IAM Union and NFFE-IAM Welcome End of Government Shutdown, Demand Full Back Pay for Federal Contract Workers

Dec 1, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News

The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) issued the following statement in response to the end of the federal government shutdown:

“While we are extremely disappointed that the GOP did not negotiate a deal that prevents a healthcare crisis, nor does it restore draconian cuts to Medicaid, our top priority has and will always will be to protect our members who do vitally important work for the federal government — both as federal employees and federal contractors. We are encouraged by the reopening of the government and strongly urge Congress to do its jobs and provide back pay for all workers — federal employees and contractors — who were furloughed during this manufactured shutdown.  

“The IAM Union represents more than 115,000 federal workers and over 30,000 Service Contract Act workers who have endured needless financial and emotional strain because of political dysfunction. These hardworking public servants perform critical duties every day: supporting our military, protecting our public lands and natural resources, caring for our veterans, and ensuring that essential government services reach every community in America. They deserve stability, respect, and timely pay for their labor.

“We believe that the contract workers who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with federal employees should receive full back pay without delay, and the IAM continues to point out that over a million federal contract workers went unpaid during prior shutdowns. The lack of back pay for federal contract workers shows a lack of respect for the work they do to help keep our nation safe. 

“We urge Congress and the administration to work together to provide backpay to all federal workers and contractors while taking measures to prevent future shutdowns. The American people deserve a government that works as hard and as faithfully as they do. No family should ever again be forced to choose between paying bills and serving their country.

“The IAM and NFFE-IAM will continue to stand with our members and fight to ensure their voices are heard, their pay is protected, and their work is respected.”

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IAM Union Urges Congress to Support Restoring Federal Workers’ Collective Bargaining Rights

Dec 1, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2025 – The IAM Union wrote a letter urging all members of Congress to support the process for successful passage of the Protect America’s Workforce Act (H.R. 2550), bipartisan legislation that would restore collective bargaining rights stripped from federal workers by President Donald Trump’s March 27 executive order.

A bipartisan group of 218 House members signed the discharge petition (H. Res. 432), forcing consideration of the bill introduced by U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine). The measure would nullify the executive order titled Exclusions from the Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs, which removes collective bargaining rights from roughly 75% of the federal workforce.

“Federal workers matter,” wrote IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “These are hard-working individuals who are our neighbors, our relatives and our friends, and they’ve taken the civic duty to ensure our nation keeps moving forward. Federal workers deserve the right of collective bargaining, which provides protections in the workplace and better service to the public, just to name a few benefits.” 

The IAM, one of the most diverse labor unions in the country, represents thousands of federal workers, including the 110,000 federal employees of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), the IAM’s federal sector affiliate.

The IAM strongly supports this bipartisan effort to restore collective bargaining rights to our nation’s federal workforce and is calling on all members of Congress to vote to move this critical legislation forward.

Read the complete letter here. 

The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across the United States and Canada.

goIAM.org | @IAM_Union

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