The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, (IAMAW) represents more than 40,000 Auto and Truck Technicians in North America and Canada and those IAMAW Technicians on average bring home 30% more income than non-union techs do. The IAMAW’s years of negotiating experience has led to top quality contracts for thousands of Auto, Heavy Truck, Rail, Airline, Bus and Body Shop Technicians and Mechanics, providing them with better wages, benefits and working conditions. By joining with your colleagues in a union at your work place you benefit in many ways. On the job, your union brings together the collective strength of you and your co-workers to insure meaningful negotiations with management for an equitable contract. Besides wages and salaries, areas that can be negotiated include: staffing and overtime, safety and health, cost of living raises, adequate pensions, vacations, equitable promotion systems and transfer policies, and a workable grievance system. Through your union, you and your co-workers oversee carrying out the provisions of the contract.

In an unpublished decision, the California 2nd District Court of Appeal held that that piece-rate-paid employees are entitled to separate hourly pay for “waiting” time. The case involved a class of 108 automobile service technicians who worked for Downtown LA Motors, LP (DTLA), a Mercedes-Benz dealership. Gonzalez v. downtown LA Motors, LP. read the story here:

The IAMAW is among the nation’s largest trade unions, representing nearly 700,000 active and retired members under more than 5,000 contracts in Aerospace, Transportation, Shipbuilding, Automotive, Manufacturing, Municipal, private sector and defense related industries since 1888. We represent a variety of employers from Ryder Truck, International Truck, Yellow Transportation, Caterpillar, Cummins, USF Holland, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Audi, Cadillac, Mazda, Kia, Mercedes Benz, Harley Davidson, Ford, General Motors, Caterpillar, Freightliner, Kenworth, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Pontiac, Lincoln, Lexus, Subaru, Jeep, Dodge, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Acura, Isuzu, Infiniti, Land Rover, GMC, Cadillac, Suzuki, Porsche, Hummer, Penske, and UPS just to name a few. Our experience in the field and at the negotiating table has proven to get results for our members.

The IAMAW has maintained a 21st-century global union to help ensure that workers benefit from today's global economy. The IAMAW is working with unions in similar industries across the globe to challenge multinationals to provide comparable wages and benefits, and allow workers in every country the freedom to form unions. We are doing all this right in your back yard. If you need a Union, you came to the right place! You have taken the first step towards a better life for you and your family by seeing what the IAMAW can do for you.

You work hard at your job to provide the best for you and your family. But in today''s economy, doing a good job isn't always enough.  That is why you and your fellow workers should join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW). Working under a Machinists Union contract, you can have better wages, benefits and working conditions. Like any legal contract, the rules are spelled out in writing. The IAMAW sets the pace for better wages and benefits in the automotive industry, with more than 2,000 contracts covering 40,000 automotive technicians in the US and Canada. Like doctors and lawyers, automotive technicians are skilled professionals. The best way to promote your profession is through a strong organization like the IAMAW. In fact, union auto mechanics earn 35% more in wages on average.

IAMAW represented Automotive and Truck Technicians have the best fringe benefits in the industry including:

• Higher Wages
• Job Security
• Seniority Rights
• Medical Insurance
• Pensions and 401(k)s
• Paid Vacations, Holidays and Sick Leave

MONEY. That’s the bottom line in the world of work! And union members make a lot more money than non-union employees, U.S. government figures show. Union members earn 28% more than non-union workers in wages alone, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. (If you include the value of benefits, it’s 36% more!) People in lower paying jobs gain even more from union bargaining power. Paychecks for women with a union contract are 30% higher than for women without a union. African-American union members make 37% more than their non-union counterparts. For Hispanic union members, wages are 55% higher! So that’s the bottom line – joining the IAMAW puts thousands more dollars into your pocket, year after year. It’s a no-brainer! Joining the IAMAW is the smartest financial move you can make. All calls to the IAMAW will be kept confidential. Your right to join the IAMAW is protected by federal law. For more information, please call the IAMAW Organizing Dept, Toll Free at (877) GO - IAMAW

Auto mechanics, or car or truck service technicians, keep cars, light medium and heavy duty  trucks in working order by performing maintenance tasks that include oil changes and tire rotations, and diagnosing and fixing problems with electrical malfunctions, body dents or engine and transmission or drive line failures. Knowing the labor market information for the profession can help determine whether being a mechanic is worthwhile.

Salaries - As of May 2012, auto mechanics earned a mean $38,560 per year, or $18.54 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest earning 10 percent made less than $20,620, or $9.91 hourly, while the best paid 10 percent received over $59,600 yearly, or $28.65 per hour. The BLS categorized this profession as part of installation, maintenance and repair occupations, which showed average pay of $43,390 per year, or $20.86 per hour. Auto mechanics earned less than the average $45,230 yearly, or $21.74 hourly, made by the all workers in the country. Those covered under UNION CONTRACTS earn considerably higher wages and benefits than non-union workers do in the same profession.

Numbers - About 589,750 workers were employed as auto mechanics, compared to the 4,988,980 professionals in all the installation, maintenance and repair occupations, and the 128,278,550 workers in the country. The biggest employer of the profession was the automotive repair and maintenance industry, where 220,740 worked to receive a mean $35,090 per year, or $16.87 per hour. Ranking second for jobs were automobile dealers, with 195,220 jobs averaging an annual $42,910, or $20.63 hourly. California, the most populous state, boasted the most job opportunities, with 55,200 workers making a mean $43,050 yearly, or $20.70 per hour. The metropolitan area showing the most auto mechanic positions was Chicago, Illinois, where 15,680 workers averaged an annual $38,470, or $18.50 per hour.

Demand - Job growth for auto mechanics is predicted to reach 17 percent through 2020, which is slightly more than the 15 percent rate expected for all installation, maintenance and repair occupations, and also more than the 14 percent projected for all jobs in all industries. Driving this demand is a growing population that will buy and drive more vehicles. In addition, more consumers are keeping their more durable cars longer, which requires more maintenance by technicians. Consolidation in the auto industry can depress job opportunities.

Training - Because modern automobiles have complex engines, assisted by computers, employers typically demand that auto mechanics undergo a formal training program in a post-secondary institution. Courses of study can last from six months to award a certificate, to two years, which produces an associate degree. Vocational institutes, community colleges, automobile dealers and manufacturers are just some of the facilities in which training is available. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency mandates licensing in refrigerant handling for technicians who work with refrigerants. Certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is also available for those wanting to increase job prospects.