About 135 IAM Local 219 families at Bluegrass Station, KY have been on an Unfair Labor Practice Strike against government sub-contractor Allsource Global Management (AGM) since October 1. As the holiday season approached they stood tall and proud at their Local Lodge meeting Monday, November 24 when the Local leadership distributed a full Thanksgiving dinner package to each family, including a turkey, sack full of fixings and pumpkin pie. District 27 of Louisville, KY, District 711 of Nashville, KY and District 75 of Enterprise, AL provided all the food.
AGM has refused to provide required documents needed for negotiations and demanded an average of 31 percent wage cuts, which would make many Bluegrass Station families eligible for food stamps. “This has been nothing more than a union-busting attempt from the beginning,” said IAM Southern Territory Communications Representative Bob Wood. “But our membership isn’t cowed; they only get stronger as the strike goes on.”
IAM Local 219 is a young local, having organized in January 2012. “I’ve been proud to walk the strike line with the members of Local 219,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Mark Blondin. “These folks are strong and proud, showing the best of union solidarity against such adversity. Because of the help from our IAM brothers and sisters across the nation, AGM doesn’t get to ruin our family’s Thanksgiving holiday.”
Many IAM and TCU locals across the nation are donating to help this local weather the Unfair Labor Practice strike. You can follow and like the Local 219 Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/IAMLODGE219.