Oct 23, 2026 | Politics & Legislative News
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2026 — “Every F-35 starts with a union machinist. In Fort Worth, in Connecticut and across a supply chain that reaches 48 states, IAM Union members are building the most advanced fighter in the world.
“A 10-year contract would give suppliers the confidence to invest, keep specialized skills in the shop and put skilled union workers on firmer ground, giving thousands of working families confidence in their long-term job prospects. It would also save taxpayers an estimated $9 billion to $10 billion and fund the spare parts and repair capacity that keep jets flying.
“Congress has two decisions to make: authorize the 10-year contract and fully fund the 85 aircraft planned for fiscal 2027.
“Our members take great pride in building this aircraft, and they are ready to keep building it. A long-term commitment from Congress would give them and their suppliers the certainty to do just that.”
IAM Union Backs 10-Year F-35 Contract, Urges Congress to Authorize and Fully Fund Program
IAM Union says long-term commitment protects skilled union jobs, saves taxpayers billions and keeps more jets mission-ready
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23, 2026 — The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) today announced its support for a proposed 10-year F-35 Lightning II procurement and sustainment contract and called on Congress to provide the authority needed to execute it in the final Fiscal Year 2027 defense authorization and appropriations bills.
IAM members build the F-35 at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, facility and produce F135 engines at Pratt & Whitney facilities in Connecticut and across the country.
“IAM Union members build this aircraft with their hands, and they build it to last,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “A 10-year commitment tells suppliers and workers that Washington is serious about this program. It protects good union jobs, saves taxpayers money and gets increased capability into the hands of our warfighters, faster. Congress should authorize it.”
Program estimates show a 10-year arrangement would save taxpayers $9 billion to $10 billion over the decade, though final prices must still be negotiated. Buying one year at a time, by contrast, makes it harder for suppliers to plan and purchase efficiently.
A longer planning horizon would let suppliers invest and retain specialized skills rather than react to one-year signals. The impact on suppliers alone would be significant: the F-35 supply chain includes more than 1,900 suppliers in 48 states and Puerto Rico and supports more than 317,000 U.S. jobs.
A longer horizon would also enable Lockheed Martin to invest more than $7 billion in sustainment, which the program says is essential to its goal of an 80% mission-capable fleet by 2030. The IAM noted that buying aircraft is not the same as having them ready to fly. Funded spare parts and repair capacity make the difference.
The announcement follows a bipartisan letter from members of Congress, supported by the IAM, urging multiyear procurement authority and a minimum of 85 aircraft in fiscal 2027.
“Our members take great pride in building this aircraft, and they are ready to keep building it,” Bryant said. “A long-term commitment from Congress would give them and their suppliers the certainty to do just that.”
The IAM Union represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, manufacturing, transit, healthcare, automotive and other industries.
The post Statement of IAM Union International President Brian Bryant on the F-35 10-Year Contract appeared first on IAM Union.
Oct 19, 2026 | Politics & Legislative News
IAM Union members joined IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez and fellow labor activists in Tucson on Saturday, Oct. 17, to get out the vote and build support for candidates who will stand with working families.
The Arizona AFL-CIO’s canvass launch brought together union members and community allies to defend the freedom to vote and emphasize the stakes for workers in the upcoming midterm elections. The event is part of the IAM’s largest national midterm election mobilization effort to date, engaging members in battleground states through direct conversations about workers’ priorities.
See Photos: 2026 Tucson GOTV Rally
Martinez, a Tucson native, addressed the gathering alongside AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, U.S. Rep. Adelita Grijalva, Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Pima Area Labor Federation Chair Cecilia Valdez.
“We have to believe in ourselves and in the power we have when we stand together,” said Martinez. “I know how hard our families work and what it means to fight for a good cause. Good jobs, fair wages, and a better future for our children are worth that fight. When we come together, knock on doors and get out the vote, we can make real change for working people.”
Watch: IAM Western Territory General Vice President Martinez on the importance of getting out the vote
Following the rally, IAM members joined their union siblings and allies to knock on doors across Tucson, talking with voters about the importance of making their voices heard and electing labor-friendly candidates.
