Oct 23, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2025 – U.S. senators from both parties blasted Boeing for stalling negotiations and prolonging the 12-week strike by 3,200 IAM District 837 members in St. Louis, as IAM Union member and Boeing shop steward Josh Arnold testified before the U.S. Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pension (HELP) Committee on Wednesday.
Invited by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Arnold, a U.S. Army veteran, spoke about Boeing’s refusal to bargain in good faith and the urgent need to strengthen workers’ rights and collective bargaining protections.
“We are now entering the 12th week of our strike,” testified Josh Arnold, an 11-year IAM Union member. “Despite our strike, the company has not improved its offer one bit. In fact, they have backtracked and made it worse. We have now voted on and overwhelmingly rejected their offer three times. Still, company management refuses to return to the table to negotiate in good faith an offer that respects our skills, dedication, and value. The wage and retirement improvements we are seeking would cost Boeing merely half of the cost of one F-15 fighter jet over the next four years.”
Watch the full hearing here.
Arnold’s testimony came as Boeing’s greed and unwillingness to reach a fair agreement have not only hurt working families, but also delayed critical military aircraft orders relied upon by U.S. service members and allies. Boeing management offered another insulting proposal to IAM Union members this week, ignoring a pre-ratified offer members passed in September that would end the strike.
“Boeing could afford to pay its CEO, Mr. Ortberg, $18 million in compensation for four months,” said U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate HELP Committee. “But apparently they just don’t have enough money to sit down with the union and negotiate a fair contract.”
“This company is not giving you and your fellow Machinists what you deserve,” said U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). “This is really unbelievable to me… We have more than 3,000 Missourians who have been loyal to this company for years… To me, it’s incredible that these people in the C-suite—who make unbelievable sums of money—won’t pay their workers well, but they pay their CEO and their executives more than ever before.”
“I want to thank Brother Josh Arnold, our IAM District 837 Bargaining Committee, and all of our members who continue to stand strong,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “It takes courage to stand up and speak truth to power. Josh represented our members, workers, and veterans with honesty and integrity—reminding the Senate and the country that America’s strength lies in the hands of working people, not corporate executives.”
“I’m proud of Brother Josh for standing up before the U.S. Senate and making sure the voices of our members were heard loud and clear,” said IAM Union Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “We’re grateful to Senators Sanders, Hawley, Markey, and others who called out Boeing’s greed for what it is. Their support means a lot to our members, who are fighting not just for a contract, but for respect. This is what solidarity looks like—and we will not back down until Boeing does right by our members.”
The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members in aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, rail, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across North America.
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Oct 23, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 17, 2025 — Approximately 1,600 members of the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) employed at Honeywell FM&T are set to be furloughed on Nov. 1, 2025, as the federal government shutdown continues to threaten critical programs and jobs across the country.
The Kansas City Honeywell facility, which operates under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy, will enter shutdown mode on Oct. 27, with only a handful of employees remaining on the job unless Congress acts to approve funding for energy and water development appropriations.
“This is a devastating and unnecessary blow to 1,600 working families in Kansas City who proudly support our nation’s defense and energy programs,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Our members should not be used as pawns in a political stalemate. Congress must act now to end this shutdown and protect working Americans.”
IAM Local 778, which represents approximately 1,611 members at HoneywellFM&T, is currently working to ensure that the IAM Union collective bargaining agreement is honored in the furlough. The IAM Union is also in the process of organizing workshops to help members navigate unemployment benefits and career resources during the potential furlough.
“This shutdown has real consequences for the real working Americans in this country and right here in Kansas City,” said IAM Local 778 Directing Business Representative Scott Brown. “Our members are dedicated, highly skilled workers who should not be left in limbo because of Washington’s failure to pass a budget.”
The IAM Union continues to call on lawmakers to end the government shutdown and provide relief for federal contract workers. The IAM Union has relentlessly advocated for legislation and administrative action to ensure back pay and stronger protections for federal contractors who are too often left behind during funding lapses.
The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members in aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, rail, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across North America.
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Oct 16, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
The IAM New Mexico State Council gathered in Ruidoso, N.M., for a weekend of solidarity, strategy, and action, uniting IAM Union members from across the state to strengthen organizing efforts, political engagement, and communication among locals. Delegates focused on organizing, legislative engagement, and communication to strengthen the Union’s voice in workplaces and communities throughout New Mexico.
WATCH: New Mexico State Council Fighting for Workers as Government Shutdown Continues
IAM New Mexico State Council President John Dyrcz (Local 794) kicked off the meeting with energy and purpose, setting a tone of unity that carried throughout the weekend. He also welcomed delegates with remarks that stressed the importance of collaboration and commitment to the labor movement.
Following the opening session, IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes delivered a “State of Our Union” update, highlighting the IAM’s continued growth, recent contract victories, and national campaigns advancing the rights of working people. GST Cervantes inspired NMSC delegates to continue building on IAM’s long legacy of advocacy and strength.
IAM Union Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez energized the delegates around the fight for federal employees and IAM federal contract workers, and highlighting the IAM’s critical role in defending fair pay, benefits, and workplace protections.
Throughout the weekend, delegates engaged in discussions on organizing, leadership development, and political advocacy, with a focus on strengthening the IAM’s presence in New Mexico and building deeper alliances with labor-friendly elected officials.
IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen encouraged members to reinforce the union’s air transport campaigns, underscoring how victories in one division benefit the entire organization.
Josh Hartford, Special Assistant to the IAM Union International President, celebrated IAM Union Local 331’s first time participating in the NMSC meeting. Hartford also gave a detailed breakdown of the issues facing the rail industry.
Other speakers included
IAM Assistant Legislative and Political Director Loren Almeroth and IAM Assistant Communications Director DeLane Adams.
“Our state council meeting went great,” said NMSC President John Dyrcz. “Over the past two days, we laid down a strong foundation for the 2026 election cycle and updated our bylaws to make sure we have solid ground for picking labor-friendly candidates and next year’s elections. I want to see continued participation, and I hope some new individuals will volunteer to give their time and talents to state council leadership. My message for our delegates is to stay engaged, activate, agitate, and organize.”
The NMSC delegates left Ruidoso with a renewed determination to build union power across New Mexico through solidarity, communication, and action.
NMSC Officers are:
- President, John Dyrcz, Local 794
- 1st Vice President, Art Pardo, Local 2515
- 2nd Vice President, Virgil Thompson, Local 794
- Secretary Treasurer, Tina Davis, Local 794
- Trustee, Lynnelle Jimenez, Local 1635
- Trustee, Bud Duryea Local 2515
- Trustee, Ron More, Local 2515
Affiliated locals included:
- 794 – Albuquerque, Western Territory
- 1635 – Albuquerque, Southwest Airlines
- 2515 – Alamogordo, Western Territory
- 331 – Belen, Rail division
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Oct 16, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
IAM District 19 President & Directing General Chairman Reece Murtagh and TCU/IAM Vice-President Nick Peluso came to Capitol Hill to push for the No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act (H.R. 5475), introduced by Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio). They joined IAM and TCU Legislative staff in thanking the bill’s leaders and strategizing on how to get the legislation passed into law before tax time next year.
This bill expands the current overtime tax exemption to ensure that airline, rail, and millions of other FLSA-exempt workers are eligible for the same overtime tax relief already afforded to millions of working Americans.
Tell Congress: Railroad and Airline Workers Deserve an Overtime Tax Deduction Too!
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Oct 14, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2025 — The 600,000-member IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is voicing strong support for the Federal Employees Civil Relief Act, newly introduced by U.S. Reps. Brendan F. Boyle (D-Pa.) and Emily Randall (D-Wash.), with a companion bill sponsored by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
The legislation would protect federal employees and contractors from financial hardship during government shutdowns or breaches of the federal debt limit. It suspends certain civil liabilities — such as rent, mortgage payments, student loans, and tax obligations — for furloughed workers or those required to work without pay, while safeguarding them from eviction, foreclosure, credit penalties, and loss of insurance coverage.
“Every time there’s a government shutdown, the people who keep our country running — the men and women who maintain our aircraft, protect our borders, care for our veterans, and serve our communities — are forced to pay the price,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “The IAM Union strongly supports the Federal Employees Civil Relief Act because no federal employee or contractor should face eviction, foreclosure, or financial ruin for simply doing their jobs. We thank Representatives Boyle and Randall, and Senator Schatz, for standing up for the dignity and security of working people who deserve protection from political brinkmanship.”
The IAM Union represents more than 100,000 federal employees and federal service contract workers across the United States, including those who maintain military aircraft, operate national parks, and provide critical public services. The union has consistently advocated for policies that ensure fair treatment and financial stability for these workers during government funding lapses.
The Federal Employees Civil Relief Act mirrors long-standing protections provided to military service members under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. It ensures that financial obligations and civil proceedings are paused during a shutdown and for 30 days afterward, giving workers much-needed security and peace of mind.
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, the federal sector and other industries across the United States and Canada.
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Oct 9, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2025 – The 600,000-member IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers), the nation’s largest aerospace, defense and Service Contract Act labor union, is calling on members of Congress to pass the bipartisan Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act (S. 2963 / H.R. 5657). The legislation would ensure federal contract workers receive back pay for lost wages during the current government shutdown.
Following the federal government shutdown, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), along with Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), introduced the legislation to secure back pay for the thousands of federal contract workers who face furloughs and missed paychecks when the federal government is shutdown.
“Through no fault of their own, many of these families faced the reality of missing payments on their mortgages, student loans, school tuition, car loans, health care premiums, daycare, interest fees, and so many other expenses,” IAM Union International President Brian Bryant wrote to lawmakers in the House and Senate. “Today, they are looking down the barrel of a similar fate. Contract workers and their families should not suffer the consequences of a shutdown they had no hand in creating. Dedicated federal contract workers maintain the aircraft, vehicles and systems that keep our military mission-ready and our nation secure. Many live paycheck to paycheck and are among the first to feel the devastating impact of a government shutdown.”
In addition to urging swift passage of the Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act, the IAM Union is also condemning the unlawful threat from the Trump administration to withhold back pay from federal workers impacted by the shutdown.
The IAM stands in solidarity with all federal and contract workers and calls on lawmakers in both chambers to move swiftly to end the shutdown and pass the bipartisan Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act, ensuring that working families are not left behind.
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, the federal sector, and other industries across the United States and Canada.
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