IAM members, including IAM International President Brian Bryant, attended this year’s AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference held in Montgomery, Ala., the birthplace of the civil rights movement.
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A bipartisan coalition of New York Congressional Representatives is joining the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) in opposing an effort to purchase two foreign train sets for the Brightline West high-speed rail project.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) submitted public comments opposing a Buy America waiver request by the Nevada Department of Transportation to purchase the foreign train sets. Six members of Congress from New York, Reps. Elise Stefanik (R), Joe Morelle (D), Dan Meuser (R), Marcus Molinaro (R), Anthony D’Esposito (R) and Nicole Malliotakis (R), have also written a joint letter to the Federal Railroad Administration affirming support for strong Buy America requirement for the emerging domestic high-speed rail industry.
In a letter to the FRA, the IAM expresses concerns about using U.S. taxpayer funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to purchase foreign-made trains.
“Domestic content policies, such as Buy America requirements in transportation and infrastructure projects, serve the public good by targeting taxpayer dollars for the purchase of American made products and components, thereby employing U.S. workers and putting our federal tax receipts to work here at home,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “Buy America requirements help ensure that our tax dollars are used to support the U.S. workforce and the firms who employ them.”
The IAM and the New York congressional delegation are advocating for the train sets to be built by U.S. workers at Alstom in Hornell, N.Y. IAM Local 2741 (District 19) members at the facility currently produce the high-speed trains that will replace the current fleet of Amtrak’s Acela service.
“To ensure the United States can meet its own transportation needs, high-speed trains acquired for the Brightline West project must align with Buy America policy,” writes the New York congressional delegation in its letter to FRA. “Granting any waiver to exempt high-speed train sets and high-speed rail infrastructure from these regulations would disproportionately favor foreign suppliers, undermining the growth of our domestic manufacturing sector.
“The IAM firmly believes existing U.S. industry has the capacity to produce high-speed trains domestically while simultaneously growing this industry and the American workforce,” said Bryant. “The IAM greatly appreciates the Biden-Harris Administration for its commitment to a future of extending U.S. high-speed rail transportation. We encourage this growth of high-speed rail with making good on the administration’s promise to stand with American workers.”
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 14, 2023 – Robert Martinez Jr., International President of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), released the following statement applauding the increase in Buy American domestic content requirements for major defense programs in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):
“The Buy American requirement in the NDAA is a significant and commendable step towards securing the future of our nation’s defense capabilities and the prosperity of American workers and our close allies like Canada. The Buy American requirement will support high-quality U.S. jobs, national defense, and the domestic defense industrial base.
“This crucial provision will not only strengthen the domestic content requirement for major defense acquisition programs but also create and support hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. This, in turn, ensures that our men and women in uniform have consistent access to the tools they need to safely complete their mission while bolstering our industrial base and domestic supply chain.
“The IAM commends Representative Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) for his unwavering commitment to championing this critical language. His dedication to supporting Buy American policies demonstrates a clear understanding of prioritizing U.S. labor, environmental, and health and safety standards in government procurement.
“President Biden’s enforcement of Buy American provisions in manufacturing continues to build and grow an economy that works in the best interest of working families.
“Buy American policies align with the labor movement’s values, ensuring that government procurement supports U.S. labor, environmental, and health and safety standards. By reinvesting taxpayer dollars in domestic products, these policies lead to family- and community-sustaining jobs in cleaner and safer American factories.”
READ: ‘Buy American’ policies strengthen nation’s defense, workforce Defense News
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) 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, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
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By Michael Keroulle, President and CEO, Alstom Americas
Robert Martinez, Jr., International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers(IAM)
The outlook on American manufacturing and production has never been better as we experience the strongest manufacturing job recovery since the 1950s. Bipartisan support is increasing for new policies aimed at onshoring American jobs and manufacturing facilities, and our work at Alstom should serve as a proof point: Buy America works, and it works for all of us.
In Hornell, New York – home of the largest passenger transit manufacturing plant in North America -our efforts directly support American industry. From the rail products assembled on American factory floors to the union labor working right now to produce America’s first 28 next-generation high-speed trains, Alstom has fostered a system borne out of Buy America policies that deliver for American businesses, workers, and communities.
Our decision to invest over $66 million in Hornell was driven by our commitment to create hundreds of highly skilled, long-term jobs., right here in America.. This investment has leveraged more, with $80 million in public and private funds flowing into Hornell’s community of 8,000+ residents spurring the local economy and revitalizing the area’s manufacturing industry.
Buy America is helping build a great local workforce and our partnership with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), a member of the AFL-CIO, has been a critical success factor. Our investments in Hornell have created 400 new, well-paying, union jobs in a small industrial town. Without Buy America, those jobs would not exist and the future of Hornell, and towns like it, would be more uncertain.
Why would we send our money someplace else when we have hardworking, skilled labor right here at home?
Alstom has worked with our network of foreign suppliers to onshore rail supply chains into the U.S. that did not exist before, differentiating rail from most of the transportation industry as they face issues sourcing overseas parts.
While some argue that high-speed rail technology only comes from Asia or Europe, our work proves this is false. Alstom’s trains are made from 95% domestic content and Buy America policies have driven our suppliers to set up shop right here in America, creating long-term local manufacturing jobs and the foundational supply chains needed for tomorrow’s rail innovations.
