Category: SPEED FACTS

Dear GKN Brothers and Sisters, The Union recently made a request of GKN Aerospace to allow those of our members wishing to leave work early on December 23, 2021, to waive the charging of attendance points on this day.  The Company responded to the Union’s request with a firm “no”, they would not be able to meet the Union’s request at this time. It is disappointing to the Union that the Company refused to accommodate this modest request during the holiday season as you have diligently reported to work throughout the ongoing pandemic. District offices will be closed December 24, […]

Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Company has agreed to allow employees to leave early from work on Thursday,  December 23, 2021, without any charge to your attendance; provided you arrive at work on time and remain at work for at least four (4) hours.  All other absences will be counted as usual under the Attendance Policy. District offices will be closed December 24, 2021, through January 3, 2022, returning to business as usual, Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Enjoy you Union negotiated holiday break with family and friends and please be safe. On behalf of your Business Representatives, Plant Chairmen, and […]

Dear Brothers and Sisters:                                                                                            November 15, 2021      The Union and Company met again on Friday 11/12/2021 to discuss the vaccine mandate and the effects it will have on our membership. As I have said all along this is a fluid situation and changes/updates are continuously being made by the administration and the Company. We feel some of the changes made are a positive step to keep our membership employed and safe while we work through this process. We are hearing of members who received their accommodations and are hopeful everyone who has requested an accommodation is approved. We […]

Dear Brothers and Sisters:                                          November 01, 2021      These have certainly been some of the toughest times for our members, as we have all been impacted by the COVID pandemic. First and foremost, we are continuing to engage in effects bargaining with The Boeing Company. We are not close to reaching an agreement and will continue to schedule meetings in the future. It is important for us to communicate today, as we understand the anxiety and stress this vaccine mandate has caused for our members. We want to encourage members that are considering submission of a medical or religious exemption […]

Boeing Brothers and Sisters, The Union was notified by Boeing over the weekend of a flier circulating on the shop floor regarding a possible work stoppage that would take place this week by some of our members in protest of the recent vaccine mandate.  I want to be very clear in my message, the Union strongly encourages the membership Not to Participate in this activity.  By interception of this flier, the Company has been made aware of the intent of those who participate.  Article 20 Section 1 of the collective bargaining agreement states: A. There shall be no slowdowns, picketing, […]

Brothers and Sisters, We were officially notified yesterday (October 12, 2021) that Boeing would be moving forward with a vaccine mandate in line with Executive Order 14042 and President’s Biden’s COVID-19 action plan. The Company announced they will require all U.S. based Boeing employees to either show proof of being fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have an approved reasonable accommodation (based on a medical or religious belief) in place by Dec. 8, 2021. This morning we demanded to bargain the effects of this decision. The Executive Order includes the ability to request religious and medical exemptions for those unable or […]

Recently, your Negotiating Committee completed their week-long Bargaining class in preparation for the Boeing contract negotiations that will happen next year. A major takeaway from this training is the importance of the role you, the membership, will play throughout the coming year. Your negotiating committee can only be as effective at the table as the membership’s solidarity is on the shop floor. We know that a majority of the membership have never been through a Boeing contact negotiation in St. Louis and therefore many may not know how the bargaining process is accomplished. Over the next year, your negotiating committee, […]

Most Essential Wednesday, June 10, 2020 Dear Brothers and Sisters, As our communities and our states begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Boeing decided to make the wearing of face masks in the workplace a requirement across the enterprise beginning, June 15, 2020. I encourage all members to adhere to this policy and use common sense, social distancing practices. Please address any safety concerns you may have with your manager and union representative. For over two months IAM 837 members have continued to come to work as designated “essential workers”, making a profit for the Boeing Company during […]

Back To Business Tuesday, June 9, 2020 Dear Brothers and Sisters, Last week during a (3) hour conference call with GKN leadership, the Union discussed many topics. One was the continued efforts to keep employees safe despite political decisions to open up our state for business. We encouraged continual cleaning practices, access to sufficient safety supplies, and improved communication about COVID-19 related incidences in the shop. We discussed current grievances and the need to select arbitrators on multiple grievances where we are unable to reach an agreement. As a result of the pandemic, all arbitrations have been postponed until it […]

Dear “Essential” Machinist Member, We continue to see progress being made with regard to the company providing adequate safety supplies, however, your union continues to press for more improvements. I am frustrated by the company’s refusal to relax attendance and LOA guidelines and its practice of forcing employees to quarantine without pay or forced to use available PTO. Common sense dictates that employees should not have to choose between potentially exposing coworkers and getting a paycheck. It ‘s already stressful enough to be forced to be working in a potentially unsafe environment because of strict attendance and LOA rules. The […]

Dear Brothers and Sisters, With every day that goes by it seems the world changes before our eyes. Right in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, District 837 members must still go to work. On one hand we still have the opportunity to earn a paycheck, while on the other is the need to be safe and the fear of contracting a potentially fatal virus. Never before have we faced such a stressful dilemma. This pandemic has raised known and unknown issues of safety and company policy that need to be addressed and/or negotiated. While both companies portray an image […]