In their tour of IAM locations near and far, the IAM Committee on the Future (COTF) uncovered members’ desire to upgrade and modernize the union’s brand while preserving original qualities of the IAM’s traditional identity.
Director of the William W. Winpisinger Center Mary McHugh moderated the panel discussion with IAM COTF members to discuss members’ feedback about the union’s name, logo, and appearance.
“We have a diversity of careers, work, wages, and backgrounds that need to be represented,” said Alex Hoekstra.
“What we were hearing is that members want to see someone like them,” said Tiwaan Bradley. “We need to see more women. We need to see more LGBTQ2+. We need to see more of all people. They want to see representation of themselves.”
COTF panelists talked about the perception of the union based on its visual presence and the ideas members offered to improve it.
“People want cohesive branding that identifies who we are as a union because we aren’t all machinists,” said former railroader Jerry Redman. “We are veterinarians. We are firefighters. We are health care professionals. We are many things, and that’s what they told us.”
The Committee presented its full report to the IAM Executive Council in the second week of 2024, and the IAM Executive Council unanimously accepted all of its recommendations.
Committee on the Future IAM Branding panelists:
Jerry Redman, District Lodge 19 Executive Board
Tiwaan Bradley, IAM Eastern Territory Special Representative
Alex Hoekstra, IAM District 10 Directing Business Representative
Ashley Carpenter, IAM Local Lodge 1296 Trustee
Vincent Constantineau, IAM Local 1751 Secretary-Treasurer
Kaleb Rosa, IAM Air Transport Territory Grand Lodge Representative.
Larry Reeves, IAM Local Lodge 1776 President
Allison Parker, Executive Director of the TCU/IAM Industry Relations Department
Geny Ulloa, IAM Midwest Territory Grand Lodge Representative
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