Feb 25, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
The IAM Union, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), and allies representing more than 2 million workers have been granted a temporary restraining order prohibiting the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Education from disclosing sensitive personal information to employees affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) who do not have authorization to receive the information.
Six individuals, including military veterans, personally harmed by DOGE’s theft of their private information joined the suit filed by the IAM, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), the AFT, and the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE). Protect Democracy and Munger, Tolles & Olson are counsel to the plaintiffs. The suit alleges that DOGE staff have not been properly vetted and have been granted access to some of the government’s most sensitive data systems, in violation of the Privacy Act.
“The IAM Union will always fight to protect our members and our veterans who work so hard to protect our country,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “From caring for our veterans to protecting our national parks, these dedicated civil servants are the backbone of keeping our nation’s promises to the American people. We’re glad the court has agreed to halt this illegal incursion into their personal information.”
“NFFE is pleased to see the court has sided with workers, who have a right to privacy regardless of who is in the White House,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “This is just one of the many unwarranted attacks that federal employees have faced over the past month. We will continue to challenge any violations of law to ensure our members can do their jobs in service to the American public.”
The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ruled that the claim from the IAM and its plaintiffs — including military veterans and unions representing millions of veterans, teachers, scientists, engineers, federal employees — would likely be successful. The plaintiffs argue that OPM and the Education Department 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.
“Today, the Court agreed with our claim that DOGE affiliates do not need to access Americans’ highly sensitive and private data to do their jobs,” said Kristy Parker, Counsel at Protect Democracy, who represents the plaintiffs. “This ruling is an important step in protecting American’s right to privacy from people who may not have appropriate authority to access it and who may not be using it properly or with adequate safeguards.”
In the 33-page ruling, the judge wrote that “none of these workplace reform measures,” allegedly contemplated by the executive orders covering DOGE “appears to require” OPM and Department of Education employees “to access records with the sensitive personal information of current and formal federal employees” and that the government “never explains why” OPM and Department of Education personnel need this access to implement workplace reform measures.
The temporary restraining order will remain in effect until March 10, 2025, and prevents:
- The Department of Education from disclosing personally identifiable information to any DOGE affiliates.
- OPM from disclosing personally identifiable information to any OPM employee working principally on the DOGE agenda (with the exception of OPM Chief Information Officer Greg Hogan).
The court denied the plaintiffs’ request for relief against the Treasury Department, noting that a previous injunction in another case already provides the plaintiffs protection against Treasury.
The post Protecting Our Membership, America’s Veterans: IAM Union, Allies Win Injunction to Stop OPM, Education Department Disclosure of Private Federal Worker Data appeared first on IAMAW.
Feb 14, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
IAM Union is calling on President Trump to immediately reverse his decision and reinstate Gwynne Wilcox to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). IAM Union believes this action is critical for ensuring that working Americans receive the full protections they are entitled to under U.S. labor law.
On Jan. 27, President Trump unlawfully dismissed Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the board. This decision was not only a violation of legal processes, but also a direct assault on the rights of American workers.
TAKE ACTION: Call 866-832-1560 or click here to urge your representatives to support Wilcox’s reinstatement.
By reducing the NLRB to only two members, the president has effectively crippled the board’s ability to function, leaving workers vulnerable to union-busting tactics and retaliation.
“The IAM urges President Trump to reverse the unprecedented and illegal firing of National Labor Relations Board Member Gwynne Wilcox, restore the Board’s independence, and protect workers’ rights,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant in a letter sent to members of Congress.
Thanks in large part to the IAM’s advocacy, a bipartisan group of 265 lawmakers, including every single U.S. House and Senate Democrat, as well as U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), sent a letter to President Trump urging him to reinstate Wilcox “to restore the NLRB’s ability to protect the rights of American workers to organize and collectively bargain, which have already been impaired by understaffing at the agency and now are effectively lost by the lack of quorum on the NLRB.”
