IAM - TWU should split work force

[737823]

More like Labor leaders with GEDs and phony Diplomas collecting $200k/yr in salaries have gotten too comfortable and instead of leading the workers in rebellion against unfair laws just sit back and say we have to take it because thats who got elected. Unions used to lead their workers on strike for a nickel, because they knew there was more than that at stake, todays labor leaders say "Let them take it all, at least you still have a job(and I still get my $200k)" . For twenty years they have said "Live to fight another day, but that day never comes and each time we lose more and more regardless of whether the Democrats or Republicans are in charge. Sometimes I have to wonder who really hates the working class more, the Company Bosses or the Union Bosses who tell us to give away everything that Unions fought for but keep those same things for themselves. They force us to pay their salaries and fund Benefits that they sign away from us and then blame the government for them not doing their job of organizing a collective response to the assault on the working class.

Excellent post Bob.

Roach and Sito with their degrees from "National Labor College" and "SUNY Empire State Labor College". Both are from TWA, which hasn't existed for over a decade yet they keep slurping $250k+ annual salaries, union pension, vehicles provided by the union, housing provided by the union, etc. When was the last time Roach loaded a TWA aircraft? Is he even in the condition to do so today if he had to return to the line? Roach and Sito made out big on the backs of the other TWA workers they facilitated getting screwed.

Sito Pantoja initiated into IAM Local Lodge 1056 in Jamaica, NY in 1977 as an Aircraft & Powerplant Mechanic. He served as a shop steward at Local 1056 until he transferred to Local Lodge 949 in St. Louis in 1988. He served Local 949 as Trustee and Recording Secretary and has been a full-time IAM Representative since his 1991 election as member and later Chairman of the local’s Full-Time Grievance Committee.
Sito Pantoja was appointed Grand Lodge Special Representative in 1999 and GLR shortly thereafter. He was selected Administrative Assistant to GVP Roach in 2005. Sito was elected Chairman of the International Transport Workers' Federation's Civil Aviation Section in 2010.
A graduate of New York City’s Aviation High School, Sito holds a Bachelor's Degree in Labor Studies from the National Labor College.

On January 1, 2012, he was appointed IAM General Secretary-Treasurer.

As General Secretary-Treasurer, Roach is responsible for directing the finances of the International Union, ensuring the IAM stays financially strong. He serves as Co-Chairperson of the IAM National Pension Fund and the IAM Health and Benefit Trust Fund.
General Secretary-Treasurer Roach currently serves as a member of the board for the Union Label & Service Trades Department and Union Privilege, and is a Labor Advisory Board Member of American Income Life.
He holds a B.S. in Labor and Management Relations from SUNY Empire State College’s Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies and is a graduate of the Labor Liberal Arts Program at Cornell University. He is currently enrolled in the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution program at the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

You are correct Bob, they have presided over the IAM while their membership has plumeted and the pay/benefits of the remaining members has been slashed.

Josh

 

[Kev3188]

Must continue to bicker amongst ourselves divided into different unions being played against one another. Instead of unification and changing strategies, we continue to blame and fight one another for that which the only thing to blame is the current direction of organized labor in this Country.

Go ahead, keep bashing, blaming, and justifying your own unions failures while pointing the finger at the others who are failing no worse than you and your union are. No Union in this industry is succeeding, all of them are failing, the laws are against us, public opinion is against us, and this is a direct result of organized labor leadership strategies and failure to change.

We're all quite good at getting at each other's throats... Meanwhile the bosses laugh and laugh...

Its actually because people are electing right wing lawmakers who hate unions and hate the working class people.

That's certainly part of it, but:

More like Labor leaders with GEDs and phony Diplomas collecting $200k/yr in salaries have gotten too comfortable and instead of leading the workers in rebellion against unfair laws just sit back and say we have to take it because thats who got elected. Unions used to lead their workers on strike for a nickel, because they knew there was more than that at stake, todays labor leaders say "Let them take it all, at least you still have a job(and I still get my $200k)" . For twenty years they have said "Live to fight another day, but that day never comes and each time we lose more and more regardless of whether the Democrats or Republicans are in charge. Sometimes I have to wonder who really hates the working class more, the Company Bosses or the Union Bosses who tell us to give away everything that Unions fought for but keep those same things for themselves. They force us to pay their salaries and fund Benefits that they sign away from us and then blame the government for them not doing their job of organizing a collective response to the assault on the working class.

+1000

Don't forget:

"We'll get 'em next time."

and

"We just want to get a little cash in the members' pockets."

"National Labor College"

The NLC isn't a bad institution...

 

[737823]

The NLC isn't a bad institution...

The extent of education they provide seems suspect. After all it was built by the AFL-CIO to serve as a specialized training center for, and I quote Bob Owens to provide "labor leaders with GEDs and phony Diplomas collecting $200k/yr in salaries" training and brain wash them the AFL-CIO political agenda and organizing techniques. What a joke, the place is basically a conference center that unions hold junkets and informal training similar to the IAM Winpisinger Center. While I have no doubt the sessions at Winpisinger are useful and informative to some but they are no substitute to a degree from an accredited institution. And yes I see the NLC is accredited by MSCHE but its basically a place to wire the next generation of "leaders" looking to make a career at climbing up the international union ladder...


Josh

 

[Kev3188]

The only similarity between the NLC & Win. Center is that they share a pro worker slant.

