IAM International President Brian Bryant has appointed Assistant Strategic Resources Director Peter Greenberg as Special Assistant to the International President for Trade and Globalization. Effective Jan. 1, this appointment reflects the IAM’s commitment to expanding its global role. Greenberg retains his current role as Assistant Strategic Resources Director.

Greenberg, formerly a Senior Research Economist, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Since joining the IAM’s staff in 2007 within the Strategic Resources Department, Greenberg has provided critical financial and economic analysis crucial for successful contract negotiations, effective lobbying, and impactful organizing efforts. 

The IAM’s Trade and Globalization Department contributes significantly to the IAM’s continued success in representing and advocating for its members worldwide. 

“Peter Greenberg’s appointment as Special Assistant to the International President for Trade and Globalization will increase our footprint and strengthen our ties in the global labor movement,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “He possesses both expertise and a deep commitment to the principles of the labor movement. Peter will do well in this new role as we ramp up our campaign to achieve a greater voice for unions and union members impacted by international trade accords.” 

Greenberg’s journey with the IAM began in 2000 when he joined IAM Local 2339-N in Newark, N.J., upon being hired at Continental Airlines. While working at Continental and serving as a local lodge officer, he pursued graduate studies at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., ultimately earning his MBA. Greenberg is the IAM’s representative to the Pride at Work executive board. 

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The IAM and more than 200 organizations and labor groups sent a letter to the Biden administration urging the elimination of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) in existing free trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties.

The letter highlights the need to address the ongoing liability of ISDS in existing trade agreements. ISDS empowers multinational corporations to sue governments before panels of corporate lawyers, which threatens public interest policies.

Under the ISDS mechanism, corporations can seek compensation from taxpayers for the loss of expected future profits due to a challenged government policy. The lawyers acting on behalf of these corporations can award unlimited sums to be paid by taxpayers if they are convinced that a safety regulation, court ruling, law, or any other government action violates the investors’ rights granted by an agreement enforced by ISDS.

“When trade and investment agreements include ISDS, it is clear that they are not designed to benefit working people, but to give special rights to consolidate, formalize and expand corporate power,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “The IAM urges the Biden administration to eliminate these rigged and anti-democratic trade rules prioritizing corporate rights over national sovereignty and working people.”

As a strong supporter of workers’ rights, the IAM has consistently advocated for fair U.S. trade policies that prioritize the well-being of workers, including fighting to reduce ISDS liability in the renegotiated U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

It is crucial for trade policies to prioritize and uphold fundamental human rights rather than creating incentives for multinational corporations to undermine labor, health, environmental, and other essential public policies. 

Read the full letter here.

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IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. sent a letter to U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh urging the department to extend the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program and allow it to start receiving applications.

“Thousands of hard-working people are counting on this benefit, which provides crucial assistance such as training and employment services,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. in the letter. “TAA has been an extremely useful benefit helping workers rebound from losing a job to trade.”

The letter came as a result of reports that tens of thousands of workers affected by unfair trade practices are currently awaiting the determination of their petition for TAA support.

The $494 million for the U.S. Department of Labor program was included as part of the omnibus funding bill passed by Congress.

“The IAM and the entire labor movement hope these dollars will be put to work by the DOL as soon as possible to accept new TAA applications,” said Martinez.

Click here to read the complete letter.

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On March 1, the IAM and more than 400 organizations and labor groups sent a letter to the Biden Administration calling for strong labor rights commitments and other critical priorities for the proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

The letter outlines measures needed for the IPEF, including swift and enforceable labor standards, climate provisions focusing on environmental justice in the participating partners, and digital trade terms that don’t favor Big Tech corporations over working people. 

“The IPEF agreement must include provisions that are worker-centered and meet important objectives that include labor rights enforcement,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “It’s imperative for the Administration to uphold the interests and rights of workers during the negotiating process of this trade deal to prevent mistakes from the past and set the foundation for fair models for trade.”

The IAM has been actively engaged in the development of the IPEF trade agreement to make sure it includes policies with strong and enforceable labor standards and delivers real benefits to working families.

U.S. trade negotiators will begin the second negotiating round of the IPEF from March 13-19 in Bali.

Read the full letter here.

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On January 18, the Machinists Union and other labor and advocacy organizations sent a letter to President Biden to ensure that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is implemented as intended, which includes measures to advance a new wave of manufacturing jobs and rebuild trust with American workers taking into account good clean energy jobs.

