-246-5184

1 LEG BLACKSMITH VISE, free, you haul.425-255-1804.

FREE POOL TABLE, full size, very goodcond, balls and sticks, don’t use anymore, wantgarage to park car, you move. 253-939-0102

FREE ELECTRIC STOVE, slide-in, color:almond. 253-588-6266

UNUSED SWING SET, 253-875-7944.

WANTED: Free cats for retired member. Ifyou have any cats you would like to give away,please give me a call on 425-251-8168. I lovecats. I have a large garage, which cats haveaccess in and out of, as well as a large woodedarea and outbuildings. Perfect home for cats.

FREE

WANTED

Notice of Nomination & Electionfor District Vice President

To the fill the vacancy for the unexpired term ofDistrict Vice President, the Union will hold nomina-tions for the position at the Jan. 26, 2010 DistrictCouncil meeting to be held at the Seattle Union Hall,9125 15th Pl S, Seattle, convening at 5:30 p.m.

To be eligible for nomination, members must be aseated District Council delegate as well as meeting allthe “Qualifications of Candidates” listed in the DistrictBy-laws and the IAM Constitution.Election Day

If more than one person is nominated for the positionof District Vice President on Jan. 26, an election will beheld on Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. at thefollowing Union offices:

Auburn: 201 A Street SW Everett: 8729 Airport Rd.Renton: 233 Burnett N. Seattle: 9135 15th Pl SSpokane: 4226 E Mission St.

Absentee BallotsAbsentee Ballots will be furnished upon written request

to the District Secretary-Treasurer. Such requests for ab-sentee ballots must be received no later than 30 daysbefore the election. Members must qualify under theprovisions of the IAM Constitution as follows:

1. Reside in an outlying area more than 25 miles fromthe designated polling place.

2. Be confined because of verified illness.3. Be on vacation.4. Be on official IAM business approved by the

Local, District or Grand Lodge.5. Be on an approved employer travel assignment or

reserve military leave6. Be on an approved Family Medical Leave of

AbsenceFor Locals A, C, E & F: direct absentee ballot requests

to: District Secretary-Treasurer, 9125 15th Pl. S., Seattle,WA 98108 - either delivered in person or by mail.

For Local 86, 1123 and 1951: Mail or personallydeliver absentee ballot requests to: IAM & AW BallotRequest, 4226 E. Mission, Spokane, WA 99202. Officehours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed for lunchfrom 1 to 2 p.m.

Request For an Application Form - 2010 Scholarship Form

IMPORTANT: Complete this couponAND attach a SELF-ADDRESSEDLABEL for reply.

Mail to: IAM Scholarship Program 9000 Machinists Place, Room 117 Upper Marlboro, MD 20772-2687

2010 IAM Scholarship CompetitionThe IAM Scholarship Competition is

open each year to members of the IAMand their childrenthroughout theUnited States andCanada.

Scholarshipsfor a bachelor’sdegree or a two-year vocational/technical certification aredetermined in a competition among eli-gible applicants that is judged by anindependent selection committee.

Awards to members are $2,000 peracademic year. They are granted for aspecific period from one to four yearsleading to a bachelor’s degree or a two-year vocationa/technical certification.

Awards to Children of Membersare:

College – $1,000 per academic year.All awards are renewable each year, un-til a bachelor’s degree is obtained or fora maximum of four years, whicheveroccurs first.

Vocational/Technical School –$2,000 per year until certification isreched for a maximum of two years,whichever occurs first.

Eligibility for CompetitionAny Applicant Must Be Either--• an IAM member, or• the son, daughter, stepchild or le-

gally adopted child of an IAM member.A Member Applicant--• must have two years of continuous

good-standing membership up to andincluding the closing date of the compe-tition which is February 26, 2010,

• the IAM member must maintaincontinuous good-standing membershipthroughout the life of the award,

• must be working in a company un-

Print your name and address clearly:

Photo Right: Local 1951 CouncilAlternate Chris Siegfried repeats theoath of office from Dist. Pres.Wroblewski.

New Officers Accept the Oath of Office

Above: Business RepRay Baumgardner (l)administers the oathof office to Local ARecording SecretaryRich McCabe.

Business Rep Ray Baumgardner (l) administers theoath of office to Local A President Jason Redrup.

District President Tom Wroblewski (r)administers the oath of office to Local A CouncilAlternate Mark Clark.

der contract with the IAM,• may apply, whether entering col-

lege or vocational/technical school as afreshman or at a higher level with somecollege credits already completed,

• may apply as a full-time or part-time student,

• if not a winner, may apply againthe following year.

