IFPTE Cultivates Union Power on the Hill

Throughout the week, conference attendees traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with Congressional representatives on issues important to the union and its members.  All told, IFPTE representatives held over 450 lobby visits on the House and Senate sides, meeting with both Democrats and Republicans to identify areas of common interest.

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001), representing 17,000 workers at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems, sent a large delegation in order to cover as many Congressional offices as possible.  “We work in the private sector, but we know that Congressional action can both help or harm our members’ interests,” said SPEEA President Ryan Rule.  “We visited more than 15 Congressional offices, sharing our concerns about issues that directly impact our members, as well as those issues that are important to other IFPTE Locals who represent workers in other sectors.”

This spirit of collaboration was also on display as SPEEA and other Locals held joint visits, with leaders from different sectors and different regions combining their knowledge and political muscle to advance the interests of IFPTE members across the board.  Legislative Director Faraz Khan noted the unique culture of camaraderie that has enabled IFPTE to maximize the reach and potency of its advocacy efforts.  “When we deliver our message to elected officials, it is loud and clear,” Khan stated.  “That’s because we speak with a collective voice, bringing the same level of precision and purposefulness to our legislative efforts that our members bring to the job every day.”

SPEEA/IFPTE Local 2001 delegation