The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has announced its intention to continue legal action against the federal administration’s recent moves to alter or terminate collective bargaining agreements for federal workers. The union’s response follows guidance from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), which instructs agencies to comply with Executive Orders 14251 and 14343 by changing existing agreements.
Brian Bryant, International President of IAM Union, issued a statement criticizing the administration’s actions. “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 said.
He emphasized that these changes would impact thousands of IAM Union members nationwide, including those in the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). Bryant stated, “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.”
Bryant also referenced a previous federal court decision requiring agencies to restore union recognition and maintain current agreements. He argued that disregarding these protections would be unlawful: “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.”
He warned that undermining federal worker protections could set a precedent affecting all American workers: “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.”
The IAM Union plans to contest these executive orders through legal channels alongside NFFE-IAM and other labor organizations. “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,” Bryant stated.
“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.
IAM Union represents about 600,000 active and retired members across various industries throughout North America.
