Member Appreciation Picnic a huge success for IAM Local 1231

The weather was perfect, the location was ideal, and, by all accounts, the IAM Local 1231 Member Appreciation Picnic in West Deane Park was a huge success!

The picnic, held on Saturday, 13 July, in West Deane Park in Etobicoke, ON was attended by around 200 hundred members throughout the day. It featured face-painting, painting magnetised wooden IAM logos, sack races and much more. The Sack Race is always loads of fun:

IAM Canadian General Vice-President, David Chartrand, made sure he attended the event before his schedule took him out-of-town. Chartrand complimented the local on the excellent organisation of the event and the fact that so many members came out to participate. Dave Chartrand video:

Local 1231 President Merry St. Bernard said the Executive wanted to hold this event to reconnect with the membership as their jobs took them all over the Greater Toronto Area. “This was a great opportunity for members to get to know one another and also to meet with their union representatives.” Merry St. Bernard video:  

Staff from District 78 as well as the Canadian Office attended the picnic, which continued on until the early evening.

See all photos from the Member Appreciation event:

Almost 500 members and another successful BBQ for IAM Local 2323 members!

IAM Local Lodge 2323 pulled off yet another successful annual BBQ for their members and retirees. The event was held in the parking lot of IAM Local 2323 offices, which accommodated everyone who gathered there throughout the day. Almost 500 people attended over the course of the day.

There were many events for the members and their families which appealed to all ages. From burgers and hot dogs, accompanied by many sides, to face-painting, ice cream, and the great company afforded by members meeting in a relaxed and fun environment. There was even a raffle with 2 large-screen televisions as grand prizes. The local also offered many Local 2323-branded items for sale.

The DJ who entertained the crowd all day with a great selection of music is also a member of IAM Local 2323. They stayed local!

Vick Seebalak, President of LL2323
“One of the reasons we have this BBQ is to give back to our members. We also invited our members to bring their families, which they did. It made it a very enjoyable family event. As a local Lodge President, I feel proud watching our members laugh with each other and having a good time. We are a family. We are a solid IAM family.” Seebalak also thanked other members of the Executive and all the volunteers for helping make this one of the most successful ever.

Chris Glover, MPP for the Toronto-area riding of Spadina-Fort York, also attended the BBQ on invitation from the local. He stressed the importance of artificial intelligence and what it promised, as well as the need to be watchful about workers being surveilled in the workplace.

Shan Wahab, a 14-year LL2323 member, took a few minutes to share his thoughts on the BBQ, saying, “it’s a great time to meet with co-workers and retirees so we don’t lose touch with them.”

In his comments to the members gathered for the event, Dave Flowers, President and Directing General Chairperson of IAM District 140, explained the difference between minimum wage and a living wage, especially as it affects airport workers. The IAM has been very active on the issue particularly at the Toronto and Vancouver airports, succeeding on getting living wage provisions into newer contracts. “Employers are making money hand-over-fist, but we’re not seeing that trickle down to the workers,” he said. He urged members to stick together because “when we raise the floor, we raise the ceiling.”

IAM Canada’s Chief-of-Staff, Ralph Martin, who also attended the BBQ, said, “It was wonderful to see so many members and retirees out socializing. These events really allow members and retirees to reconnect in an environment that’s free from the pressures of work. Great event hosted by Local Lodge 2323, thank you to the committee that put this together and many thanks to all that took the time to participate.”

Congratulations to IAM Local 2323 on yet another successful gathering for their membership and their retirees.

For all the photos from the BBQ, please visit our Flickr album

Investment in the A220 program – A decision that will secure jobs until 2035

(Mirabel, Tuesday, July 23) – The joint investment by the Quebec government ($410 million) and Airbus Canada in the A220 program ($1.25 billion) will secure jobs (average salary is $87,500 per year) at the A220 plant in Mirabel until 2035.

This is good news for Airbus Canada workers and for Quebec,” says IAMAW Canadian Vice-President David Chartrand. With these investments, we’re protecting good jobs and supporting a highly strategic and beneficial industry for Quebec,” he added.

Airbus hopes to be able to produce 14 aircraft a month by 2026 in order to achieve profitability. A goal that cannot be achieved without the help of Quebec aerospace workers.

The best aerospace workforce is in Quebec, one of the only places in the world where you can build an airplane from A to Z,” says IAMAW Canada Quebec Representative Éric Rancourt. It’s an investment that will not only benefit Mirabel workers, but also those in the entire aerospace sector,” he added.

The federal government is absent

The absence of a strategic vision and a structuring aerospace policy on the part of the federal government is a hindrance to the development of our aerospace ecosystem.

For over a decade, the Quebec government has been counting on a policy to support the development of its industry, while the federal government has been content to improvise,” laments David Chartrand. Our aerospace industry could do so much more if the federal government took a page out of Quebec’s book.

The IAMAW Machinists Union is the world’s largest aerospace union, with over 184,000 members in 1,000 collective agreements. Active in the Quebec aerospace industry since 1940, the IAMAW today represents 65% of unionized workers in the sector. Machinist members can be found at Bombardier, Airbus, Airbus Atlantic, Rolls-Royce, Héroux-Devtek, Tekalia Aeronautik, Collins Aerospace, Fokker-Elmo, L3-Harris MAS inc, AJ-Walter, Air Canada and Air Transat, among others.

Numerous improvements to LL2332 contract in The Soo (Prouse Chevrolet)

The 21 members of IAM Union Local 2332 working as auto technicians, apprentices, parts counter, and general garage at Prouse Chevrolet in Sault Ste Marie ratified a new collective agreement this week that saw a first-year wage adjustment and annual increases thereafter.

They also saw improvements to vision care, safety boot allowance and enhanced health and safety language.

“Chief Steward Chris Machaud made sure that we got across our message that a wage enhancement was an absolute necessity”, said IAM Representative Scott Jackson.

For more information:
Scott Jackson,
GLR Organising

Local Lodge 1863 – Celebrating past members and their community

IAMAW Local 1863 Retirees Club in Goderich, ON gathered to celebrate their working life, their retirement, and their IAM Union. More than 300 people attended the celebratory event, including Mayor Trevor Bazinet.

Several IAM District 78 and Grand Lodge staff attended along, with Eric Johnson, DL78 DBR and Ralph Martin, IAM Canadian Chief-of-Staff (including Mona Burke, Kim Valliere, Ken Atterbury and Derek Ferguson).

An interesting feature of the gathering was when two signed doors of the last grader ever manufactured there was put on display. When the doors were produced, they were signed by all the members at the time.

“It truly took a team to pull this off. A great big ‘Thank you’ to all those who worked so hard to make this day a success,” said DBR Johnston. “A special mention and thanks go to John and John, who are true Union Brothers and BBQ masters.”

Chief-of-Staff Martin appreciated the dedication and solidarity of the retirees.

In 2010, LL1863 was merged into IAM Local 1975 and remained affiliated to IAM District 78.