Local 743 Members Take Action!

Members of Local Lodge 743’s Legislative Committee along with IAM members from Pratt & Whitney and Stanley Works stormed Capital Hill on May 21st and 22nd. Mark Hebert, Tony Walter, Karen Blanchard, Roger Nadeau and Paul Duff went to Washington D.C. to attend the IAMAW’s Annual Legislative Conference. The main purpose of the trip was for IAMAW members from all over the country to lobby their legislators on issues that affect working men, women, and their families. The number one issue this trip was the loss of the 767 tanker program. The Department of Defense awarded the contract to a French based company instead of the U.S. based Boeing company. This decision could result in a loss of 44,000 good-paying union jobs. Other issues were also discussed, such as, the need to make global trade fair for U.S. workers, support for funding of the F-22 program, healthcare reform, the transfer of Hamilton Sundstrand’s propeller work to France, and the potential for lost repair work due to airline consolidation. The 743 “fighting machinists” visited Senator Chris Dodd and Representatives Joe Courtney, Chris Murphy, Rosa DeLauro, and Chris Shays in addition to aides for Representative John Larson and Senator Joe Lieberman. The Massachusetts delegation was also met with to hear our issues. Representative Neal was visited as well as an aide to Senator John Kerry.   It is extremely important that our legislators hear from us about the issues that are hurting working people in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Local Lodge 743’s Legislative Committee works tirelessly on local as well as national issues to protect our jobs and our quality of life.

Submitted by Sister Karen Blanchard (Legislative Co-Chair)