VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3

MARCH, 2004

Proposal Meeting 1

Key Dates 1

Safety Training 2

ORGANIZE! 3

Negotiation Meeting 4

INS IDE THIS ISSUE:

“There is no substitute in a free society for collective bargaining” AFL-CIO

MONTHLY MEETING

Sunday April 4, 2004

10 AM at the

Union Hall

Mar. 23 2nd Meeting with the Company Apr. 4 Membership meeting Apr. 6 3rd Meeting with the Company Apr. 13 4th Meeting with the Company Apr. 26-30 Final week of Negotiations May 2 Membership Vote

Contract Negotiation Dates

The UNION NEWS IAM Local Lodge 743 Newsletter

Contract Proposal Meeting

On Sunday, March 7, more than 400 Local Lodge 743 members gathered at Windsor Locks High School to vote on the 2004 Collective Bargaining Agreement proposals that were put forth by our elected Negotiating Committee. During the two hour meeting, the membership had the opportunity to add specific changes to some of the proposals by voting for an amendment passed by majority. Also present at the meeting were officers from District 26, and from the Grand Lodge.

Thanks to Marie and Frank Of WLHS for their expert help

Many thanks to our Sisters and Brothers for making The 2004 Contract Proposal Meeting a great success!

EVERYONE

IS WELCOME Wednesday Info-Share

2nd shift: 2:30 to 3:15 1st shift: 4:05 to 5:00 3rd shift is invited to

either meeting.

VOLUME 2 , ISSUE 3 PAGE 2

BIG Turnout for Strike Authorization Vote: 96% YES!

Despite a Late March snowstorm, hundreds of Local 743 members came out on March 17 to vote for strike authori-zation in these negotiations. 96% voted YES — giving the Negoti-ating Committee authorization to conduct a strike vote at the end of negotiations. This vote is required under the IAM Constitution, but it’s real significance is the signal it sends to management. Local 743 members showed that they are aware of the stakes in these negotia-tions, and are determined to get a good contract. Thanks to all who turned out.

Snowstorm Does Not Stop Record Turnout

JOBS Worth Fighting For! Every member who voted on March 17 also received a T-shirt and a sign with the slogan of this year’s negotiations: “JOBS Worth Fighting For!” Above, Local 743 VP Mike Walsh stands with Brothers Doug Belkey and Marc Carmody, after getting their negotiations “battle gear.”

With a May 2 contract deadline looming on the horizon, Local 743 and District 26 began negotiations this week with Hamilton Sundstrand for a new contract covering 1,076 IAM members in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. "Our members work hard and many have given a lifetime to this company. They deserve economic dignity in retirement," said IAM District 26 Chief Negotiator James Parent.

“Local 743 is prepared to do what's necessary to win the contract our members deserve," added Local 743 President Mark Hebert. The negotiations mark the first meeting this year between the IAM and a United Technologies Corporation (UTC) subsidiary. In December 2003, IAM members at UTC Fuel Cells ratified an agreement where the company forced changes to health insurance coverage for retirees. Workers at Hamilton and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft expect UTC to propose similar terms. Indicating the importance of these negotiations, Eastern Territory GVP Lynn Tucker, Aerospace Coordinator Frank Santos and Grand Lodge Rep. William Rudis attended the first day of negotiations. “These negotiations are about jobs,” said GVP Tucker. “Not only for our members, but for Connecticut as well.”

Machinists ‘Ready for a Fight’ at Hamilton Sundstrand IAM iMail

THE UNION NEWS PAGE 3

To Future IAM Members: We at Local Lodge 743 and District Lodge 26 would like to invite you to join us, to make your workplace better. It's clear union-represented workers across the nation enjoy better average wages and benefits, better and safer working conditions, and rights that non-union workers simply do not have. We believe that all people from all types of work places deserve the right to have union representation on the job. You have the RIGHT TO A VOICE IN YOUR WORKPLACE. We are here to assist and support you in every way we can. But it is up to YOU and your co-workers to make your or-ganizing campaign successful. After all, you are the ones who know the issues that have either impaired you in doing your job or have stripped away the dignity and respect that you deserve. Your Legal Rights You have the legal right under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act to join or support a union and to: • Attend meetings to discuss joining a union. • Read, distribute, and discuss union literature (as long as

you do this in non-work areas during non-work times, such as during breaks or lunch hours.)

