America Needs Jobs Now

Wall Street has gotten its bailouts. It’s time for Main Street to get some fast help. The AFL-CIO is calling on lawmakers to take five steps now to put America back to work.

AFL-CIO Creates Online College for Union Families

The A.F.L.-C.I.O., the main umbrella group for the nation’s labor unions, announced on Thursday that it was joining with the National Labor College and the Princeton Review to create an online college for the federation’s 11.5 million members and their families.

The new college, tentatively named the College for Working Families, will seek to “expand job opportunities for its members by providing education and retraining in a way that’s affordable and accessible,” the founders said.

Your Retirement Road Map

Take a few minutes (this is fast, but helpful) to determine where you are along the retirement planning path. Once you've answered a few questions, you'll receive a quick outline of important steps you can take to help reach your retirement goals. This tool typically takes 8 minutes to complete.

Scammers Follow Unions from Newsprint to Cyberspace

As long as there have been labor publications, there have been scam artists masquerading as legitimate union newsletters, magazines or newspapers trying to swindle advertising dollars from unsuspecting businesses looking for a vehicle to reach union members and their families.

Tax Time is Approaching

The Union Plus Online Tax Preparation Service Difference:

Discounts from the market leader in filing taxes online - Union Plus TurboTax saves you 10%-15% off regular prices.

Unique free filing for many - Union members with qualifying adjusted gross income can get free filing of federal tax returns and a discounted filing fee for state returns. Learn more.

No charge until you file or print your return.* Start the filing process and save information to complete later. Pay only after filing electronically or printing your return to file by mail.

Members who purchase or download the desktop version of TurboTax must purchase the software through the Union Plus site to receive the discount on the program.

Working Families (on YouTube)

AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka says the Massachusetts election results should be a wake up call for activists to fight harder than ever for issues important to working families.

Maintaining Your IAM Membership

International
Association of
Machinists and
Aerospace Workers

Gateway Lodge No 731
277 Tallulah Ave
Jacksonville, FL 32208
904-612-6456
Fax. 904-764-2629


IAM MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

MAINTAINING YOUR MEMBERSHIP

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT, AND YOUR IAM-COMPANY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO JOIN THE IAM WITHIN (60) DAYS AFTER YOUR HIRE DATE. TO JOIN YOU MUST PAY AN INITIATION FEE OF ($100) AND MONTHLY DUES IN THE AMOUNT OF ___________FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

EXCEPTIONS: NEW MEMBERS EARNING LESS THAN ($12) PER HOUR SHALL BE GRANTED SPECIAL DISPENSATION AND PAY LESS FOR THEIR INITIATION FEE AND MONTHLY DUES.

YOU MUST ALSO NOTIFY THE UNION IMMEDIATELY IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS EXIST: YOUR DUES ARE NOT BEING DEDUCTED MONTHLY; YOUR DUES ARE NOT PAID UP-TO-DATE; YOU'RE ON SICK/INJURY LEAVE; TRANSFER OUT; ON LEAVE OF ABSENCE; ON FMLA; NOT RECEIVING A PAY CHECK; LAID OFF OR NO LONGER WORKING IN THE TRADE.

MEMBERS NOT RECEIVING A PAY CHECK DUE TO MANY OF THE REASONS IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH ABOVE, ONLY HAVE TO PAY MONTHLY UNEMPLOYMENT DUES IN THE AMOUNT OF ($5) A MONTH. IF YOU LEAVE THE TRADE YOU CAN GET A WITHDRAWAL CARD FOR A ($1) FEE AND IF YOU RETURN, YOU MUST TURN IN YOUR WITHDRAWAL CARD WITH A FEE OF ($10) PLUS THE FIRST MONTH'S DUES AND YOU WILL BE RETURNED TO GOOD STANDING. OTHERWISE, AFTER TWO MONTHS YOU WILL BE LAPSED AND HAVE TO PAY A REINSTATEMENT FEE AND BACK DUES IN ORDER TO BE RETURNED TO GOOD STANDING.

REMEMBER: APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP WITHIN (60) DAYS, PAYING YOUR INITIATION FEE, MAINTAINING YOUR MONTHLY DUES IN A TIMELY MANNER AND NOTIFYING THE UNION OF ANY CHANGES IN YOUR STATUS IS YOUR OBLIGATION, NOT THE UNION'S.

NOTE: MEMBERS WORKING UNDER A UNION COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT WHO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH CONDITIONS HEREIN, THE UNION SHALL BE OBLIGATED TO NOTIFY THE RESPECTIVE MEMBER AND THE RESPECTIVE IAM DISTRICT LODGE. IF THE MEMBER FAILS TO RESPOND AND RECTIFY THE PROBLEM THE RESPECTIVE DISTRICT LODGE SHALL BE NOTIFIED AND THEY WILL NOTIFY THE RESPECTIVE COMPANY, WHO IS OBLIGATED TO TERMINATE YOUR EMPLOYMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.

YOU WILL BE A MEMBER OF IAM DISTRICT LODGE __________ AND LOCAL LODGE 731. A LIST OF YOUR LOCAL LODGE OFFICERS IS POSTED ON THE UNION BULLETIN BOARD AT YOUR FACILITY. YOUR LOCAL LODGE SECRETARY TREASURER MAY BE CONTACTED AT THE IAM UNION HALL AT 277 TALLUAH AVE, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32208, PHONE NUMBER IS 904-612-4656.


IN SOLIDARITY,

YOUR LOCAL LODGE SECRETARY TREASURER

TSA Nominee Erroll Southers Withdraws

President Obama's nominee to lead the Transportation Security Administration withdrew from consideration on Wednesday, saying his nomination was "obstructed by political ideology."

Updates

The web page is still being updated. The links are still being reorganized and increased to provide our members access to vast amounts of information. The current postings allow the member to click on the "Subject" or "Title" and go to the source of the article without having to enter a web address or find the corresponding link on the sidebar. The older postings are being updated with the same functionality.

Only in rare exceptions will the entire article be in the posting.

The Search Box at the top of the sidebar is a very powerful tool. If the words health care reform were entered then every link containing that phrase would appear. The member can click on the corresponding link and go to that article.

Many members have commented in person how great the website looks but "The Voice of 731" would like to have your comments about the content, what do you like or don't like, what you would like to see added. Please take a few moments and click on Contact Us and send an email to thevoice731@gmail.com

Florida Alliance for Retired Americans, Inc. (FLARA)

The Florida Alliance for Retired Americans (FLARA), a non-profit organization based in Wellington, Florida, actively pursues and promotes legislation and public policies that are in the best interest of current and future retired Floridians. Through the active civic involvement of it’s over 200,000 members, FLARA advocates programs and activities at all levels of government to prepare for the growing population of older Floridians who desire to remain self-sufficient.

FLARA President, Tony Fransetta is pictured above right.