Category: US Unions

Source: US GOIAM Union

WASHINGTON, July 22, 2026 — The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers), which represents more than 100,000 workers across the airline and railroad industries, is thanking former National Mediation Board (NMB) Member Deirdre Hamilton for her service following her dismissal by the Trump Administration, a move made possible by a recent Supreme Court decision allowing the arbitrary removal of officials serving on independent federal labor boards.

Hamilton, a respected labor attorney and former IAM Legal Fellow, brought decades of labor law experience to the National Mediation Board, the independent federal agency responsible for administering the Railway Labor Act and helping resolve labor-management disputes in the rail and airline industries.

“Deirdre Hamilton has dedicated her career to standing up for working people, and her service on the National Mediation Board reflected that commitment every day,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “As a former IAM Legal Fellow, Deirdre understands the challenges facing workers and the critical role the NMB plays in ensuring fair labor relations across the rail and airline industries. We thank her for her service and for the professionalism, integrity and expertise she brought to this important position.”

Bryant also expressed concern about the broader implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling and the removal of labor-focused appointees from independent agencies.

“The IAM Union remains deeply troubled by the Supreme Court’s decision, which overturns more than 90 years of precedent, allowing the Trump Administration to remove officials charged with protecting workers’ rights for arbitrary or unclear reasons,” said Bryant. “Independent agencies like the National Mediation Board exist to provide stability, fairness and confidence in the collective bargaining process. Their independence is essential to ensuring workers and employers alike receive fair treatment under the law.”

Before joining the NMB, Hamilton built a distinguished career in labor law and labor relations, including serving as an IAM Legal Fellow early in her career. She became one of the nation’s leading experts on the Railway Labor Act and was widely respected throughout the transportation labor community.

“Deirdre’s contributions to working people will be felt long after her service on the Board,” said Bryant. “The IAM Union is proud of her accomplishments, grateful for her service, and wishes her continued success in the years ahead. The workers of the rail and airline industries were well served by her leadership, and our nation benefits when dedicated public servants like Deirdre Hamilton are allowed to do their jobs independently and without political interference.”

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.

The post IAM Union Thanks Deirdre Hamilton for Distinguished Service, Warns Against Political Interference in Labor Boards appeared first on IAM Union.

Source: US GOIAM Union

Labor leaders, workers, community allies,  NAACP leadership, and delegates from across the country gathered in Chicago for the NAACP “We the Working People” Labor Town Hall, part of the NAACP’s National Convention. The event was hosted by actress, producer and SAG-AFTRA member Ryan Michelle Bathé. 

NAACP Labor Chair Robin Williams and NAACP Board Chairman Leon Russell both addressed the crowd about the importance of the partnership between Labor and the NAACP. Throughout history, the labor and civil rights movements have been connected in their struggles for economic justice, democracy, respect, and dignity. 

National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle and American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley delivered speeches that brought the delegates to their feet, stressing the importance of getting out the vote ahead of this year’s midterm election and the unemployment rates for Black women. 

According to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, Black women suffered large employment losses in 2025, particularly among college graduates and public-sector workers. 

READ: Federal Job Cuts Hit Black Women Hard—a Year Later, Unemployment Is Up American Prospect 

The alliance between the NAACP and the labor movement dates back 117 years, when the NAACP was founded. One of the key issues that NAACP members fought for and continue to fight for is equal employment opportunities. 

Labor and the NAACP have always stood in the gaps, from labor leader A. Philip Randolph’s role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom to the NAACP and Unions, standing together on the picket lines and in the halls of Congress for civil rights, voting rights, and labor rights. The partnership remains rooted in the belief that economic opportunity and racial justice are inseparable goals.

At the conclusion of the speakers, NAACP Senior Vice President of Strategy and Advancement Jamal Watkins moderated a panel discussion touching on a range of issues facing workers. 

Panelists included SAG-AFTRA member Ryan Michelle Bathé, UNITE HERE Local 1 Shop Steward, Julia Lewis, AFGE Local 777 President, Darrell English, and The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) Director of Civil Rights and Community Action LaQuita Honeysucker. 

Some of the issues discussed were the growing threat artificial intelligence poses to jobs, efforts to privatize the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), UNITE HERE Local 1’s upcoming contract negotiations, the impact of surveillance pricing and electronic shelf labels on consumers and workers in the grocery industry, protecting the nation’s food supply, and the concept of portable benefits for workers who move between jobs.

The NAACP “We the Working People” Labor Town Hall was sponsored by the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, AFT, APWU, CWA, IAM Union, LiUNA!, NEA, SEIU, UAW, UFCW, and UNITE HERE.

The post “We the Working People”: NAACP, Labor Unions Unite for Economic Justice and Voting Rights appeared first on IAM Union.

Source: US GOIAM Union

As the FIFA World Cup ends, the IAM Union proudly thanks our members across the United States and Canada who helped keep millions of fans moving safely throughout the tournament.

