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Season 6, Episode 60

Retired IAM President on pensions, F-47 jets and Social Security

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Guest Name:


Tom Buffenbarger

Guest Website:


Machinists Union  

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Tom Buffenbarger, former International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the fighter jet contract awarded to Boeing, challenges facing pension security and controversy surrounding the future of Social Security.

Buffenbarger highlighted the competitive landscape between major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The new F-47 fighter jet represents a major advancement in military technology. However, the naming decision sparked humor and debate, with Buffenbarger noting the potential for political and public scrutiny as the project progresses.

Pension security remains a pressing concern, as Buffenbarger emphasized the importance of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) in safeguarding workers' retirement plans. He discussed potential threats to the PBGC and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which could undermine financial stability for millions. Buffenbarger stressed the need for vigilance and action to protect these essential programs from being dismantled by political and corporate interests.

The discussion also touched on recent comments by Elon Musk, who called Social Security a “Ponzi scheme.” Buffenbarger criticized this perspective, defending Social Security as a vital program that has supported countless Americans. He urged listeners to recognize the program's value and to resist efforts to undermine it. Buffenbarger called for collective action to ensure the continued protection of Social Security and other critical safety nets.

Listen to the full episode above to hear more from Buffenbarger.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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