• Wear union buttons, T-shirts, stickers, hats, or other items on the job.

• Sign a card asking your employer to recognize and bargain with the union

• Sign petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours, working conditions, and other job issues.

• Ask other employees to support the union, to sign un-ion cards or petitions, or to file grievances.

Secret Ballot Elections To establish a union in a workplace, a majority of employ-ees must express support for the union. In most situations, the employees prove majority support through a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board

“Good Faith" Bargaining After the union's election victory is officially certified by the National Labor Relations Board, your employer is le-gally required to negotiate in "good faith" with the union on a written contract covering wages, hours, and other working conditions. Protection From Employer Action Under Section 8 of the National Labor Relations Act, your employer cannot legally punish or discriminate against any worker because of union activity. For example, your em-ployer cannot legally do the following: • Threaten to or actually fire, lay off, discipline,

harass, transfer, or reassign employees because they support the union.

• Favor employees who don't support the union over those who do in promotions, job assignments, wages, hours, enforcement of rules, or any other working condition.

• Shut down the work site or take away any benefits or privileges employees already enjoy in order to discourage union activity.

• Promise employees a pay increase, promotion, benefit, or special favor if they oppose the union.

If your employer violates the law, the union can help you file "unfair labor practice" charges with the NLRB. The National Labor Relations Act Says: Section 7 “Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representation of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining”.

Section 8 (a): “It shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer…to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in Section 7”.

A Message to the Un-Organized of Hamilton Sundstrand From IAM Local Lodge 743 and District 26

Organize Today For A Better Tomorrow

Please contact us at: 860-828-0359 or email us: Organizer@IAMDistrict26.org

“Only a fool would try to deprive working men and working women of their right to join the union of their choice.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

Across the Table (The Company Side)

Elected Officers Mark Hebert - President

Mike Walsh - Vice President

Tony Walter - Recording Secretary

Mike Gonzales - Secretary/ Treasurer

Clyde Gould - Trustee

Tom Cosker - Trustee

Glen Garfield - Trustee

Paul Duff - Conductor/Sentinel

Newsletter Editors:

Gary Pierkowski & Steve Pouech

LOCAL LODGE 743 Concorde West Professional Center

2 Concorde Way, Bldg. 4.

P.O. Box 3218

Windsor Locks, CT 06096

(860) 292-8577 Fax (860) 292-8506

We are on the web LL743.GOIAM.ORG

LOCAL 743 EAP Employee Assistance Program

Call your EAP representative for a confidential session.

Mike Morin Beeper 860-473-8500 (0306)

Office 860-654-5674 Or Email:

moriniameap@yahoo.com

“We're always here to help”

Paul Barkett Manager, Space, Land & Sea Laboratory Bill Bruce VP Industrial Relations Leo Collins Manager, Human Resources Thomas Cryer Consultant (Yellow Badge) Tony Flippo Director, Mechanical Manufacturing Dave Laroche Plant Manager, Worldwide Repair, WLOX Jack Leary VP Employee Relations Collin Robinson Manager, Human Resources Kevin Ruffer Director, Human Resources Tutch Shirane VP Human Resources & Communications

President Jeff Bronson, and Bill Kidell, of UAW Local Lodge 592 of Hamilton Sundstrand in Rockford, Illinois, attended our first negotiations meeting with UTC as a demonstration of solidarity. “We will always remember the support that Local Lodge743 gave to us during our negotiations. We will be there for you”.

IAM General Vice President for The Eastern Territory

Lynn Tucker pledges his support For Local Lodge 743

LL743 VP Mike Walsh, LL743 Pres. Mark Hebert, GL Aerospace Coordinator Frank Santos, IAM GVP Lynn Tucker, Dist. 26 ADBR Jim Parent, Dist.26 DBR Everett Corey, GL Rep Bill Rudis, and Dist. 26 BR Rudy Buck at the first meeting with Hamilton and UTC.

Contract 2004 JOBS! Worth fighting For! Contract 2004