The Air Capital
Wichita, KS. is the Air Capital of the World. General Aviation was founded here, with legendary Companies such as Cessna, Stearman and Travel Air.
Wartime
The IAM grew with Wichita. District Lodge 70 was chartered in 1942, and the union workforce helped win World War II at the Bomber Plant in Southeast Wichita, with thousands of Rosie the Riveters working around the clock.
Peacetime
With the end of the war, Boeing made airliners in Wichita, and general aviation took off, and Wichita continued to boom with Cessna, Beechcraft, and in the sixties, Learjet started production in Wichita.
The Union Advantage
With tens of thousands of unionized workers in Wichita earning high paychecks and good benefits, Wichita prospered. Aircraft workers spent their money at local merchants, fueling the local economy and fed the tax base, so Wichita could have god schools and Police and Fire protection.
Hard Bargaining
Aviation companies pull money from around the world, and the paychecks for workers are how the money from the companies benefits the local community. The IAM bargains hard to make sure Wichita gets its cut, and the strikes occur from time to time are a benefit to the community in the long run.
The Greatest Aerospace Workers In The World
Wichita has a history of aerospace manufacturing clear back to the beginning of the industry. Wichita aircraft workers are multi-generational, with the craftsmanship passed down through three and four generations. Most aircraft workers have grandfathers or grandmothers who worked in the plants.
Highly Skilled Workforce
Aircraft is in the blood of Wichita Machinists members. The skills and knowledge are passed down through the generations in and out of the factories, but pride is the most important factor that makes Wichita great.
Skills For The Future
The Machinists Union doesn’t just bargain for pay and benefits. We look to the future, and realize that a highly-skilled workforce is important to keep jobs in Wichita. So, we bargain with the companies for increased skills training, and lobbied and worked with the local government and the companies to help create the National Center for Aviation Training in Wichita.
The Last Great American Industry
As corporations climb on the outsourcing bandwagon, so many of our industry have left our shores. The aerospace industry is the last one where America still leads on innovation and quality. The Machinists Union bargains with our companies and lobbies our government, both local and national, to keep the industry in America – and Wichita.
Breaking New Ground
The IAM in 2010 negotiated a ground-breaking partnership contract with Spirit AeroSystems that guaranteed that all jobs remained in Wichita for the 10 years of the contract. The IAM tries to put job guarantees into our contracts, and lobbies the government to include job guarantees in government assistance.
Support Our Community
The Machinists Union and its members support the AFL-CIO and United Way partnership, giving millions of dollars every year, volunteering for charity, and being there when disaster hits, such as tornadoes and storms. The IAM is there when our community needs us.
Wichita Strong, Wichita Proud
The Machinists Union has been an important part of Wichita for decades, and we’re here to make sure the aerospace industry stays in Wichita and Wichita remains the Air Capital of the World.
| 
Please join the Wichita / Hutchinson Labor Federation as we commemorate Workers Memorial Day with our annual dinner on Thursday April 24th, 6pm at the Machinist Hall – 3830 S. Meridian, Wichita. We will have a free catered dinner from Stroud’s Fried Chicken as we remember those Kansas Workers who lost their lives on the job and renew our commitment to fight for good, SAFE, jobs.
View the flyer
|
The Kansas Postal Workers Union and Kansas Kaw Valley Area Local are hosting our rally
Thursday, April 24
5pm - 7pm
11880 W. 95th St
Please join us in educating the American People to what the United States Postal Service and Staples are hiding from them!
View the flyer
| Join us for an evening of bowling and fun to raise money to raise money to benefit Guide Dogs of America. Saturday June 21st, 2014.
Get signed up today
| Make Your Food Dollars Stretch If you eat. You qualify. Packages can be ordered in any quantity to meet your family’s needs. If you are being laid off or furloughed this can be a great resource for you and your family. April Menu
Locations
| Notice of Election for IAM International President, General Secretary-Treasurer, and 8 General Vice Presidents
In accordance with the provisions of Article III of the IAM Constitution, the IAM will conduct elections for the offices of International President, General Secretary-Treasurer and 8 General Vice Presidents for terms ending on June 30, 2017. In Canada, elections will be conducted for the offices of International President and General Secretary-Treasurer only.
Voting for these Grand Lodge officers will be held at the first or only meeting of local lodges in the month of April 2014. In March 2014, all members will be mailed to their last known address a Notice of the date, time, and location of voting in their local lodge, and an absentee ballot request form. A list of the dates, times and locations of all IAM local lodge election meetings will be posted on “Grand Lodge Officers Election Notice” page on www.goiam.org no later than March 24, 2014.
Only members in good standing of the local lodge will be permitted to vote in the elections of Grand Lodge officers. All eligible members who arrive at the polls before closing will be permitted to cast their ballots. Polls will remain open for this purpose, if necessary.
Members who (1) reside more than 25 miles from the designated balloting place for their local lodge,* or (2) are confined because of verified illness, or (3) are on leave qualifying under U.S. or Canadian family leave law, or (4) are on vacation,** or (5) are on official IAM business, or (6) are unable to vote during polling hours due to employer assignment or shift, or (7) are on military leave, may vote by absentee ballot, upon request.
Eligible members wishing to receive an absentee ballot must complete an Absentee Ballot Request Form or a letter including the same information, and should deliver it in person or mail it no later than 10 days before the voting date of your local lodge to your local lodge recording secretary or, in the absence of the recording secretary, to the local lodge secretary-treasurer. For assistance and additional information about how to contact your recording secretary to obtain an absentee ballot, ask your shop steward, or call the IAM Membership Department at (301) 967-4525. For a copy of the Absentee Ballot Request Form, click here.
Your local lodge recording secretary will confirm your eligibility to vote by absentee ballot and mail you a ballot and instructions within 48 hours after receipt of your request. Members found not eligible to vote by absentee ballot will be so notified by mail within 48 hours after receipt of the request.
Absentee ballots must be received by your local lodge via mail in the designated P.O. Box on or before the time and date stated in the absentee ballot instructions included with the absentee ballot. Absentee ballots received after the time and date included in the absentee ballot instructions will not be counted.
Protest Procedures
As these elections are being supervised by the U. S. Department of Labor (DOL), all protests concerning the IAM elections process shall be filed in writing with DOL as soon as possible but no later than May 23, 2014, and should be addressed to Geneva Ferrando, DOL Election Supervisor, 800 N. Capitol Street, NW, Suite 120, Washington, DC 20002, telephone (202) 513-7309, fax (202) 513-7301, email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
*Distance is determined by the closest internet driving distance.
**Vacation is only a valid reason for active employees; it is not a valid reason for retirees to receive an absentee ballot.
|
DISTRICT LODGE #70
RETIREMENT CLUB
INVITES YOU!
I bet many of you didn’t know that we have a Retirees group that meets at District 70! Well, we do! This is a club that has been in existence for many years. We get together once a month, eat some great food that has been brought by our members and then have our meeting where we do our monthly business. But, one of the best parts is meeting new people and even running into some old friends.
This is a group where you can get involved, stay informed on topics that are important to retirees and have fun in the process. The officers of the club are elected annually, so there is a great opportunity to be a leader as well!
