Delegates to a Special Convention of the Printing, Packaging & Production Workers Union of North America (PPPWU) have unanimously voted to move forward with affiliating and then merging with the 600,000-member IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers).
Voting on the affiliation and merger will be open to the entirety of PPPWU’s membership before the affiliation is official.
WATCH: PPPWU Special Convention Initiates Historic Affiliation, Merger with IAM Union
“We made history at this Special Convention as we laid the foundation for the future of the PPPWU,” said PPPWU International President Israel Castro. “I believe that together, the IAM and PPPWU will be a true force for our members. I view this as the strongest, most valuable partnership possible, and look forward to engaging our membership as we finalize this process.”
PPPWU members will be entitled to all of the many resources of the IAM Union, including negotiations, training, legal, communications, political and legislative, and other support on the first day of the affiliation.
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IAM International President Brian Bryant, IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes, IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett, along with other IAM leaders, joined PPPWU International President Israel Castro at the convention and spoke about the shared values and growing partnership between the two unions.
The PPPWU and IAM Union represent workers in several common industries with collective bargaining agreements at many shared employers, which is a point of strength for the two unions coming together.
Bryant praised PPPWU leadership and members for their commitment to fighting for working people and emphasized the importance of unions joining together to increase leverage against major employers across the printing, packaging and manufacturing industries.
“This is workers coming together. This is unions building power together,” said Bryant. “When we stand together, we have an even greater voice.”
Cervantes highlighted the IAM Union’s financial strength, organizing resources and commitment to supporting members through bargaining campaigns, organizing drives and strikes.
“Our slogan for this partnership says it best: ‘A Stronger Future — Built Together,’” said Cervantes. “That is exactly what this moment is about.”
See photos from PPPWU’s 2026 Special Convention here.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler spoke at the convention and cheered the unity and solidarity bringing PPPWU and the IAM together.
“This moment calls for solidarity across the labor movement, and no one understands that better than our IAM Union family,” said Shuler. “And they know, above all: the only way to meet this moment is by building a movement that connects working people across all backgrounds.”
Castro applauded the IAM Union’s reputation for solidarity, organizing power and member support and stressed the mutual value of the affiliation.
“If there was ever a time when we needed to be united, strong, militant and mobilized it is now,” said Castro. “The PPPWU and IAM together can be exactly that—strong, militant and mobilized to achieve our members’ goals.”
The post A Stronger Future—Built Together: PPPWU Initiates Affiliation, Merger as IAM Union Continues Growing Power for Membership appeared first on IAM Union.