International President Bob Martinez along with Western Territory General Vice President Gary Allen, and other Grand Lodge and District Lodge staff members toured United Technologies (UTC) and Solar Turbines facilities to visit and connect with Machinists Union members in the San Diego area.
“Whenever I have the opportunity to visit our members on the job, my pride in this union increases,” said Martinez. “The future is being built here in Southern California by the Machinists of Local 389 and 755, and I am privileged to meet them.”
General Vice President Gary Allen also commented, “Machinists in San Diego are extremely hardworking and committed to their community. All of the Locals in the area have been committed to organizing new members, helping to bring the benefits of IAM membership to working families in San Diego.”
The visit coincided with the recent decision by UTC to close their Chula Vista, CA facility and ship those jobs to Mexico.
“We have had enough of greedy corporations stealing the livelihoods of highly-skilled IAM members and other working people,” said Martinez. “The trend of shamelessly moving jobs off shore or south of the border cannot be allowed to continue, and we are committed to the fight here in Chula Vista.”
“We will continue to do everything in our power to make the decision by UTC to send good paying jobs over the border the worst decision they ever made,” said GVP Allen. “Our Union has fought to maintain working class jobs in San Diego and will continue to fight to keep those jobs in San Diego.”
The plant closure stands to send 344 jobs to Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
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