Strike Update September 27, 2008

Strike Update - September 27, 2008

Strike Check Distribution
Special thanks to all the members who stepped up and volunteered to assist with the strike check distribution today. Their willingness to volunteer ensured members could quickly pick up their checks in an orderly fashion. Also thanks to the Local 8 office support for their assistance with the check distribution. The extra effort by so many is truly appreciated. District President Tom Wroblewski visited all three check distribution sites and is encouraged by our members' solidarity and commitment to getting a fair contract from the Boeing Company. If you did not pick up your check today, there will be two checks next Saturday.

Today, IAM General Vice President Rich Michalski and Aerospace Coordinator Mark Blondin walked the picket line at various locations - meeting with members, answering questions and offering support.

Legislators on the Line
Our strike has a great deal of public support. This is particularly true of our Machinists Union endorsed elected officials and endorsed candidates. They have been calling our union asking what they can do to help our striking members. To satisfy that need our union sponsored the first "Legislator on the Picket Line" event on Friday September 26^th.

If you were serving picket duty yesterday, you could have seen one of the following:

Seattle picketers were reinforced by State Senator Karen Keiser, State Senator Joe McDermott, King County Council Member Julia Patterson, State Rep. candidate Tina Orwall, State Rep. candidate John Burbank, State Rep. candidate Gerry Pollet, and King County Superior Court Judge candidate Suzanne Parisien.

On the Renton picket lines were Senator Margarita Prentice and State Rep. candidate Jon Viebrock.

The Auburn picketers were joined by State Reps Steve Conway and Chris Hurst, as well as State Rep candidate Ron Weigelt.

At Fredrickson State Senator Marilyn Rasmussen joined the picketers

Our Everett picketers were assisted by State Reps Mike Sells, Hans Dunshee, and Liz Loomis as well as Sally Hintz from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell's office.

We continue to see support for our strike and expect to see friends on the picket line. Please greet these community members and thank them for their showing their support for our strike.

COBRA Information
The Union has put together useful information on COBRA coverage, click here.

751 Volunteers to Participate in Breast Cancer Walk
District 751 Women's Committee is still going to sponsor TEAM 751 in the 2008 'Making Strides Against Breast Cancer' Walk-even if we are still on strike! We will assemble at the Fountain on the north side of downtown Bellevue Park (10001 NE 1st St, Bellevue, WA 98004) at 8:30 AM this Sunday, September 28th. The 5-kilometer/3-mile walk begins at 9:00 AM. There will be TEAM 751 t-shirts available to purchase for $15 each.

This is a noncompetitive walk with NO registration fees and NO minimum fundraising requirement to participate. You can participate without walking and donate online by visiting www.PugetSoundStrides.org, click on the 'Join a Team' link and enter TEAM 751, under the team name search box.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is more than just a walk. It is all about the amazing progress we're making together to defeat this disease. We invite striking members and their families to join us and walk to save lives!