This weekend, we remember those who have given their lives for our freedoms.
For more than 136 years, IAM members have been integral parts of our communities. They have fought—and died—in every major American military mission since our founding in 1888. As a union with deep ties to our military, we will always remember, mourn, and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
That’s why we provide best-in-class services to our military veterans, built an IAM monument to honor our military, and are incredibly proud that IAM members serve the interests of our armed forces each and every day.
This Memorial Day – and every day – we remember those who have given their lives for all of us.
Happy 136th birthday to the IAM! It’s a testament to all of you, and all those who came before us, that our great union has risen from a railroad pit in Atlanta in 1888 to the powerful force for working people that we are today.
We are listening to you – our membership. We are organizing and growing our union. We are embracing our diversity. Most of all, we are moving the IAM into an even brighter future.
Led by membership input gathered last year by the IAM Committee on the Future, myself and your Executive Council are already implementing changes to strengthen our union. We are working toward new ways of communicating with our members and branding our union, expanding mentorship and training opportunities, improving our union’s structure, and much more.
And, our renewed focus on organizing is paying off. The IAM was amongst the fastest growing unions in 2023, and this year, we’ve already won campaigns to represent airline workers, healthcare professionals, artificial intelligence workers, manufacturing workers and more.
We are taking on employers big and small and winning record gains for our members. And, we are realizing our true potential by investing in the leadership of women and other under-represented groups through our new IAM Human Rights Department, and more.
As I continue to travel North America to meet our membership and hear your ideas, I am more hopeful than ever about the future of the IAM. Every day, we are moving closer to fulfilling our purpose of delivering security, dignity and opportunity for all.
Most of all, thank you to all of you for being a part of this journey. Together, we will continue to inspire, empower and create this more perfect union.