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Feb 13, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
The IAM Union and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) joined a coalition of labor unions in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s orders to gut the federal workforce. The complaint challenges the firing of probationary employees, the deferred resignation ploy to pressure employees to voluntarily resign, and large-scale reductions-in-force (RIFs) that violate federal laws.
The lawsuit calls out the administration’s reckless attacks on America’s long standing, merit-based civil service. Since Jan. 20, the administration has ordered the firing of thousands of new federal workers regardless of their skill and experience, badgered nearly 2 million federal employees to resign in fear of losing their jobs, and threatened the elimination of entire agency functions—if not the actual agency itself—and the jobs that go with them.
“When the livelihoods of IAM members are under attack, our union will always fight back,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “We are fighting for everyday workers who put their hearts and souls into doing tough, critical jobs for the American people. These are healthcare professionals caring for our military veterans, wildland firefighters protecting our lives and property, and park rangers watching after our national treasurers. If anyone thinks they can unilaterally and unconstitutionally stomp on our members’ dignity, and the vital jobs they do, we’ll see them in court.”
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, also alleges the Trump Administration is illegally undermining Congress’s authority by eliminating federal agencies and jobs that have been created and authorized by the legislative branch. The suit asks the court to declare that the mass firing of probationary and other employees and the deferred resignation program, collectively, are unlawful.
“The Trump Administration’s executive actions to gut the federal workforce are not only illegal, but will also have damaging consequences for federal employees and the public services they provide,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “The courts must intervene and hold this Administration accountable for violating federal laws before it is too late. Federal workers are your friends and neighbors who have dedicated their careers to serving our country. We cannot let the President disrupt their lives and dismantle critical services relied upon by the American people.”
The IAM and NFFE-IAM are also part of a coalition suing to challenge a data heist carried out by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency inside three federal government departments.
The post Protecting our Members’ Jobs: IAM, NFFE-IAM Join Labor Coalition in New Lawsuit Over Illegal Gutting of Federal Workforce appeared first on IAMAW.
Feb 10, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
The legislative building in Santa Fe, N.M., is known as the Roundhouse. Citizens can spend hours there going round and round with different lobbyists and interest groups trying to sway state politicians. This session, IAM members from New Mexico Locals 1635 (Albuquerque), 794 (Albuquerque), and 2515 (Alamogordo) –along with IAM International President Brian Bryant, Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez, General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes, and Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett–took matters into their own hands and scored some impressive wins.
“The reason we do this is because we fight for working people, and when we fight for working people – we win,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “And what you were able to do yesterday, by getting an anti-captive audience bill out of committee, that’s a win for working people!”
Bryant was speaking about the lobbying efforts of these IAM members to move the Employees Free Speech Act, sponsored by State Rep. Eleanor Chavez, which is aimed at preventing employers from monitoring employees’ political activities and from holding mandatory attendance, anti-union captive audience meetings.
“We believe that you don’t only fight for things at the bargaining table, you also have to simultaneously fight for things through legislative action and advocacy,” said IAM Local 794 President Ashley Long. “Secondly, we are advocating for paid family medical leave. We know that our members have needs. They’re caregivers to children, to their elders in their family, and we want to make sure this legislation is passed, so that it’s easier for us to codify it in our collective bargaining agreements”
“We are building people, to build power, to make significant change for our members in their work life and their communities,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. That concept grows from legendary organizer of the United Farm Workers, Marshall Ganz. “Engaging our members will get us better contracts, win more elections, and we’re just going to win overall. Real change is made when we invest in people!
IAM members also gathered at a nearby conference center to install new officers to the state council and update their bylaws to reflect needed changes.
New Mexico State Council President John Dyrcz noted that across the country, people are turning to organized labor to do things for workers that have long been ignored.
“You see states like Alaska, that are ruby red, but their voters are passing family medical leave because we all need it,” said Dyrcz. “We are going to continue to fight for laws that support workers because it’s the right thing to do. We are going to keep up the fight here in New Mexico.”
