Strengthening Solidarity: Highlights from the Southern States Conference

IAM Southern States Conference: A Call to Action for Union Solidarity

Biloxi, Miss. — The proud members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Southern Territory convened in Biloxi this week for the Southern States Conference, a pivotal gathering aimed at fortifying union strength and worker power across the South.

General Vice President Craig Martin opened the conference with a powerful reminder of the importance of political activism. “Our strength, our power, our solidarity is real,” he declared. “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 echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the necessity of holding elected officials accountable. “No matter who is in the White House, we will always back those who support bringing our jobs home and protecting our retirement and healthcare,” he stated. “But we have to call them out when they don’t.”

The conference also focused on the future, with Bryant urging attendees to cultivate the next generation of IAM members and labor activists. “There’s a group of workers who want to form unions, and we are going to be there for them,” he said. “These negotiations create organizing opportunities that inspire non-union workers to seek the same benefits.”

IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes reported on the union’s robust financial health, highlighting a strong strike fund that empowers members to stand firm in their pursuit of better working conditions. “We are better prepared financially and structurally to fight back,” she said, referencing recent successful strikes in St. Louis and at Boeing facilities in Washington and Oregon.

IAM Legislative and Political Director Hasan Solomon stressed the inescapable link between workers and politics. “If you are a worker in this country, you cannot afford not to be involved in politics,” he warned, underscoring the impact of policy on everyday lives.

The conference also featured updates from IAM Southern Territory International Representatives on new hire initiatives, organizing efforts, and disaster relief programs. IAM Women’s and Young Workers Department Director Julie Frietchen led a panel discussion on lobbying and coalition-building, while IAM General Counsel Carla Siegel addressed the ongoing attacks on workers’ rights at the federal level.

Mississippi AFL-CIO President Mickey Carr inspired delegates with a call for unity. “What happens in one southern state is bound to happen in all southern states,” he said. “It takes all of us standing together in unity. Let’s be the spark that lights the fire of change.”

The conference culminated in a rousing show of solidarity, with members delivering a video message to striking workers at Libbey Glass in Toledo and District 837 members in St. Louis. “When it comes to union rights, there are no ifs, ands, or buts,” Bryant asserted. “There’s nowhere to be but on the side of workers.”

As the conference concluded, IAM members left energized and ready to tackle legislative priorities in their states, united in their commitment to defend and grow the union and worker power in the South.