Child of a Member Applicant--• must have one living parent with

two years of continuous good-stand-ing membership up to and includingthe closing date of February 26, 2010,

• must be planning to graduate dur-ing the winter or by the end of the spring2010 school year (i.e., normally a highschool senior or completing the lastyear of college preparatory work),

• must plan to take a regular col-lege or vocational/technical program

on a full-time basis, maintaining qualifyinggrades,

• will be eligible if the parent died after theson or daughter entered high school, if theparent had two years of "continuous good-standing membership" at the time of death,

• A "continuous good-standing member-ship" is understood to be a period of member-ship during which the member continuouslyhas paid monthly dues uninterrupted by with-drawal cards,

• the IAM member must maintain con-tinuous good-standing membership through-out the life of the award.

For complete 2010 Scholarship Competi-tion Guidelines, visit www.goiam.org/iamscholarship. NOTE: Completed Applica-tion Packets must be postmarked no laterthan February 26, 2010. No exceptions what-soever will be permitted even if a third partyis responsible for the delay.

Above: Dist. President TomWroblewski (r) administers theoath of office to Local A CouncilDelegate Jason Redrup.

Please send me an Application Packet for the 2010 IAM ScholarshipCompetition. I understand that this request is not an application and that thecompleted Application Packet must be postmarked no later than Feb. 26, 2010.

REMINDER: Please check the appropriate box below and the requestedapplication will be mailed to you. As an IAM member who will have 2 years'continuous membership in the IAM as of Feb. 26, 2010, I am requesting anApplication Form for:

Child of Member requesting a College Scholarship

Child of Member requesting a Vocational/Technical Scholarship

IAM Member requesting a College or Vocational/Technical Scholarship


EASTERN WASHINGTON

L to R: Business Rep Steve Warren, Bert Vandenhazeland his wife, Karl Bash and his son, and RobertCroyle. Warren presented the members fromColumbia Lighting with settlement checks after thecompany closed its doors and failed to pay theCOBRA provided in the letter of understanding.

Since 1947, Machinists Union mem-bers have proudly worked for MonarchMachine & Tool Company in Pasco,WA. The skilled craftsmen at this full-service fabrication facility tackle a wideassortment of work and deliver qualityand expertise that has built them a repu-tation as one of the best. In 2004, theywere named “Manufacturer of the Year”after being nominated by Fluor Hanford.

Because they do not machine produc-tion parts, they work on a wide range ofproducts and a lot of one-of-a-kind pro-cesses. One project may entail fabricat-ing and leak testing boxes and lids tocontain low level radiological waste forvitrification, another could be machin-ing spare parts for a sludge retrievalsystem, and the next may be fabricatinga bulkhead screen structure for irrigationwater in the Columbia River. Membersthere perform complex structural metalfabrication, manufacture industrial ma-chinery, fabricate and install irrigation

manifold systems, and perform Hanfordprototype work. Monarch also offers upto 50 tons of field crane services to assistwith installations and repairs.

Beyond just the skills and expertise ofour members, there are many other fea-tures about this Union shop that moti-vates members to stay there for manyyears. At this company, loyalty is a two-way street. Many of the members haveworked there for over 20 years – makingthem part of the “family.” The Machin-ists Union has built a strong workingrelationship with Monarch.

When work was slow earlier this yeardue to the trying economic times, theowners (Doug Winters and DennisShepard) had employees perform repairson some of their rental properties.

“It is unusual to find a small businessthat will work to keep people employed.Basically, this whole year has been slow forour company,” stated member DanMcVicker, who has worked at MonarchMachine for over 32 years in the weldingshop. “Instead of laying people off, theyfound other things to keep us employed – itwasn’t welding work, but it kept us busy.”

“We have good pay and benefits, andwe have a good working atmosphere.The work is different all the time sincewe don’t make production parts – mak-ing it more interesting and challenging,”Dan added.

Member Mike Saari has worked atMonarch since 2001. After he was in-jured on the job, the company created aproject manager type position in the frontoffice.

“This company was great when I got

hurt on the job. Monarch paid me for oneyear and encouraged me to retrain even ifI didn’t come back to work for them. Whenthey created a new position, they said trythis out because we will work with you. Istill weld on area jobs to keep my hand inshop work, but now I have learned thebusiness end, as well. I purchase material,work with customers, get jobs lined up andhave a more well-rounded position, whichI really enjoy. I’m also the safety focal forthe company.”

