The IAM has serious internal struggles right now. While this topic may bore many of you, the internal struggles have gotten political and have affected our negotiations. Below is International Grand Lodge Vice President Lynn Tucker, who just retired, but as he did, he hammered fellow Executive Board member, International President Bob Martinez. In the letter below, Lynn doesn't hold back and promises a split in the executive council that will lead to an international election. Below is the first, in a series of key documents, including emails, and plan documents, that will be coming my way to report to the membership.
Tim, it's a real mess over here. Here is the first email. Please get the word out to the members so that we can keep our union honest. I should have some good things for you to pass to our members over the next few months.
CC
· gallen@iamaw.org
· mblondin@iamaw.org
· and 5 more...
Bob,
I am sending you this email with a modified copy of the letter I drafted to the leadership of the IAMAW. The reason for this action is, I know you have a copy of the original letter that you seized through a questionable tactic. The letter has been modified to reflect your attempt to censor someone who disagrees with you. Your cowardly attempt shows that you lack the leadership to guide the IAMAW.
Your feeble attempt in some abstract way to justify your decision continues to feed the culture of favoritism. This type of behavior has to be stopped or it will lead to the demise of the IAM and the labor movement. Trusting you know where this will lead, I leave you with this, "Will your decision improve the lives of others?"
Lynn
Letter to the Eastern Territory Leadership
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It is with great regret that I feel compelled to respond to the special email of July 18, 2016, “Martinez Announces New GVP Assignments.” Our members and leadership need to know the truth on what happened to bring about this change.
The reason for the delay in you receiving this letter is a tactic of censorship ordered by Bob Martinez. I disagreed with him on the reason he used to destroy the lives of many for the benefit of one.
James Conigliaro, Sr. was selected to serve as the General Vice president assigned to the General Secretary Treasurer to help manage the Grand Lodge Pension Plan, the IAM National Pension Plan and the Benefit Trust Fund. His assignment would require him to move to Washington, DC in order for him to report directly to the International President. GVP Conigliaro became extremely frustrated because he felt the GST was not keeping him informed. In private, he complained about this to council members on a regular basis.
When GVP Conigliaro was the Director of District Lodge 15, he came to me and asked to be considered for my replacement as GVP. He wanted, if selected, to move the regional office to Brooklyn, NY and then line his son up as the next GVP.
In 2008 at the Grand Lodge Convention, Brother Conigliaro, as the Director of District Lodge 15, would not support a change to the Per Capita Tax. I scheduled a meeting with him to discuss his position. He stated to me that we are all negotiators and that he wanted something for his support. He wanted me to continue with the $9300.00 monthly servicing donation.
GVP Conigliaro missed three of the first six Trustee Meetings for the IAM National Pension Fund. The most notable one was the time he didn’t show, never told the co-chair (GVP Gruber) he wasn’t coming and never gave the co-chair his proxy vote. This is a $12 billion fund with over 100,000 participating members and he doesn’t show. I called the IP and asked if he knew where Jim was and the IP said he didn’t know. We heard the next day the IP and GVP Conigliaro were at a Guide Dogs of America fundraiser in Brooklyn, NY. This was a cigar and scotch event. The fundraiser was more important to the IP and GVP than the IAM National Pension Plan. This is the first lie by the IP with more to come.
General Vice President Brian Bryant moved his family from Maine to Cincinnati, OH and was selected to serve as the Chief of Staff. Brian has the ability and talent needed to manage the territory and I felt would be an excellent candidate as my replacement. In 2015, I recommended to the Executive Council that Brother Bryant be my replacement when I retire. The Executive Council voted and Brian was approved. In early 2016, Brian Bryant was announced by the IP that he would be my replacement and assigned to the Eastern Territory. Brian said he would like to hire Dave Sullivan, the Director of District Lodge 4 as a Special Representative and would be his Chief of Staff. The IP agreed and said send a letter making the request. It was sent and Brother Sullivan was hired.
In early 2016, I started hearing rumors that Brother Conigliaro was telling people he was going to be the next GVP of the Eastern Territory. I asked the IP if there was any truth to the rumors and he said no.
At the IAM National Staff Conference in Washington, DC, I had Eastern Territory DBR’s letting me know GVP Conigliaro was soliciting their support. He wanted them to recommend to the IP that he be selected as the GVP to the Eastern Territory because he had more experience than Brian. GVP Conigliaro was undermining my authority and the Executive Council’s decision. GVP Conigliaro also solicited council members for their support and he was told the decision was already made and approved.
On numerous occasions over a 3-month period, I spoke with the IP about what Conigliaro was doing. The IP stated he had no intentions of making Conigliaro the GVP of the Eastern Territory and it was just rumors.
The day after my retirement dinner on July 16, 2016, I received an email from the IP notifying me of GVP Conigliaro being assigned to the Eastern Territory. I found out within the next 24 hours the IP’s plan. The IP put together the entire plan and lied to me about what he was doing.
GVP Conigliaro and the GST not communicating with each other was the main reason the IP made the change. The IP asked GVP Bryant to work out a deal with GVP Conigliaro to make the assignment change. The IP was working on his plan months before I retired and wanted the change done by the end of 2016.
Here’s the IP’s plan:
· Conigliario would become the Eastern Territory GVP and would move the regional office to Brooklyn, NY and make his son the Chief of Staff.
· The lease for the current regional office expires in December 2016 and would not be renewed.
· Barbara Lindsey, 13 years of service, Cindy Hoelscher, 18 years of service, and Rachael Peters, 9 years of service would be laid off. Doug Sizemore, GLR NLRB Representative, Donna Perinetti, Educational Representative, and John Carr, Communications Representative, all would have to move to Brooklyn, NY. Jim Smith, GLR was suggested by the IP to be GVP Bryant’s Chief of Staff until January 1, 2017 , the day GLR Smith was to retire.
All the moves will cost the Union hundreds of thousands of dollars. The IP talks about the deficit the IAM has, but will add to it just to avoid conflict. The loss of three jobs (Barb, Cindy, Rachael) just so GVP Conigliaro can be home with his family.
I supported IP Martinez. I felt he would be the right person for our members’ future. I was wrong. The IP betrayed me and others. Lies to cover his ineffectiveness. He has now established a culture rewarding bad behavior and with no accountability. He is not the right person to lead the Machinist Union. We need a person with integrity, someone we can trust with our future.
2016 Grand Lodge Convention will follow the same path as did the 1976 Grand Lodge Convention “Program for Progress.” The delegates lost faith and trust in the chair resulting in chaos. IP Martinez will not be able to handle the controversy at this convention. The delegates will mandate a reduction of two General Vice Presidents and Brian Bryant will be the first to go. This is how the IP takes care of those who are loyal.
There is some hope; the Executive Council has some very talented and experienced members. The change will come from within, knowing those individuals will not allow our great union to back up.
Thank you for all you do. Let your voices be heard, don’t let this happen to our Union. This Union has given me everything I have. It saddens me to think IP Martinez and GVP Conigliaro take care of themselves at the demise of others. Please don’t let this happen. The only power I now have is the pen.
With best wishes, I remain fraternally yours.
Lynn Tucker