From rail stations to airports, IAM Union and Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) members stepped up in host cities and across North America’s transportation network, with many volunteering for additional crowd control, passenger assistance and operational duties to meet the demands of one of the world’s largest sporting events.

Many transit systems also implemented modified operating procedures and special service plans for the tournament, and our members played a critical role in putting those plans into action. Reports from across the continent highlighted the professionalism and teamwork our members brought to every shift.

“When the world came to North America, IAM Union and TCU/IAM members answered the call,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Whether welcoming travelers at our airports or helping move massive crowds through our rail systems, our members once again proved they are the skilled professionals who keep our transportation network running. Their professionalism, adaptability and commitment made this tournament a success, and we couldn’t be more proud.”

The post IAM Union Salutes Members Across North America for World Cup Transit Success appeared first on IAM Union.

Source: US GOIAM Union

The spirit of service was on full display as IAM District 6 members held their IAM H.E.L.P.S. in the Community event on June 27 at the Kossuth County Fairgrounds in Algona, Iowa.

With the help of dedicated volunteers from IAM Local 1045, members spent the day giving back by improving the fairgrounds through a variety of beautification projects. Volunteers prepped and painted an outhouse, refreshed a gazebo with touch-up painting, pulled weeds, and completed light landscaping throughout the area.

Beyond the work accomplished, the event brought members together for a day of camaraderie, conversation, and community pride under beautiful Iowa skies.

“This IAM H.E.L.P.S. event was a tremendous success because our members stepped up with enthusiasm and a commitment to serving their community,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “Whether it was painting, landscaping, or simply working side by side, these volunteers demonstrated what it means to live the values of our union. I’m proud of District 6 and Local 1045 for their lasting tradition of service.”

District 6 leadership also praised the volunteers for making the event a memorable one.

“This was a great opportunity for our members to give back to a community that supports working families,” said IAM District 6 Directing Business Representative Pam Gonzales. “Everyone pitched in, worked hard, and enjoyed spending time together. It was rewarding to leave the fairgrounds looking better than when we arrived, and we’re already looking forward to our next IAM H.E.L.P.S. project.”

IAM H.E.L.P.S. (Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing, and Servicing) in the Community encourages IAM members across North America to strengthen the communities where they live and work through volunteer service. District 6’s inaugural event marks another example of IAM members making a positive impact beyond the workplace.

The post IAM District 6 H.E.L.P.S. Beautify Kossuth County Fairgrounds appeared first on IAM Union.

Source: US GOIAM Union

The IAM Union is searching for a talented member to perform the U.S. national anthem at the 2026 IAM Women’s and Young Workers Conference, taking place Sept. 19-23, 2026 in Chicago.

This is a unique opportunity to showcase your talent and help open one of the IAM’s most anticipated events, bringing together IAM Union members from across North America to build the future of our labor movement.

If you have a strong singing voice and would be honored to represent our union, we’d love to hear from you. Submit a sample of your singing by contacting IAM Women’s and Young Workers Director Dee Colbert at dcolbert@iamaw.org.

To learn more about the conference, click here.

The post Our Union Needs Your Voice! Seeking a U.S. National Anthem Singer appeared first on IAM Union.

Source: US GOIAM Union

IAM Union members joined labor activists, LGBTQIA+ advocates and allies from across the labor movement at the 2026 Pride At Work Quadrennial Convention, where delegates gathered to discuss the challenges facing LGBTQIA+ workers and set priorities for the years ahead.

The three-day convention brought together union members and leaders committed to defending hard-won rights, combating discrimination, and strengthening solidarity across the labor movement. Pride At Work serves as the AFL-CIO’s LGBTQIA+ constituency group, advocating for equality and inclusion both on and off the job.

The convention opened with a powerful presentation from NFFE-IAM member Dr. S.J. Joslin, a former Yosemite National Park ranger and wildlife biologist who shared their experience of being terminated from federal service.

Joslin worked at Yosemite National Park for nearly five years and is a published researcher studying the cliff-dwelling bat populations that inhabit the park. Joslin said they were terminated in May 2025 after participating during off-duty hours on a climb of El Capitan, a legendary rock formation in Yosemite National Park, where a trans pride flag was displayed.

According to Joslin, park officials initially investigated them for criminal misconduct and later administrative misconduct before ultimately citing probationary employment status as the basis for termination.

“They investigated me first for criminal misconduct, then they investigated me for administrative misconduct, and they found that I was unfit as a wildlife biologist,” said Joslin. “We are just trying to exist as people. We are just trying to go to the grocery store, use the bathroom, or have someone acknowledge that gender identity is a spectrum, and it doesn’t hurt anyone to let us accept ourselves.”

Joslin’s story underscored one of the convention’s central themes: the ongoing fight to ensure all workers are treated with dignity and respect regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

Delegates also heard from Pride at Work Executive Director Brittany Anderson, a former IAM Union member who joined the labor movement in 2011 and served in several leadership roles at IAM District 77 before being elected co-president of Pride at Work in 2022.

“We all matter. No one wins if the rights of someone else are trampled on because you want to discriminate against them,” said Anderson. “I pray they have better angels to guide them.”