Mike also volunteered to be the UnionSteward a few months ago. “I becameSteward because I like working with theguys and wanted to make sure they weretaken care of,” stated Mike. “If there is aproblem, I can help fix it. The bosses work

with us to accommodate us.”He added, “It is a very family-oriented

company. The bosses are more like yourdad. They always want us to better our-selves at work and provide encourage-ment. They provide a Christmas bonus forour families and hand out hats and shirts.That is why people stay so long – a Unionmachine shop with good pay and benefitsand a great atmosphere.”

The goodwill at this company is noth-ing new. IAM 751 Administrative As-sistant Jim Bearden recalled working atMonarch Machine in 1979 and recogniz-ing it was a good employer then thattreated its employees fair. The statementstill holds true today.

Machinists Union members in Spo-kane who worked for Columbia Light-ing continued to benefit from Unionmembership even after the companyclosed its Spokane plant to move opera-tions to Mexico. Thanks to persistencefrom the Union, members there receivedc h e c k stotal ing$2,400 aspart of ag r i e v -a n c es e t t l e -ment inNovem-ber.

F o rdecades,C o l u m -bia Light-ing was aSpokanei n s t i t u -tion manufacturing industrial lightingequipment. The Machinists Union had 15members when the company was boom-ing. Because our members performed fa-cilities/maintenance work, they were thelast ones out the door as the companyclosed in March. The IBEW and Team-sters also represented members at the facil-ity.

When the plant closure was an-nounced, the Machinists Union signed acontract extension to get through theshut down and negotiated a Letter ofUnderstanding providing a severancepackage for the members. The company

issued the severance pay but failed toprovide the three months of COBRAagreed to in the letter of understanding.

Rather than simply accepting that thecompany had closed and left the country,the Machinists Union continued to pursuethe issue for our members and filed a

g r i e v -ance.

M a -chinistsU n i o nm e m -b e r sw e r epleasedto re-ceive ag r i e v -a n c es e t t l e -m e n tamount-ing to

$2,400 (approximately $300 per person).While it did not cover the entire COBRApayment, it did help in their transition toa new job. Members in the other twounions received no settlement.

Karl Bash, who was the Steward for thegroup noted, “We were very happy to re-ceive a settlement especially since mem-bers of the Teamsters and IBEW did not getanything. We were not expecting a checkand appreciated the Machinists Union fol-lowed through with the grievance. We an-ticipated the company wouldn’t do any-thing since they had already left the region.The settlement was a pleasant surprise.”

Monarch Machine Goes That Extra Mile for Members

Administrative Assistant Jim Bearden (standing far r) meets with membersat Monarch Machine in Pasco. This quality employer consistently providestop pay and benefits and treats workers with respect, which results in loyalemployees who continually deliver a top-quality product.

Monarch created a project managerposition for Mike Saari after he wasinjured on the job a few years ago.

Union Delivers Bright Spot AfterColumbia Lighting Closes

Dr. Triay (far left) addresses students at the HAMMER Training Center atHanford. IAM Local 1951 President Ken Howard (standing 2nd from left)regularly instructs classes at the facility. All new hires under ARRA fundingare required to go through the intensive safety training.

Stimulus Dollars BoostHanford Employment

Continued on page 4

Federal stimulus dollars are pouringinto the Hanford clean-up, creating thou-sands of jobs for the Tri-Cities.

As part of the American Recovery andReinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, $6billion in new funding was provided to theDepartment of Energy to accelerate envi-ronmental cleanup work and create or savethousands of jobs in 12 states. The DOEallocated nearly $2 billion of that fundingspecifically to the Hanford site.

The stimulus allocation has roughlydoubled the $2 billion annual budget forcleaning up Hanford, which still con-tains great amounts of nuclear wastefrom the Cold War, when it was one ofthe nation’s prime suppliers of atomicmaterial for nuclear warheads. So far,about $224 million of the stimulus dol-lars have been spent. It’s intended to lastfor about two years, and estimates arethat the stimulus will result in upwards of4,000 new or saved jobs at Hanford.

As the work force at Hanford has ex-panded, so has the need for specializedtraining to equip the new workers with thenecessary knowledge and skills to performtheir work in a safe and effective manner.This translated into additional trainingcourses at the highly acclaimed VolpentestHAMMER Training and Education Cen-ter. A primary reason for HAMMER’ssuccess has been Worker Trainers – bar-gaining unit employees who are experts intheir fields and share their knowledge whileinstructing their co-workers. Worker Train-ers also serve as mentors for their peers asthey work side-by-side in the workplace.The Machinists Union has several mem-bers who serve as Worker Trainers at theCenter – helping to prepare new workers tosafely work on the nuclear reservation.

IAM Local 1951 President KenHoward, who serves as a HAMMERWorker Trainer, noted, “Hanford is one

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