You deserve the best at the bargaining table, in the legislative arena, in the campaign for safer and healthier work environments and you have the right to expect people with expertise to assist you. That’s something we can guarantee you.

The IAM has more than 60 full-time representatives on staff in Canada: their number one task – service to the membership. All of our staff representatives come from the rank and file and have an intimate knowledge of what day-to-day life is like in the workplace. They’re professionally trained to do their job and protect your interests, and provide service in English and French (and other languages, if necessary).

The IAM research staff includes economists, statisticians, contract analysts and librarians in the U.S. and Canada. They assist in wage negotiations; prepare special studies on member problems and offer advice on issues like job evaluations and benefit programs.

The IAM promotes equity and diversity through its Women’s and Human Rights Departments, and we are actively working to ensure that the diversity of the workforce and our membership is fully reflected in union leadership at all levels of the union.

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We can say with pride that today IAM contracts are among the best in Canada. We have long experience bargaining national agreements with national bargaining units. We have dealt with unconventional bargaining, essential services and interest arbitrations.

IAM agreements contain job security provisions and protect our members in layoffs and restructuring. Promotions, under an IAM contract, are based on seniority, not on being friends with the boss.

We provide protection against unfair firing or discipline. Employers must prove their case against a member through a grievance procedure. The IAM has experts to handle those grievances and we’re proud to say we win most of them.

The IAM has long recognized that the key to a strong union is an active, involved and well-educated membership.

We regularly train local executives and stewards through our provincial councils.

In addition, our state-of-the-art international training centre, just outside of Washington, D.C., provides training for our members andstaff in both English and French. The Winpisinger Centre provides instruction in a wide range of subjects, at no cost to the local beyond the member’s pay for lost time.

We also offer a Labour Studies program where members can earn university level credits to further their own education. Many of our members have received Bachelors and Masters degrees through this progam. 

Many Local Union bargaining committees come to the Winpisinger Centre for an individually-designed negotiations preparation course to ensure they are prepared to get the best deal for their members.

We’re a union of more than 40,000 working women and men in Canada. The IAM represents more than 400,000 active and retired members throughout North America. We have a record of grievance representation that is second to none. Our success in negotiating the best in wages, benefits, job security, health and safety protection on the job, and employment equity can be seen in more than 6,000 Collective Agreements with thousands of employers across North America.

In Canada, we represent hundreds of different worksites. We have both small local bargaining units and national bargaining units that negotiate for and service members across the country.

Though we started out more than 130 years ago, we are now a modern, diverse and flexible union representing workers in virtually every sector – government, public and private, professional, clerical, technical, manufacturing and skilled trades. We are widely respected and known for the excellent service we provide our membership.

IAM members pose outside the Roundhouse in Stratford in the 1890’s.

We are the largest aerospace union in Canada, but we also have members who work just about everywhere, from nursing homes to environmental organizations to manufacturing.

We’re a democratic union with a strong tradition of local autonomy. The leadership at the national, district and local level is elected by the membership, and the membership runs the union. Our constitution is written by elected local delegates at our quadrennial Conventions.