The convention featured remarks from several labor and political leaders, including AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond, and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.

Flanagan spoke about the importance of solidarity in confronting injustice and building stronger communities. She addressed the challenges faced by Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community and emphasized the need for workers and communities to stand together when confronting discrimination and division.

Delegates also heard from longtime LGBTQIA+ activist Cleve Jones, a protégé of the late Harvey Milk and the founder of the AIDS Memorial Quilt Project. Jones reflected on decades of activism and the importance of preserving the history of movements that fought for equality and dignity during some of the nation’s most difficult moments.

Throughout the convention, delegates participated in discussions focused on organizing, collective action, workplace protections and strategies to push back against attacks on LGBTQIA+ rights. Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the labor movement’s strength comes from its ability to unite workers across industries, identities, and communities.

Peter Greenberg, IAM International Affairs Director, serves on the Pride at Work National Executive Board and chaired the IAM Convention Committee. IAM Local 2003 members Jennifer Bourusa and Jocelyn Joyner are Co-Presidents of the Pride at Work Alabama Chapter. Jennifer co-led a training on fighting authoritarianism, and Jocelyn served on the Convention Elections Committee.

As the convention concluded, attendees reaffirmed Pride At Work’s mission of advancing workplace equality and ensuring every worker has the freedom to live and work without fear of discrimination.

Joslin’s case remains a point of concern for many advocates. A federal judge in California recently dismissed a civil lawsuit alleging wrongful termination. The ruling also allowed to stand a policy that, according to Joslin, permits free speech on federal land to be restricted to designated “free speech zones,” raising broader concerns among labor and civil rights advocates about free expression and workers’ rights.

The post IAM Union Members Stand for Equality and Inclusion at Pride At Work Convention appeared first on IAM Union.

Source: US GOIAM Union

Wildfires continue to exact a growing toll on communities across the United States. According to NOAA data, wildfire damage has averaged between $15 billion and $25 billion annually over the past two decades. In 2025 alone, wildfire losses reached an estimated $57 billion. So far in 2026, more than 3.3 million acres have burned, with many fires sparked by lightning strikes on public lands and in national forests.

The dangers facing wildland firefighters were brought into sharp focus on June 27, when three firefighters were killed and two others suffered critical injuries while battling the Knowles Fire in western Colorado. The fire later merged with another blaze and is now known as the Snyder Fire.

Just days before the tragedy, members of Congress joined members of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) outside the U.S. Capitol to warn that staffing reductions, budget cuts, and agency reorganization efforts are weakening the federal government’s ability to prevent and respond to increasingly severe wildfires.

“Key wildfire prevention, mitigation, and management programs are experiencing irresponsible and reckless staffing and budget cuts that have dramatically, in my view, worsened working conditions for our wildland firefighters,” said U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.). “This is creating unsustainable workloads, inadequate pay and benefits, and a dwindling trust in agency leadership, leading to three out of four wildland firefighters at the federal level considering leaving the workforce.”

In March 2026, the Trump administration reduced the U.S. Forest Service budget by $438 million, a 24% cut. The administration also announced plans to reorganize the agency into a state-based model, reducing regional staffing and relocating the agency’s headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City.

“In reality, this is a dismantling of a beloved 120-year institution that maintains the American people’s public lands,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “It would close 57 research facilities in 31 states, dismantling decades of locally based science that cannot be replaced. Once that research is disrupted, the taxpayer investment made over decades is lost forever.”

The reorganization proposal would also create a new Wildland Fire Service, replacing the Forest Service’s long-established wildfire response structure. The Forest Service’s incident management system has become the national standard for emergency and disaster response and has been adopted by emergency services around the world.

NFFE-IAM leaders argue that the proposed changes come at a particularly dangerous time. Fire activity in 2026 is already running at roughly twice the pace of the 10-year average, increasing concerns about the nation’s preparedness for a worsening wildfire season.

Federal workforce reductions have further compounded those concerns. Since 2025, thousands of Forest Service employees have left the agency through layoffs, attrition, and workforce restructuring efforts.

“Through these actions, we have already seen the loss of approximately 5,800 employees,” said Genny Kotyk, president of the NFFE-IAM Forest Service Council. “An additional 6,500 employees could be forced to relocate, resign, or accept significantly different positions. Our union surveyed employees and found that 93% would not relocate if forced to make that choice.

“This could be devastating for our country and the people who depend on these public lands,” Kotyk continued. “At a time when fire season is burning at twice the rate of the 10-year average, these cuts ignore our responsibilities to provide sustainable timber resources, protect endangered species, preserve archaeological sites, uphold tribal agreements, and keep our communities safe.”

As wildfire risks continue to grow, NFFE-IAM members and their allies are calling on Congress to protect the staffing, research, and operational resources needed to safeguard public lands, support frontline firefighters, and strengthen the nation’s wildfire response capabilities.

The post As Wildfires Intensify, NFFE-IAM Warns Forest Service Cuts Threaten Public Safety appeared first on IAM Union.