The TCU/IAM Executive Council has unanimously elected National Vice President Matt Hollis as National President-Elect, following the sudden resignation of Artie Maratea due to health concerns.
Hollis expressed gratitude for the support of the Executive Council. “I am deeply honored by the confidence and unanimous support shown by the Executive Council in selecting me to lead this Union. I have spent my entire career grounded in the belief that strong unions are built on respect, fairness, and decency in the workplace. I remain fully committed to serving our membership with integrity, standing shoulder to shoulder with them at the bargaining table, and upholding TCU/IAM’s proud legacy of strong contracts, fierce representation, and unwavering solidarity.”
Hollis began his railroad career in 2004 as a yard clerk for CSXT Railroad in Birmingham, Alabama. He joined TCU Lodge 691 and was appointed protective committeeman in 2005. By 2007, he became Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Gate City Lodge 1295 in Atlanta, Georgia. The following year he was elected Local Chairman of Lodge 1295. In 2010, then-TCU/IAM National President Scardelletti appointed him Assistant National Representative for Unit 96 in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2014 he advanced to National Representative for Unit 96.
He was elected TCU National Vice President by the Executive Council in 2016 and re-elected by acclamation at both the 2018 and 2022 Conventions. In 2020 he became Special Assistant to the President and played a key role in contract negotiations and served as spokesperson in several multi-union coalitions.
The Executive Council released a statement regarding Hollis’s appointment: “The Executive Council has the utmost confidence in Matt Hollis and his ability to lead this Union with integrity, strength, and a deep commitment to our membership. Matt is widely respected throughout the railroad industry and the labor movement, and he has earned a reputation for honesty, fairness, and principled leadership.
Throughout his career, Matt has consistently demonstrated a resolute dedication to protecting workers’ rights, strengthening collective bargaining, and upholding the values upon which this Union was built. The Executive Council has full faith in his judgment, experience, and proven leadership, and we are confident he will continue to serve the membership with distinction and steadfast resolve.”
