Apr 29, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
Approximately 400 IAM Union activists have converged on the nation’s capital for the 2025 IAM Legislative Conference, held April 29 through May 1. At a time of growing economic uncertainty, political upheaval, and ongoing attacks on working people, IAM members are making their voices heard in the halls of Congress.
Delegates from across the United States are using the three-day conference to engage directly with policymakers, pressing them to take action on a wide range of legislative priorities. From protecting collective bargaining rights for federal workers to strengthening retirement and healthcare security, from defending domestic manufacturing to passing the long-stalled Rail Safety Act, and other critical issues, IAM members are making clear demands for a pro-worker agenda.
The conference officially opened with powerful remarks from IAM International President Brian Bryant, IAM Canadian Territory General Vice President David Chartrand, and IAM National Political and Legislative Director Hasan Solomon. Each leader underscored the urgency of the moment and the stakes for working families across North America.
IAM International President Brian Bryant opened the conference by welcoming delegates and calling attention to the growing threats facing working people, many of which, he noted, are coming directly from the White House.
“What happens here in Washington, D.C. – and in every state across the country – affects all of us, every second of every day,” said Bryant. “Elected officials can strengthen – or weaken – our collective bargaining rights, our pay, our healthcare, our retirement, our democracy, and so much more. We’re not fighting for Republican or Democratic issues – we’re fighting for IAM Union issues.”
“This week is all about fighting for our union and our members, it’s about showing that the power of the people is always more powerful than the people in power, and it’s about taking this country back for working people instead of billionaires,” continued Bryant.
IAM members will hear from policymakers, union allies in Congress, and policy experts throughout the week. Scheduled speakers will address topics ranging from domestic policy to defending democracy and countering corporate influence in government.
In his remarks, IAM Canadian Territory General Vice President David Chartrand spoke to the shared economic challenges and responsibilities between the United States and Canada, especially amid increasing tensions with China, as the need for cooperation to preserve national security and economic stability.
“We need to work together to make sure there’s fairness in the workplace,” said Chartrand.
IAM National Political and Legislative Director Hasan Solomon also addressed delegates, highlighting the IAM’s growing influence on Capitol Hill and the need for grassroots activism to hold elected officials accountable.
“We are here to take care of business,” said Solomon. “This week, we are here to hold our elected officials accountable.”
The IAM Legislative Conference is a vital opportunity for members to engage in the political process, share their personal stories with lawmakers, and shape the future of the labor movement. As economic pressures continue to mount and corporate interests tighten their grip on the political system, IAM delegates are delivering a clear message: the needs of working people must come first.
As the week continues, IAM members will meet with dozens of House and Senate offices, ensuring that the voices of workers are heard loud and clear.
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Apr 2, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2025 – Brian Bryant, International President of the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers), representing 600,000 workers, and David Chartrand, IAM Canadian General Vice President, issued a statement on President Trump’s tariffs announcement:
“We must confront the legacy of trade policies and tariff rollouts that treat workers as pawns. Today’s tariffs announcement will erode relationships and diminish human dignity and respect for workers across North America.
“Imposing tariffs on Canada would be like cutting off our nose to spite our face.
“The IAM Union will continue to speak out against this short-sighted trade war and fight for a comprehensive, long-term strategy that strengthens manufacturing and prioritizes the interests of U.S. and Canadian workers.”
The 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, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
Syndicat de l’IAM : Les travailleurs et travailleuses américains et canadiens attendent toujours d’avoir leur voix dans la politique tarifaire et commerciale
Brian Bryant, président international du syndicat de l’IAM, représentant 600 000 travailleurs et travailleuses, et David Chartrand, vice-président général canadien de l’IAM, ont publié une déclaration concernant l’annonce des tarifs douaniers par le président Trump :
“Nous devons confronter l’héritage des politiques commerciales et des mises en œuvre de tarifs qui traitent les travailleurs et travailleuses comme des pions. L’annonce d’aujourd’hui sur les tarifs va éroder les relations et diminuer la dignité humaine et le respect des travailleurs à travers l’Amérique du Nord.
“Imposer des tarifs au Canada serait contre-productif et nuirait des deux côtés à long terme.
“ Le syndicat de l’IAM continuera à s’opposer à cette guerre commerciale à court terme et se battra pour une stratégie globale et à long terme qui renforce la fabrication et priorise les intérêts des travailleurs et travailleuses américains et canadiens.”