There’s a long list of European suppliers we’ve brought to America to work with us: Eaton/Danfoss for tilting, Hoppecke for battery systems, ABB Hitachi and ABB Inc. for transformers and battery chargers, Hutchinson for suspension systems.
Beyond Hornell, our decision to invest $590 million in American suppliers has spurred economic development in communities across the country. In New York alone, Alstom has spent $160 million with local suppliers in support of the delivery of the future of high-speed rail for American commuters. We invested $80 million in Illinois, $42 million in Pennsylvania, $22 million in Kentucky, as well as hundreds of millions across 23 other states.
Over half of this went to small and disadvantaged businesses, including 20 minority and women-owned businesses and 63 small business enterprises. And the suppliers we on shored made their own investments in this vein, creating a virtuous cycle and widening the benefits.
Building a strong American supply chain not only helps deliver new transit infrastructure. It also ensures that rail and transit agencies will have the parts they need to maintain this infrastructure over the long-term, with the reliability and quality that American passengers deserve.
Buy America is about using the soul of the nation to invest in itself. Over 60% of the value of a highspeed train flows to suppliers and, here, at Alstom, we plan to keep working with every American supplier we can find.
Senator Schumer and DOT Undersecretary Monje visited Alstom in Hornell this spring, where we are building the latest generation of high-speed rail. Speaking with employees on our local factory floor, they witnessed that Buy America is fulfilling its goals – driving industrial development across the country, building a highly-skilled workforce, and strengthening the country’s supply chain – three vital elements for the future of rail and transit in America.
We appreciate the Senator’s strong leadership championing a smart Buy America policy that ensures Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding creates U.S. jobs and strengthens local communities.
In his State of the Union address, President Biden told the nation that “American roads, American bridges, and American highways will be made with American products.” The future is here as we make our trains with American products and accelerate towards the future of American transportation. High-speed rail is happening now and, to put it simply, is only possible through the enforcement of policies like Buy America.
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WASHINGTON, Jan. 17, 2024 – Representatives of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM), the Teamsters, and the Association of Flight Attendants (CWA-AFA) participated in a roundtable discussion at the U.S. House of Representatives’ Labor Caucus to promote the organizing and collective bargaining efforts for Delta Air Lines workers.
The worker roundtable discussion was hosted by the Congressional Labor Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.).
The event included remarks by Delta Air Lines workers and Delta Air Lines’ Union Coalition representatives, including IAM Air Transport Territory Coordinator James Carlson, AFA-CWA International President Sara Nelson, and Teamsters National Organizing Director Chris Rosell.
“Congressional leaders were able to gain a complete understanding of the persistent challenges that Delta Air Lines employees face while trying to secure union representation,” said IAM Air Transport Territory Coordinator James Carlson. “The discussion was a crucial step towards identifying solutions that will ultimately help improve the workers’ lives.”
Around 55,000 employees who work on the ramp, tower, cargo, and as flight attendants and mechanics for Delta Air Lines are currently organizing with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), respectively.
“The IAM applauds the Congressional Labor Caucus for providing support in amplifying the voices of workers in Delta Air Lines,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “This support is instrumental in the success of one of the most significant organizing campaigns in recent memory.”
“We are here to ask Congress to support Delta Air Line workers to unionize and to resist the company’s attempts to interfere in the process of obtaining a voice in the workplace,” said Delta worker and activist Felix “Flex” McGhee. “We believe that every worker has the right to join a union and collectively bargain with management for better wages, benefits, and working conditions.”
The roundtable was attended by elected officials and congressional staff who gathered to learn about updates regarding the organizing campaign, discuss challenges and opportunities, and share ideas to build collective power for workers at Delta Air Lines.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is among the most significant industrial trade unions in North America and represents nearly 600,000 active and retired members in the manufacturing, aerospace, defense, airlines, transportation, shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.
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The IAM and more than 200 organizations and labor groups sent a letter to the Biden administration urging the elimination of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) in existing free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties.
The letter highlights the need to address the ongoing liability of ISDS in existing trade agreements. ISDS empowers multinational corporations to sue governments before panels of corporate lawyers, which threatens public interest policies.
Under the ISDS mechanism, corporations can seek compensation from taxpayers for the loss of expected future profits due to a challenged government policy. The lawyers acting on behalf of these corporations can award unlimited sums to be paid by taxpayers if they are convinced that a safety regulation, court ruling, law, or any other government action violates the investors’ rights granted by an agreement enforced by ISDS.
“When trade and investment agreements include ISDS, it is clear that they are not designed to benefit working people, but to give special rights to consolidate, formalize and expand corporate power,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “The IAM urges the Biden administration to eliminate these rigged and anti-democratic trade rules prioritizing corporate rights over national sovereignty and working people.”
As a strong supporter of workers’ rights, the IAM has consistently advocated for fair U.S. trade policies that prioritize the well-being of workers, including fighting to reduce ISDS liability in the renegotiated U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
It is crucial for trade policies to prioritize and uphold fundamental human rights rather than creating incentives for multinational corporations to undermine labor, health, environmental, and other essential public policies.
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