The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) Rail Division and the Transportation Communications Union/IAM (TCU/IAM) have announced that 90 Alstom employees at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have voted to join their unions. The election results were released on August 20, 2025.
These workers operate and maintain the Plane Train, an automated people mover system responsible for transporting about 250,000 passengers daily between terminals at what is considered the world’s busiest airport. Their decision to seek union representation was driven by concerns over job security, fair wages, improved working conditions, and a desire for a stronger voice in the workplace.
Union organizers from IAM and TCU/IAM collaborated with the workers throughout the organizing campaign. The unions described this outcome as evidence of increasing efforts among transportation sector employees across the country to organize for better workplace conditions.
Following this vote, TCU/IAM will begin preparing for collective bargaining with Alstom to negotiate a first contract that addresses priorities identified by these new members.
“This victory marks a historic moment as the first joint organizing effort between TCU and the IAM, and we could not be prouder of the outcome,” said TCU/IAM National President Artie Maratea. “The Alstom workers, who operate and maintain the Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, perform vital work keeping hundreds of thousands of passengers moving safely every day through the world’s busiest airport. We proudly welcome these workers into our union family and look forward to negotiating a strong first agreement that secures the wages, benefits, and protections they deserve.”
Earlier this year, Alstom delivered its first Innovia APM R vehicles to Hartsfield-Jackson as part of an $87 million project—the company’s largest contract for replacing automated people mover vehicles. These new vehicles are intended to increase reliability and support future expansions in response to rising passenger numbers; more than 108 million travelers used Atlanta’s airport in 2024.
“This organizing win is significant because the IAM Union was founded in Atlanta in 1888,” said Josh Hartford, Special Assistant to the IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “More than 135 years later, workers in this city continue to carry forward the proud legacy of standing together for dignity, respect, and a better future. The Alstom Plane Train workers are now part of a union family with a history of fighting and winning for working people.”
The IAM Rail Division includes members from both TCU/IAM and IAM District 19. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members across industries such as aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad operations, manufacturing, transit services, healthcare delivery systems, automotive sectors and others.