Those conversations focused on issues that affect working families every day, including wages, benefits, retirement security, and the right to organize and bargain collectively. Members also discussed the need to fight economic inequality and an economy that concentrates wealth in the hands of billionaires at the expense of working families.
IAM members are taking the same solidarity they bring to the bargaining table into their communities, encouraging fellow workers to vote and help elect leaders who will stand up for working people.
The post IAM Union Members Hit the Doors in Tucson to Mobilize Working Families for Midterm Elections appeared first on IAM Union.
Oct 8, 2026 | Politics & Legislative News
Fort Worth, Texas – Four-time Pro Bowl Cornerback, Super Bowl XXV champion, and legendary Dallas Cowboys star Everson Walls joined IAM Union workers Sunday for a special NFL watch-party turned Get Out The Vote rally.
The rally included union members from across the aerospace, airline, and defense sectors, represented by IAM Union (the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers).
The Texas union members were joined by endorsed 2026 Midterm candidates from across the area, including one of their own; IAM Union member and State Senator Taylor Rehmet, a Lockheed Martin worker who made history when he won his election months ago and became the first rank-and-file union member ever elected to Texas Senate. They were also joined by Katie O’Brien Duzan, candidate for Texas House District 94, and Brian Bryant, International President of IAM Union.
View photos from the event here.
Workers are rallying ahead of the Midterm elections because Texas is increasingly becoming unaffordable, with diesel and gas prices through the roof, and politicians running partisan sideshows instead of focusing on the pocketbook issues that matter most to working people.
IAM Union is fighting back by mobilizing their membership – which is predominantly defense, airline, and aerospace workers in Texas – to turn out in their largest numbers ever, by launching their most expansive member voter turnout campaign in history in Texas.
Since Senator Taylor Rehmet won his seat earlier in 2026, IAM Union members across Texas have been inspired to follow his example and engage in politics more than ever before, including a record number of members contemplating and planning their own runs for local office. Taylor has consistently hammered the issue of Texas affordability throughout his campaigning, a populist message that frustrated voters have resoundingly responded to.
The Sunday Get Out The Vote rally in Fort Worth was the second election rally IAM Union held in Texas this weekend alone; on Saturday, more than 150 IAM Union members working at NASA, and in the airline, rail, and manufacturing industries in Houston rallied with their International President and Secretary-Treasurer ahead of the Midterm elections as well.
The presence of IAM Union International President Brian Bryant and other top IAM Union leaders at both Texas events this weekend reinforces the importance of the Texas program for the union, and its fervent, all-in backing for its member, Taylor Rehmet, and the other IAM Union-endorsed candidates.
State Senator Taylor Rehmet is a U.S. Air Force veteran, President of both IAM Local 776B and the Texas IAM State Council, and a mechanic at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth. He ran a common-sense campaign that targeted the priorities of working families rather than touting culture-war politics; fighting for a Texas we all can afford.
Everson Walls, the legendary Cowboys player joining IAM Union members for the election rally and Cowboys vs Texans watch party, is a dedicated union member himself, and proud longtime member of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).
The Fort Worth rally concluded with a large display of the Cowboys vs Texans game on a huge screen, barbecue for everyone, family events including a 3-lane sports inflatable with soccer, football, and baseball challenges, axe throwing, and archery hoverball. Union members wore jeans, cowboy boots, and their favorite NFL jersey, as they united across sports alliances to form a larger pro-affordability, common-sense bloc of working class voters.
The post 100+ Dallas/Fort Worth Union Members Rally With NFL Legend Everson Walls and Election Candidates, Calling For a Texas All Working People Can Afford appeared first on IAM Union.
Oct 7, 2026 | Politics & Legislative News
Dear IAM Union Family,
The Nov. 3 Election Day is approaching quickly, and we need all hands on deck to help elect candidates who will actually work for us, not for the billionaires and CEOs.