The letter comes as a response after the European Union and other trading partners’ claims that the structure of tax incentives for manufacturing in the clean energy economy offered through the IRA violates World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Agreement rules.

“The IRA creates provisions to create and support good clean energy jobs helping communities that have been affected by outsourcing and failed trade policies,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “The Administration shouldn’t be dissuaded by outdated trade rules not intended to support emerging industries and must keep its promise to working Americans to reignite our manufacturing industries.”

The IRA has the potential to create historic clean energy investments that would lead to good paying union jobs.

The IAM has made it clear that it will continue to advocate for strong middle-class jobs and will oppose any trade rules that are detrimental for the industries we represent.

The letter sent to the White House was signed by the Machinists Union, Public Citizen, the United Steelworkers, the United Auto Workers and Sierra Club.

Read the letter here.

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The Machinists Union applauds Congress and the Biden administration for the one-year extension of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which provides crucial benefits to workers who lost their jobs as a result of outsourcing and unfair trade practices. The $450 million for the U.S. Labor Department program was included as part of the $1.7 trillion omnibus funding bill recently passed by Congress, and signed into law by President Biden.

The IAM, along with allies on Capitol Hill, worked tirelessly to make sure the TAA program was preserved, as many workers and their families’ livelihoods rely on this vital support system that includes tuition assistance and other re-employment services. 

Last month, the IAM sent a letter to Congress urging the federal lawmakers to ensure the reauthorization of the TAA program.

“This victory is a step closer to a long-term solution to protect the TAA program that is critical for workers displaced from their jobs by unfair trade policies,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “An enhanced TAA program does not only help affected workers, but it also helps their families and communities stay afloat.”

The IAM has made it clear that it will push against bad trade policies, and has been active domestically and abroad advocating for pro-worker trade initiatives such as the TAA program.

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Since late 2021, the economy has suffered debilitating setbacks primarily due to wrinkles in the global supply chain. As a result, President Biden hosted a supply chain summit with 14 other countries that same year to begin tackling the immediate supply chain issues. 

Fact Sheet: Global Supply Chain Summit

Machinists Union was invited to participate in the Labor and Workforce Development breakout of the two-day 2022 Ministerial Forum on Global Supply Chain Resilience, scheduled for July 19 and 20. 

The event hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, focuses on ways to tackle the supply chain issues championed by President Biden. 

Included in these discussions were geographic diversity of advanced manufacturing centers, fostering stakeholders in labor, small businesses, transportation, and logistics to improve supply chains. All while expanding global training to enhance readiness in workforce participation for all workers, including women and other underutilized minority groups.

 2022 Supply Chain Ministerial 

“The IAM made it clear that to improve supply chain issues, the next generation of workers must receive the skills they need to fill good middle-class jobs,” said Peter Greenberg, IAM Strategic Resources Assistant Director. “We need improved and consistent funding for apprenticeship programs and the continuation of Trade Adjustment Assistance programs for displaced workers.”

The overall goal for this global partnership is to reduce and end near-term supply chain disruptions. The Departments of State and Commerce are committed to building long-term solutions while easing future troubles in the global supply chain. Advocacy and education are needed at every level, from workers, city leaders, state, federal, and international leaders. In addition, the Biden Administration aims to secure custom supply chain solutions for businesses and workers in each locality – securing jobs for all workers.

 Watch: The Modern World Doesn’t Work Without the Global Supply Chain.

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WASHINGTON, D.C., April 26, 2022 – The 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), recently submitted a series of suggestions to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, offering pro-worker guidance as the two federal agencies are shaping a U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). The framework seeks to solidify ties with nations in the Asia-Pacific region.

IAM International President Robert Martinez, Jr., submitted formal comments in the U.S. federal registry, urging a focus on “trade policy that is worker-centric and does not follow any of the flawed trade policies in our past that have resulted in scores of job losses in the U.S.”

“In short, the IPEF agreement should place workers first. This means provisions like enforceable labor and environmental standards,” Martinez wrote. “Our nation’s workers often rely on trade, and what we want is a fair playing field, not policies that force U.S. workers to compete with horribly-abused sweatshop workers overseas. Our nation’s workforce can compete with other countries when we are given a fair chance.”

The Biden administration is in the early stages of shaping the IPEF, which has not finalized involved nations and could take nearly two years to complete. The proposed framework has been labeled as a means to counter China’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region. The IPEF will includes the following pillars: fair and resilient trade; supply chain resilience; infrastructure clean energy, and decarbonization; and tax and anti-corruption.

