Retired IAM Union International President Robert “Bob” Martinez Jr. has officially been inducted into the Texas AFL-CIO’s Labor Hall of Fame, honoring more than four decades of transformative leadership and service to working people in Texas, across the United States and Canada, and around the world.
Watch retired IP Martinez’s acceptance speech here.
A proud Texan and U.S. Naval Air veteran, Martinez dedicated more than 43 years of service to IAM, helping to forge generational change as a trailblazer in the labor movement. He began his union journey in 1980 as an aircraft assembler at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth, where he became a member of IAM Local 776A.
“When I first walked through the doors at General Dynamics as a member of IAM Local 776A, fresh out of the United States Navy, I wasn’t thinking about titles or awards,” Martinez said during his induction speech at the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention. “I was thinking about earning a living, taking care of my family, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and women next to me on the job.”
From those roots on the shop floor, Martinez rose through the ranks to become the IAM’s 14th International President in 2016—making history as the first Latino to lead the IAM and the first Latino president of a major labor union in U.S. history.
Martinez was introduced at the ceremony by IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett, a fellow native Texan and longtime member of IAM District 776, who reflected on Martinez’s impact on the labor movement and the values that guided his leadership.
“Bob’s story is a labor story. It’s a Texas story. And it’s an American story,” said Bennett. “Like so many of our members, he didn’t set out to lead a union—he set out to earn a living, protect his coworkers, and make things better than he found them.”
IAM International President Brian Bryant praised Martinez’s lifetime of service and leadership, calling the honor well deserved.
“Bob Martinez is a leader whose commitment to working people helped shape the modern IAM and strengthened the labor movement around the world,” said Bryant. “This recognition reflects the impact he made not just in Texas, but the countless lives he changed along the way.”
Surrounded by family, friends, and fellow union members, Martinez accepted the honor with humility and gratitude.
During his tenure as International President, Martinez led the IAM through a period of innovation and growth. Under his leadership, the union expanded organizing into new industries, created groundbreaking member-assistance programs, achieved historic financial stability, and strengthened pathways for women and other underrepresented members to advance into leadership roles.
Martinez was also a fierce advocate for working families during moments of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and led the fight to save hundreds of thousands of good union jobs.
Beyond the IAM, Martinez served as a powerful voice for workers on the national and global stage. He was a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, chaired the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council, and served on the U.S. President’s Export Council, where he championed domestic manufacturing, fought to strengthen Buy American standards, and represented aerospace workers worldwide as IndustriALL’s global aerospace chairman.
Throughout his career, Martinez never forgot where he came from.
“For decades—whether I was in Washington, D.C., or wherever this work took me—everyone knew one thing about me: I represented Texas,” said Martinez. “I was a Navy veteran. I was a union machinist. And I carried the grit, the values, and the pride of Texas working people with me everywhere I went.”
Martinez retired in 2024, leaving behind a legacy rooted in solidarity, justice, and an unshakable belief in the dignity of all workers.
The post From the Shop Floor to a Lasting Legacy: Retired IP Robert Martinez Jr. Inducted Into Texas Labor Hall of Fame appeared first on IAM Union.