Portside

More than 4,300 IAM shipbuilders at the Bath Iron Works shipyard in Bath, Maine, are entering the sixth week of the largest private sector strike in the U.S. this year.

AFA’s new drive is separate from a preexisting one organized by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. IAM has been organizing Delta flight attendants and ramp attendants since 2010, the year of AFA’s last loss.

Mechanics at American Airlines are threatening to strike if a new contract isn’t negotiated, and the union president has declared that employees are prepared for the dispute to erupt.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers unveiled a new endorsement process for the 2020 presidential race, shifting influence from its top brass to state union leaders and the rank and file.

Reformers will challenge the Machinists Union leadership in a membership election to take place in June. The recent contract at Boeing which included significant pension givebacks despite record profits at Boeing is one of the major spurs behind the oppositions campaign.

The loss of pensions at Boeing marks a major setback for unions, as employers typically follow the example of other employers at the bargaining table in terms of what constitutes a reasonable demand. Since the financial crash, unions have given up pensions for new hires at large, profitable, industry trendsetters such as General Electric, Verizon, Honeywell and now, Boeing.