[ Council Meeting Photo Gallery]
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Feb 5, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
IAM Rail Division representatives joined members of Congress and leaders from fellow U.S. rail unions in calling on Congress to act on rail safety two years after the toxic East Palestine train derailment.
“On behalf of all our members, our hearts still go out to the people of East Palestine. They want answers, they want results and so do we,” said Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) National Legislative Director David Arouca. “The so-called Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) era has been nothing short of just cutting head counts to the bone and then harassing those who remain to pick up the slack.”
TCU/IAM represents various crafts, one of the largest being carmen, who maintain, repair and critically inspect rail cars all across the country.
“Whether it’s our carmen being harassed to perform safety inspections on insane timelines or signalmen maintaining our national network of safety detectors, we’ve all been saying the same thing: PSR is going to kill people,” said Arouca. “We need legislation passed now to reduce the risk of another East Palestine. The time to act was yesterday. Rail safety is not, nor should it ever, be a partisan issue.”
IAM District 19 President and Directing General Chair Reece Murtagh was also present to answer questions for the press. Members of Congress joining rail included House Transportation Committee Vice Ranking Member Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio), House Rail Subcommittee Ranking Member Dina Titus (D-Nev.), House Transportation Committee Member Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and House Transportation Committee Member Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.).
The rail leaders demanded that Class I railroad companies adopt the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS), which allows rail workers to report safety concerns without retaliation from employers.
While addressing the public with his own press conference in East Palestine, Ohio on the disaster’s anniversary, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who co-sponsored the bipartisan Railway Safety Act as Senator, said that passing legislation “is a very viable and a very reasonable goal.”
Senator Maria Cantwell sent a letter to U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chairman Ted Cruz urging him to “advance the re-introduced Railway Safety Act to ensure President Trump and Vice President Vance have the tools they need to hold the railroads accountable for improving safety. “
“Rail safety is not a partisan issue or a regional issue, it is a human issue,” said Congresswoman Sykes. “I am proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on and off the Transportation Committee to put forth a piece of legislation we can be proud of, but we can only truly make it right for the people of East Palestine if we actually pass meaningful rail safety legislation.”
“I think we have a real opportunity here,” said Congresswoman Titus. “I think we can get it done, just reintroduce those bills, bring it together in a package, and move it forward. I’m committed to it, other members of Congress and the great representatives from unions are, so I’m leading this with optimism.”
The post IAM Union, Rail Labor Leaders Demand Safety Reform on Two-Year Anniversary of East Palestine Disaster appeared first on IAMAW.
Feb 4, 2025 | Politics & Legislative News
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2025 – Brian Bryant, International President of the 600,000-member IAM Union, and David Chartrand, IAM Canadian General Vice President, issued the following statement following a pause of proposed U.S.-Canadian tariffs.
“As the largest aerospace and defense labor union in the United States and Canada, the IAM Union is relieved that destructive tariffs between our two allied countries are being paused. A new path forward—one that doesn’t put U.S. and Canadian workers in a needless cycle of worrying about job loss due to tariff threats between allies—is possible. This moment offers the perfect opportunity for workers and unions from both countries to be a part of the solution moving forward.
“For decades, we have seen millions of good-paying, high-skilled U.S. and Canadian jobs outsourced to countries with little to no labor rights. Thanks to bad trade deals, tens of thousands of good IAM Union aerospace and defense jobs have become low-wage jobs in Mexico, while China has used forced technology offsets to create its own aerospace industry. This race-to-the-bottom model is being replicated by other bad actors across the globe – and it’s hurting all workers, as well as our shared national security.
“We have a chance right now to pull all stakeholders – government, business and labor – together to forge a real, comprehensive strategy to protect and grow critical manufacturing here in the United States and Canada. Workers on the both sides of the border deserve to drive policy conversations about their livelihoods, not be pawns in a larger political discussion.”
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 across the United States and Canada.
goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion
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