The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has announced it will continue its legal challenge against recent actions by the federal administration aimed at changing collective bargaining rights for federal workers. The union’s statement comes after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidance to terminate or modify existing federal collective bargaining agreements, following Executive Orders 14251 and 14343.
Brian Bryant, International President of the IAM Union, said in a statement: “This administration continues to embark on the largest attack on workers’ rights in the history of this country. They are targeting federal workers, the dedicated public servants who serve the American people every day, in a deliberate attempt to strip away union rights, weaken collective bargaining agreements, and silence the voices of working families.”
Bryant emphasized that these changes impact thousands of IAM Union members nationwide. “This directly affects thousands of IAM Union members, including our National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) members and other IAM-represented federal workers across the country who keep our government functioning and our nation strong. These workers are not political pawns. They are public servants who deserve the full protection of the law and the respect of the government they serve,” he stated.
He also referenced a prior court decision requiring agencies to restore union recognition and maintain current collective bargaining agreements. “A federal court has already made clear that agencies must restore union recognition and maintain existing collective bargaining agreements. The law is clear, and any attempt to ignore these protections is unlawful and a direct violation of workers’ rights,” Bryant said.
According to Bryant, undermining federal worker protections could have broader implications for all employees in America: “This is not just an attack on federal workers. It is an attack on the fundamental rights of all working people. If an administration can unlawfully strip rights from federal workers, no worker in America is safe from similar attacks.”
He added that IAM Union will pursue challenges both through legal avenues and advocacy efforts: “The IAM Union, alongside NFFE-IAM and our labor allies, is challenging these unlawful actions in the courts and in every hall of power in this nation. We will fight to enforce the law, defend our contracts, and protect every one of our members.”
“Our message is simple: We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced. And we will never stop fighting until the rights, dignity and protections of our members and all federal workers are fully secured,” he concluded.
The IAM Union represents about 600,000 active and retired members across various sectors including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroads, transit systems, healthcare services, automotive industries as well as among federal sector employees throughout North America.
