Union, Boeing build aerospace skills in Yakima
YAKIMA — For high school senior Kyle Malesich of Selah, the new manufacturing skills class at Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center is “probably the finest course I’ve taken.” But for Washington’s aerospace industry, Malesich’s favorite class is on the flight path to the future. “We want to make sure our grandkids are up to the … Read more
New guide dog delivers freedom to Machinist
District 751 Machinist Dennis Meech is regaining some of the freedom he lost when blinded in a 2007 motorcycle accident, thanks to a seeing-eye dog provided by a union-sponsored charity. With the help of Lefty, the dog provided by Guide Dogs of America, Meech is now making daily trips through Goldendale to visit with friends, … Read more
Machinists ratify 22 contracts, show strength
SEATTLE – Machinists Union District Lodge 751 successfully negotiated contracts with 22 employers in 2010, without a single workday lost to strikes. That track record shows the power of union solidary, District 751 President Tom Wroblewski said. “We had a lot of good contract wins in 2010, including the ground-breaking contract with Triumph Composites in … Read more
Machinists ratify contract with aerospace supplier
UNION GAP – Machinists Union members working for aerospace supplier Pexco have approved a new four-year contract. Some 74 percent of union members voted in favor of the contract, the union said. The deal covers roughly 130 workers at the plant, which provides plastic components for aircraft interiors as well as parts for the auto … Read more
Like Twinkies? Thank a Machinist
YAKIMA – You’ve heard the urban legend about Twinkies, you know, that they’ve got a shelf life of seven years? Truth is, a fresh-baked Twinkie – or Hostess Ding Dong or Ho-Ho or fruit pie – will go bad in a hurry if it’s in the back of a broken-down delivery truck in the middle … Read more
Wroblewski: Chicago must earn future work
Machinists Union members on the 787 line have gone above and beyond to find and correct problems on the oft-delayed Dreamliner, and Machinists in Renton are delivering 737s at all-time record rates. Given that, it’s hard to fathom why Boeing CEO Jim McNerney continues to publicly question the skills of his Puget Sound workforce and threaten … Read more