Martinez offered policy suggestions such as enforceable, labor and environmental rules, as well as transparency in the negotiations process. He also cautioned that the IPEF should not resemble the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), a once-proposed flawed trade deal under the Obama administration that would have gutted the nation’s manufacturing sector.

“Moreover, the problem this country has faced with supply chains is simply the result of bad trade policies that has allowed American jobs to go overseas and corporations to profit from low wages,” Martinez wrote. “Will IPEF’s proposal seek to address the real problems of our supply chain with remedies that will benefit the American worker? The Machinists Union is not sure that IPEF is the recovery road we seek, especially when real protective enforcement mechanisms are lacking.”

The IAM has not taken a position on the proposed IPEF, but has been actively engaged in continued discussions with the Biden administration’s trade officials and members of Congress.

The economic framework does not require congressional approval, but Martinez wrote that Congress, as well as labor unions and civil groups “should also be involved in the discussions and review process of this very important trade policy that will impact U.S. workers and their families.”

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is one of the largest and most diverse industrial trade unions in North America, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, manufacturing, transit, healthcare, automotive and other industries.

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WASHINGTON, June 15, 2021 – The 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the largest aerospace labor union in North America, released the following statements on efforts by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to resolve the long-standing aerospace dispute between the U.S. and the European Union:

“The IAM applauds the efforts of the USTR as it takes a significant step forward to finally resolve aerospace disputes with the EU that were filed 17 years ago,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “We are confident that the USTR will make the interests of U.S. aerospace workers a priority as it proceeds to resolve these matters with the EU. As thousands upon thousands of U.S. aerospace jobs are outsourced throughout the world to countries like Mexico and China, we are also heartened by an acknowledgement that at least one non-market economy, China, has become the focus of these talks.”

“The IAM especially welcomes USTR’s long awaited efforts to coordinate with the EU in challenging China’s trade violations,” said IAM District 751 President and Directing Business Representative Jon Holden. “As Boeing and Airbus shift production to China, it is the workers in the U.S. and the EU who suffer as they see their livelihoods moving to a country that does not recognize the right to form a union and engage in collective bargaining. It is simply unacceptable for Boeing workers to have their jobs sacrificed to China and other countries like Mexico in the name of unfair global competition. Coordination between the U.S. and the EU to confront China’s trade challenges in aerospace is urgently needed. While today’s announcement is a solid step forward, if the EU is not willing to join us, the U.S. should move ahead with its own challenges to China’s unfair trade practices.” ​

“IAM members have proudly been the backbone of the U.S. aerospace industry for generations,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “Our trade policy must preserve and grow our aerospace workforce. The future of our economic and national security depends on the important decisions we make today.”

“As someone who comes from the shop floor building commercial aircraft, I’ve seen the destructive impact of offshoring jobs on our families and communities,“ said IAM Aerospace General Vice President Mark Blondin. “It is imperative that the government take an active role leveling the playing field in the global aerospace industry. It’s time to move forward so we can create an economy that works for workers worldwide.”

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is among the largest industrial trade unions in North America and represents nearly 600,000 active and retired members in the manufacturing, aerospace, defense, airline, railroad, transportation, shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.

 IAM District 751 represents approximately 30,000 members at the Boeing Co. in Washington state and Oregon.

 goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion

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WASHINGTON, June 11, 2021 – Robert Martinez Jr., International President of the 600,000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), released the following statement regarding the Biden administration’s new agency guidance on Made in America programs.

“Today, the Biden administration took a decisive step forward in its commitment to America’s workers, businesses, and economy by creating the initial foundations for strengthening government procurement regulations. The initial guidance issued recognizes that Made in America programs require long-awaited changes on how Buy American laws and regulations are implemented throughout government. 

“Starting with the president’s executive orders on Made in America and his appointment of Celeste Drake as the Nation’s first Made in America Director, the guidance presented today is a  strong signal that this administration is well on its way to making Made in America laws and regulations work for America’s workers. Among other provisions, the guidance requires agencies to designate a senior accountable official to coordinate with the Made in America Director and provides much-needed clarification, uniformity and transparency to waivers.”

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is among the largest industrial trade unions in North America and represents nearly 600,000 active and retired members in the manufacturing, aerospace, defense, airline, railroad, transportation, shipbuilding, woodworking, health care, and other industries.

goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion

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