Brian Bryant, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), has called on Congress to prevent a government shutdown by passing funding legislation. In a statement released on September 29, Bryant emphasized that a shutdown would impact tens of thousands of IAM federal employees, federal contract workers, and many others nationwide.
Bryant urged lawmakers to reach a bipartisan agreement. “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 stated.
He also criticized the White House for allegedly threatening mass firings as part of the budget dispute. “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,” said Bryant.
Bryant added that federal workers should not become bargaining chips during political negotiations. “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.”
IAM represents about 600,000 members overall. Among them are approximately 110,000 federal workers represented through its affiliate National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM).
He also highlighted how government shutdowns can be particularly damaging for private sector federal contract workers who often do not receive back pay after disruptions 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.