Le syndicat de L’IAM est l’un des plus grands et des plus diversifiés syndicats industriels d’Amérique du Nord, représentant environ 600 000 membres actifs et retraités dans les secteurs de l’aérospatiale, de la défense, des compagnies aériennes, des chemins de fer, des transports, de la santé, de l’automobile et d’autres industries.
goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion
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Mar 29, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
President Trump issued a sweeping Executive Order and related Fact Sheet invoking “national security” grounds to end collective bargaining with federal unions. Here are the facts about this outrageous and unprecedented attack on federal workers—and on the Labor movement itself.
FACT: Federal unions do not undermine national security!
- Federal civil servants dutifully protect and serve our nation every day and having a union has never changed that.
- Many federal workers are veterans. Taking away their rights to a representative and a voice in the workplace by claiming it threatens “national security” shows disdain and disrespect for their lifelong dedication to public service.
FACT: This is retaliation against unions for standing up for the workers they represent.
- Unions, including the IAM, have been fighting Trump’s effort to ruthlessly terminate tens of thousands of federal workers in violation of laws and CBAs that prevent such arbitrary terminations. Trump cites unions filing grievances to protect workers’ rights and jobs as the rationale for his EO. Trump’s effort now to get rid of the Unions that protect those workers is retaliation for exercising rights protected by federal law.
FACT: Collective bargaining rights for federal workers do not negatively impact the government.
- Trump cites the very existence of binding collective bargaining agreements to protect employee working conditions as “dangerous.” But presidents from both parties have upheld the right of federal workers to union representation for decades. CBAs provide both management and employees with guideposts for an efficient and fair workplace.
FACT: Taking away workers’ unions makes things worse, not more efficient!
- By eliminating employee unions’ collective bargaining rights, it becomes harder for federal employees to do their jobs. They will face retaliation without any grievance process to address issues. These are the people who take care of our veterans and protect our country, who enforce laws and protect the health and safety of the public.
FACT: This EO is designed to take away workers’ protections and unions’ abilities to fight back.
- Ending payroll dues deduction is another direct attempt to attack unions’ ability to fight for workers. Anti-union forces always want to make it harder for members to contribute to their representation, because they hope that it will stop financial support for unions that fight back to protect workers.
- The agencies Trump targeted are described as having critical national security missions—but these are the same agencies that he and his Elon Musk-led DOGE team are targeting for massive layoffs and budget cuts. They are stripping union representation away from workers right when they need it most!
The IAM is working with other unions representing federal employees to mount a legal challenge to this unprecedented attack on federal workers. We will not sit back and watch workers lose the right to representation and a voice on the job!
The post Understanding Trump’s Union-Busting Executive Order Ending Collective Bargaining For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Federal Workers appeared first on IAMAW.
Mar 28, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
VALLEJO, Calif. – Today, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi joined the IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) at a press conference at the Mare Island Dry Dock, where they called for a revitalization of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
See photos from the event here.
Watch the full press conference here.
“Today, I am honored to stand with American U.S. shipbuilding and maritime industry workers as they fight the heavily subsidized foreign shipyards and unfair trade practices of the People’s Republic of China. American shipbuilders have been hampered by unfair trade practices by the Chinese government. While I’m glad that the federal government is stepping up, more must be done to protect our workers and national security. This is why I, alongside Senator Mark Kelly, Senator Todd Young, and Representative Trent Kelly, introduced the SHIPS for America Act, representing the most substantial and comprehensive approach to rebuilding America’s shipbuilding industry and empowering American workers. American workers in commercial shipyards are essential to supporting our economy and national security. I applaud the IAM and other union representatives as they continue fighting for American shipbuilding jobs,” U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.)
“Since 2001, when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) labeled shipbuilding as a ‘strategic industry,’ there has been a laundry list of China’s unfair, unreasonable, and discriminatory practices. While we support the USTR’s actions so far, more must be done to assure the long-term health of the domestic shipbuilding industry and U.S. economic and national security. Our IAM Union members are ready to build and maintain our 21st century naval and commercial fleet and we remain steadfast in our devotion to that goal.” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan.
“I’m proud to lead California’s greatest and most historic shipyards, and I stand by the IAM in their fight to revitalize the U.S. Maritime Industry. The contributions of our shipyard workers are the reason for the success of our shipyard, and right now, they are hampered by unfair trade practices by the Chinese government – this must stop. I stand by the IAM Union and Congressman John Garamendi in their fight to uplift and grow our industry,” said Mare Island Dry Dock CEO Stephen DiLeo.