If you’ve been waiting to get involved, now is the time! Here are a few things you can do right now:
1. Sign up to be a poll worker, and help your community vote safely and easily!
Our elections depend on people like us who make sure voting runs smoothly and everyone’s vote is counted. You can make sure we have safe, fair and efficient elections for all. Step up today to become a poll worker for the next election in your community.
Training will be provided, and some local jurisdictions may pay poll workers a stipend! Learn more: go.aflcio.org/ptp
2. Find a volunteer event, either in person or virtual.
Early and absentee voting is underway in many states, and IAM Union members are already on the ground knocking on doors, staffing community events, making phone calls and sending text messages. If you are not able to attend an event in person, you can join a national virtual event like a phone bank. IAM Union members are a trusted part of our communities, so we need every member and supporter talking to their neighbors about the importance of voting in 2026. Find an event: mobilize.us/aflcio/
3. Not sure how you want to help? Fill out the volunteer form.
If you’re not sure what you want to do yet, but you still want to be involved, sign the AFL-CIO’s volunteer form and someone will reach out to connect you with opportunities that work for you. Sign up here: go.aflcio.org/volunteer
People are engaged and excited, and we’re seeing sky-high energy and optimism across the country as we fight for real change for working people. IAM Union members have the power to make a difference. Please join us.
Thank you for your activism!
In solidarity,
The IAM Union Team
The post How IAM Union Members Can Get Involved in This Critical Election appeared first on IAM Union.
Oct 6, 2026 | Politics & Legislative News
The 80th IAM Pennsylvania State Council Convention brought union delegates and labor leaders together in Philadelphia for three days of discussion focused on workers’ rights, legislative priorities, and political engagement.
Led by Council President Richie Howell, the convention featured IAM Union International President Brian Bryant, along with more than a dozen political figures and candidates.
One major issue discussed was proposed changes to overtime taxation affecting airline and railroad employees. Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania’s 1st District spoke to the delegates about legislation addressing how overtime earnings are treated under federal tax law.
View photos here.
The convention also placed renewed emphasis on the Machinists Non-Partisan Political League, or MNPL. Speakers discussed how member contributions are used to support political activity and candidates aligned with organized labor’s priorities.
As the convention wrapped up, delegates were urged to take the information discussed in Philadelphia back to their local unions. Leaders emphasized member education, providing factual information about legislation and candidates, and encouraging union members to participate in elections.
The post IAM Pennsylvania State Council Convention Focuses on Labor, Legislation and Voter Engagement appeared first on IAM Union.
Sep 18, 2026 | Politics & Legislative News
IAM National Legislative and Political Director Hasan Solomon recently participated in a strategic planning session with the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) focused on Black workers and the labor movement’s legislative priorities heading into the 120th Congress. The meeting was chaired by Vince Evans, Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The meeting, held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C., brought together representatives from IAM and other labor unions, community allies including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the National Education Association (NEA), AFT Union, United Mine Workers of America, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), SAG-AFTRA, and many more.
Solomon presented on the labor movement’s top priorities. We also heard directly from AFGE President Everett Kelley, NEA President Princess R. Moss, and APWU President Jonathan Smith on how to strengthen the partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) spoke on the importance of fighting for working families and highlighted the urgent unemployment crisis facing Black Women in our nation. In a recent Newsweek Op-ed written by AFL-CIO National Secretary Fred Redmond, he pointed out that Black unemployment climbed to 6.9% in 2025, and for Black women, it jumped to 6.7%.
Also in attendance were Florida State Representative and Florida U.S. Senate candidate Angie Nixon (D), Emeritus Executive Vice President of the National AFL-CIO Arlene Holt Baker, and Joy Reid, host of “The Joy Reid Show.”
The panel session focused on five guiding questions: where the labor movement and Black communities stand today; which affirmative policies the CBC should be ready to advance; what partners can do together; and what commitments should follow.
The panel closed with a discussion of challenges and opportunities facing Black workers, what resources, including research, organizing, communications, and coalition-building, will be needed to carry that agenda forward, and how CBC members, unions, and other partners can continue working together.
The post IAM National Political and Legislative Director Solomon Joins Congressional Black Caucus, Labor Partners for Strategic Planning Session appeared first on IAM Union.
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