 

[737823]

The only similarity between the NLC & Win. Center is that they share a pro worker slant.

700 keeps boasting that he completed all these seminars at the Winpisinger Center but what value do they add to ones career in the union? Sito has said he plans to focus more on education in the transportation dept and its obvious the Winpisinger Center is a tremendous source of pride for the IAM but what purpose does it serve?

Josh

 

[Kev3188]

You'll have to ask someone who's been there; I never have.

You're still conflating the NLC, Win. Center, and Empire State (or wherever it was Little claims to have gvraduated from)...

 

[737823]

You'll have to ask someone who's been there; I never have.

You're still conflating the NLC, Win. Center, and Empire State (or wherever it was Little claims to have gvraduated from)...

Dunno about Jim Little, I was referring to IAM GST Robert Roach Jr.:

http://www.goiam.org/index.php/headquarters/executive-council/6030-robert-roach-jr

Josh

 

[700UW]

Ah the master of misinformation appears again.

Both WWW and NLC are accredited higher education learning facilities, certain classes at WWW will give you credits for college, as well as all the NLC classes.

Go throw stones some where else, nothing wrong with a union making higher education and specialized training classes available for its members.

 

[737823]

Big deal they are week long courses.

http://winpisinger.iamaw.org/courselist/

I have done continuing education courses that our firm provides for my CFA (annual requirement), they are useless and a waste of time and resources. But hey I'm sure the IAM is happy to fly everyone into Placid Harbor and screw around with the memberships money and resources.

Josh

 

[Thomas Paine]

Have to agree with 700UW on that. IMO its a good idea for labor to invest in education. While 737823 states that the continuing ed courses are a waste of time and resources but he doesn't seem too upset about it, he should be, so should we, because wasted corporate money comes off profits, cheating shareholders and taxpayer alike.

One reason why education for Union leaders is a good idea is because Union leaders are generally mechanics, laborers etc, the skill sets needed for the role they take on when they assume leadership is not the same as when they were on the floor.

As mechanics we also are continually going through training, probably at least 160 hours a year, every year throughout our careers. Some say its a waste of time and resources, as a kid some said that about Algebra as well, guess just like all education you get out of it what you put into it.

 

[700UW]

Big deal they are week long courses.

http://winpisinger.i...org/courselist/

I have done continuing education courses that our firm provides for my CFA (annual requirement), they are useless and a waste of time and resources. But hey I'm sure the IAM is happy to fly everyone into Placid Harbor and screw around with the memberships money and resources.

Josh

And how many classes did you take at WWW?

Tell us about each class you took there and how its a waste of time?

Oh wait you cant cause you havent ever been there, nor taken a class.

So show us how they are a waste of time if you have never been there, never taken a class and never used the knowledge learned there.

And by the way, the WWW Center is paid for by the interest off the strike fund, not dues money.

Yes they are week long classes that are accredited, and there are not your typical two or three hour class, its all day, and even some evenings, and there is plenty of work that is done out of class so you are ready for class.

 

[737823]

I'm not saying week long crash courses can't be useful or informative, I am saying they are no substitute for a degree from an accredited institution. No education info is listed for Buffy, seems he has vast experience with the structure and workings of the IAM but no formal education. Is the WWW and 9000 Machinist Place open to the visitors? I have to commend them on the the building, it has won awards and looks like an impressive facility, although it seems a bit extravagant for the IAM.

Josh

 

[700UW]

The classes are labor, law, safety and policy eduation, the classes are very good and accredited, I was in class one week while WWW was undergoing re certification.

The HDQ building was done without a mortgage and is paid for, the sale of the old HDQ in DC paid for the new building and put money in the bank.

You claim education is important, yet you bash the IAM for the WWW Center and participation in the NLC.

I dont think either building is open for public tours, but is for IAM Members.

And Buffy graduated from the NLC.

http://www.google.co...2,d.eWU&cad=rja

 

[Thomas Paine]

Rockefeller took a ten week course on Bookkeeping, Carnagie had even less formal education than that. Neither had degrees from accredited Institutions but excelled at generating wealth far beyond their accredited degree posessing peers. The fact is that while education is good, degrees from accredited institutions are not required for the position of a Union Leader, lack of posession of one does not automatically put them at a disadvantage. To state that Carnagie and Rockefeller were ignorant men because they did not have degrees would be false, if one can read, process and remember, one can fairly easily become "educated" even if their method does not award them a degree from an accredited institution(business).

 

[700UW]

And how many classes did you take at WWW?

Tell us about each class you took there and how its a waste of time?

Oh wait you cant cause you havent ever been there, nor taken a class.

So show us how they are a waste of time if you have never been there, never taken a class and never used the knowledge learned there.

And by the way, the WWW Center is paid for by the interest off the strike fund, not dues money.

Yes they are week long classes that are accredited, and there are not your typical two or three hour class, its all day, and even some evenings, and there is plenty of work that is done out of class so you are ready for class.

I'm not saying week long crash courses can't be useful or informative, I am saying they are no substitute for a degree from an accredited institution. No education info is listed for Buffy, seems he has vast experience with the structure and workings of the IAM but no formal education. Is the WWW and 9000 Machinist Place open to the visitors? I have to commend them on the the building, it has won awards and looks like an impressive facility, although it seems a bit extravagant for the IAM.

Josh

Still waiting for you too answer