Brian Bryant, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), has called on Congress to prevent a government shutdown that could impact thousands of federal employees and contract workers. The IAM Union represents 600,000 members, including approximately 110,000 federal workers through its affiliate, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM).
In a statement released on September 29, Bryant said, “The IAM Union strongly urges Congress to fund the federal government and avoid a shutdown, which would affect tens of thousands of IAM federal employees and federal contract workers, as well as countless others across our nation.”
Bryant emphasized the need for cooperation between political parties: “The IAM strongly urges a bipartisan funding solution, which should be negotiated in good faith to reach a solution between both Democrats and Republicans to offer a temporary funding measure and avoid a shutdown.”
He also criticized recent statements from the White House regarding potential actions during a shutdown. “The IAM also strongly condemns the White House’s threat to use a shutdown as a means to justify illegally firing scores of federal workers. Threats of such an action are unjust and cruel to civil servants, many of whom are Veterans who have already sacrificed and given so much to our great nation,” Bryant stated.
Bryant added that using federal workers as leverage in political disputes is unacceptable. “Federal workers should not be treated as political pawns in such a fight. These civil servants are so crucial for our nation, from our food inspectors, to social security, air traffic controllers and TSA agents, and even to the military personnel we depend on every day to keep our nation moving forward.”
He noted that government shutdowns can be especially damaging for private sector contract workers who may not receive back pay after work stoppages end. “Government shutdowns are even more destructive for our private sector federal contract worker membership, who work alongside federal employees and perform equally essential work for our nation and often do not get any backpay at all after a shutdown ends,” Bryant said.
The union’s call comes amid ongoing debates in Congress over funding measures needed to keep the government operating.
