IAM&AW 219 (chartered in 2012) in Lexington, KY stands strong and solid in their determination on this Unfair Labor Strike against AGM, which is a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin, a strike which began on Oct 01, 2014, through heavy storms, tornados, snow and bone chilling temps and now ILLEGAL threats of Permanent Replacement workers. This membership sends a thank you to each and every one for your support during this ULP strike with unprecedented 31% to 40% wage cuts, the basic elimination of seniority and removal of all membership bump rights to name a few of the many issues in a Service Contract Act (SCA) facility. Several members have worked over 28 years on this contract servicing the Special Forces Warriors of the United States across the world, in all their needs and requirements; this is the reward from AGM and Lockheed Martin.
All the LL 219 families were provided Christmas hams from the UFCW Union and large pecan pies from LL 219, additionally the 51 families/119 children’s shopping; bagging, tagging and Santa delivery went just as great, thank you all. The many thanks to District Lodge 711 in Nashville TN and District Lodge 75 in SE Alabama and all their Local Lodges and membership, without your support, this Local Lodge and this unprecedented strike would have folded because this Local Lodge had hit absolute zero in their bank account. Although AGM and Lockheed Martin are doing everything possible to steal their Christmas Spirit, the IAM&AW Family and Union Labor family in general did not allow this happen.
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I personally thank all for your donations, here is one of several stories that expresses the meaning of Christmas which unfolded before our very eyes this month, a young child of one of our members, came into the strike field office, offered his piggy bank that he was saving for his Church, “children’s Christmas” for less fortunate children, was donated to LL 219s children. He stated that his daddy was on strike and our children needed help, his donation of all coins was emptied on the desk, they both counted, the child and our LL 219 Secretary Treasury, a receipt was issued for his yearly savings of $2.09 cents, humbling is a understatement.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
Tony Blevins
Grand Lodge Representative
IAM&AW, Southern Territory