The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Southern Territory recently held its Southern States Conference in Biloxi, Mississippi. The event brought together union members to discuss strategies for strengthening the union and advancing worker interests across the southern United States.
Craig Martin, IAM Southern Territory General Vice President, addressed delegates on the importance of political involvement. “Our strength, our power, our solidarity is real,” said Martin. “We have to use that to engage in political processes to protect what we have and strengthen it for all workers. It’s how we tell those politicians what is important to us.”
IAM International President Brian Bryant spoke about the need for accountability among elected officials. “No matter who is in the White House, we will always back those who support bringing our jobs home, create opportunities to grow unions, and protect our retirement and healthcare,” said Bryant. “But we have to call them out when they don’t.” He also highlighted efforts to build future generations of union members and labor activists: “We’re moving fast in this country; there’s a group of workers who want to form unions, and we are going to be there for them,” said Bryant. “These negotiations and gains for our members create organizing opportunities. It’s an opportunity when we fight an employer and we’re successful, because non-union workers look at it and say ‘we want the same thing for us’.”
Dora Cervantes, IAM General Secretary-Treasurer, provided a financial update emphasizing the union’s preparedness with a strong strike fund: “We are better prepared financially and structurally, so that we can go out there and fight back, just like we’re doing down in St Louis, and what we did at Boeing in Washington and Oregon,” said Cervantes. “We’ve got our reps and everybody out in the field standing ground with our striking workers as they walk the picket line.”
Hasan Solomon, IAM Legislative and Political Director, stressed that policy decisions affect all workers: “If you are a worker in this country, you cannot afford not to be involved in politics. Everything that you do is political,” said Solomon.
Updates were given by other IAM representatives on initiatives related to new hires, organizing efforts, disaster relief programs, retiree support programs as well as sector-specific priorities such as automotive trades.
A panel discussion moderated by Julie Frietchen from IAM Women’s and Young Workers Department focused on lobbying techniques and collaboration with legislators.
Carla Siegel from IAM General Counsel discussed federal-level challenges facing unions due to actions targeting collective bargaining rights at agencies like the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Siegel stated: “The problem in Washington right now is that the people who ran campaigns on backing working people are now attacking working people while in office.”
Taylor Rehmet—a candidate endorsed by IAM Union running for Texas State Senate District 9—spoke about his motivation for entering politics as a union member.
Delegates concluded their meeting by expressing solidarity with striking members at Libbey Glass in Toledo; District 837 members striking in St. Louis; as well as federal employees facing challenges under current policies.
Addressing differing political views within membership ranks regarding recent federal actions impacting labor rights—including defunding OSHA or weakening NLRB oversight—Bryant commented: “I don’t care how somebody voted. I know we’ve got people who voted for President Trump, and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s our democracy in our country, and that’s our democracy in our Union,” he said. “But I know nobody in this union voted for President Trump thinking that he was going to take away bargaining rights for over a million people in the federal government… If you voted for him you’ve got to make sure he knows that you don’t agree with what’s happening… Unfortunately President Trump and his billionaire buddies do not like organized labor because they know we’re the only voice for the working people.”