“IAM is on the front lines in U.S.’s fight against China’s unfair trade practices and I’m proud to help lead that fight with my entire union by my side. Unions like the IAM aren’t only critical for California’s economy, they are essential in supporting our national economy. Shipyards were once the main path to the middle class; after years of divestment, we can all work together to turn the tide and bring our shipyards back to their past glory,” said IAM Local S25 Chief Steward Kyle March.
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Mar 26, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
Brian Bryant, International President of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is urging members of the U.S. Senate to pass a resolution (S.J. Res. 37) introduced by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine that would terminate the unjustified Trump tariffs imposed on Canadian imports.
“The IAM firmly stands in support of fair-trade policy and the use of measures such as tariffs when used properly to help level the playing field for the workers we represent,” wrote Bryant in the letter to U.S. Senators. “The use of tariffs can be an effective enforcement measure to punish bad trade actors such as countries that do not respect the rights of workers. These new tariffs on Canada, one of our closest allies and largest trading partners, are unjust and will have lasting negative impacts on American and Canadian workers.”
The letter from IAM International President Brian Bryant to U.S. Senators continues:
“The IAM believes in fair trade and understands the necessity of tariffs when strategically deployed to protect workers and ensure equitable competition. However, the current tariffs on Canada—a vital ally and major trading partner—are not only misplaced but actively damaging to workers on both sides of the border.
“The justification for these tariffs, citing fentanyl concerns, is demonstrably false. U.S. Customs and Border Protection data reveals that less than 1% of fentanyl seizures originate from the U.S.-Canada border, while over 96% stem from the southern border with Mexico. This stark discrepancy exposes the fallacy of targeting Canada and underscores the urgent need to reverse this detrimental policy.
“The IAM represents workers in critical sectors such as aerospace, defense, and manufacturing, all of which rely heavily on seamless U.S.-Canada collaboration. These tariffs disrupt vital supply chains, destabilize economies, and threaten the livelihoods of tens of thousands of workers, including over 100,000 aerospace workers across both nations.
“Based on a flawed premise, these tariffs inflict unnecessary harm on working families in both the United States and Canada.”
Read the complete letter here.
The 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, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion
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Mar 25, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
After a suit filed by the IAM Union, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) and other allies, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Department of Education (ED), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Treasury Department from disclosing the sensitive personal information to employees affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“Today’s ruling continues to solidify that our members, our nation’s veterans and every American has a sacred right to privacy,” said International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) International President Brian Bryant. “The IAM Union will always stand with our allies to protect and defend our members’ rights.”
The Court ruled that the claims from the plaintiffs — including military veterans and unions representing millions of veterans, teachers, scientists, engineers, federal employees — would likely be successful. The plaintiffs argue that ED, OPM, and Treasury violated the Privacy Act by granting DOGE affiliates unauthorized access to systems containing sensitive personal information including Social Security numbers, bank account information, health records, and other private data.
“Once again, the courts have ruled that Elon Musk and DOGE should not have access to highly sensitive data belonging to American individuals and federal employees,” said National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) National President Randy Erwin. “Everyone in this country has the right to privacy. NFFE and our allies are committed to protecting that right, especially when our members are at risk of having their information compromised by those who wish to do them harm.”
In the 68-page ruling, Judge Deborah L. Boardman wrote that “[t]he administrative records [provided by the government] indicate that Education, OPM, and Treasury disclosed records with the plaintiffs’ PII to DOGE affiliates. They also indicate that the DOGE affiliates do not need to know this information to perform their job duties.”
The Court found that the plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm without injunctive relief, noting that, “the plaintiffs have shown that DOGE affiliates have been granted access to systems of records that contain some of the plaintiffs’ most sensitive data – such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, bank information, income and assets, and citizenship status.” The Court further found that “without an injunction, the DOGE affiliates’ access to this trove of personal information will continue,” and that the damage incurred by these ongoing disclosures cannot be rectified by damages.
The preliminary injunction prohibits:
- The Department of Education from disclosing Plaintiffs’ personally identifiable information to any DOGE affiliates.
- The Office of Personnel Management from disclosing Plaintiffs’ personally identifiable information to any OPM employee working principally on the DOGE agenda (with the exception of OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell, OPM Chief Information Officer Greg Hogan, and OPM Chief of Staff Amanda Scales).
- The Treasury Department from disclosing Plaintiffs’ personally identifiable information to DOGE affiliates.
The Department of Justice has filed a notice of its intent to appeal Judge Boardman’s decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
The complete ruling is available here, and the opinion can be found here.
Read more about this case.
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