CONFIRM JUDGE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON TO THE SUPREME COURT: After 232 years, the first Black woman has been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court: Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. And if we have anything to do with it, she’ll also be the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

Add you name to say you support Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

 The Senate must confirm her immediately.

Judge Jackson is eminently qualified for this critical lifetime position. Her distinguished legal career includes:

·       Her term on the U.S. District Court in Washington, where she ruled on more than 550 cases;

·       Her tenure as an assistant federal public defender; and

·       Her experience serving as vice chair of the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

We are confident she will bring her clear commitment to equal justice and fairness to the highest court in the land.

Being the first is never easy and Judge Jackson is doing what so many women have done before her, breaking barriers to ensure that she is not the last.

Add you name to say you support Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

IAM RESPONDS TO VIOLENT ATTACK AGAINST SOUTHWEST AIRLINES EMPLOYEE : An employee of Southwest Airlines in Atlanta was recently attacked by a passenger from Nevada. The IAM issued a statement calling out the violent assault on the airline employee. 

VIDEO: Southwest Airlines employee attacked at Atlanta airport by Nevada man WGCL-TV Atlanta

Statement from the IAM:

“The IAM is appalled and outraged by the violent assault on an airline employee in Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. While the airline employee who was assaulted is a not an IAM member, our members put themselves in harms way to help deescalate the situation. Our entire union sends our thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, these types of attacks on airline employees, including customer service agents and other airport workers on the ground, are occurring with frightening frequency. The IAM and our allies in transportation labor continue to lead the charge to increase penalties on any passenger who assaults workers at our nation’s airports, including adding offenders to no-fly lists. Every airline and airport worker deserves a workplace free from the threat of violence.”

MACHINISTS UNION SUPPORTS INTRODUCTION OF SAFE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE STANDARDS ACT: The 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) supports the Safe Aircraft Maintenance Standards Act, which would strengthen Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight of commercial airline repair facilities outside the United States.

The IAM is the largest airline union in North America, representing over 100,000 airline workers.

The federal legislation, introduced by U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), would include measures such as unannounced FAA inspections of foreign repair stations, set minimum qualifications for mechanics and other workers, including drug testing and background checks, and require air carriers to submit detailed maintenance reports to the FAA.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 900 aircraft maintenance and repair stations have been certified by the FAA outside the U.S., which includes countries such as China, Singapore and Brazil.

“Our hard-working members proudly maintain commercial airplanes in North America for carriers such as American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and British Airways to name a few, and safety and quality is always a top priority,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “It’s long overdue that carrier facilities outside the U.S., abide by the high-quality standards that help ensure smooth and safe travel for passengers and the airline workers. The current lack of uniform regulatory standards and oversight sets an unlevel field with carriers increasingly enticed by the financial incentives to push this work overseas. This results in job losses in the U.S. and risks passenger safety.”

“Congress should move swiftly to pass this very important legislation that would set a series of safety and security requirements for overseas facilities,” said Richard Johnsen, IAM Chief of Staff to the International President. “There should be a uniform level of maintenance requirements whether in the U.S., or overseas. Our IAM members are tasked with this critical job of maintenance here in North America and it’s simply unfair that they are forced to compete with the lower standards of work done at foreign facilities.”

IAM DISTRICT 751 LEADERS MEET TO DISCUSS PRO ACT, AEROSPACE INDUSTRY, AND MANUFACTURING JOBS: When Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, Senator Patty Murray and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal came to the Seattle 751 Union Hall for a press conference promoting the Protecting the Right to Organize Act or PRO Act, 751 leaders also took the opportunity to discuss the importance of the aerospace industry, manufacturing jobs and workers’ rights in America.

“It was refreshing to have an administration and Secretary of Labor who listens and cares about workers. Murray has long been a champion for workers and helped us at 751 on many fronts. Coming from labor, Walsh understands the challenges we face, sees how corporations have overstepped their bounds and trampled on workers’ rights,” IAM District 751 President Jon Holden told The Stand. “Passing the PRO Act would help restore the rights of workers to freely and fairly form a union and bargain together for changes in the workplace.”

District 751 President Jon Holden and 751 Legislative Director Donny Donovan emphasized the important role aerospace plays in not just our state economy, but our national economy. In addition, Holden also talked about the importance of our upcoming contract negotiations in 2024, since it will be our first time back at the bargaining table for full-fledged negotiations with Boeing since 2008 – giving our members collective power to push their top issues. Each of the leaders understood the significant role of American aerospace jobs and ensuring the industry remains vibrant long into the future.

It was significant that Secretary Walsh is the first Secretary of Labor to visit the 751 hall, and that he is also the first Secretary of Labor who truly came up through the ranks of labor – serving as an officer in the Laborers Local 223, then becoming head of the Building and Construction Trades Council, and then getting elected Mayor of Boston.

“District 751 continues to speak up about growing the aerospace industry while ensuring workers’ rights are protected,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “Their advocacy is not only improving the lives of our members but also workers throughout our nation.”

DISTRICT W2021 AND MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA STATE COUNCILS BUILDING POWER IN THE SOUTH: IAM officers and activists from Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana gathered in Gulfport, MS recently to build power and learn new strategies to grow and strengthen the IAM.

Across District W2021, the IAM has a strong presence in the aerospace, manufacturing, federal sector, shipbuilding, and wood, pulp and paper industries.

“Our district is laser focused on growing our membership both in numbers and strength,” said IAM District W2021 President and Directing Business Representative Chuck Bennett. “Delegates to our district meeting and state councils heard first hand that the IAM is mobilized at every level to help us negotiate even stronger contracts, build power legislatively and politically, communicate effectively with members and future members, and grow our union.”

Delegates heard from IAM National Political and Legislative Director Hasan Solomon, Associate General Counsel Laura Ewan, Communications Director Jonathan Battaglia and Southern Territory Grand Lodge Representative Valerie Rodriguez. All presentations and discussions were centered on delegates knowing the resources available to them as leaders in the IAM.

“I’m extremely grateful to Brother Bennett, the leadership of District W2021, and the Mississippi and Louisiana State Councils,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Rickey Wallace. “Our members are engaged and eager to take our strength to a new level across the South.”

IAM State Councils are the grassroots political and legislative bodies of the IAM. Want to get more engaged? Subscribe the IAM’s political and legislative email newsletter, Machinists on the Hill, and become a member of the Machinists Non-Partisan Political League.