The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) is urging members of the Texas congressional delegation, including Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as Representatives Michael Cloud and Vincente Gonzalez, to intervene in plans for significant layoffs at the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD).
According to the IAM, nearly 900 workers at CCAD have received notice that their positions will be eliminated by September 30, 2025. This includes approximately 200 civilian defense contractors represented by the union and about 200 federal employees among a total of 600 federal positions slated for elimination. The union warns that additional cuts could follow.
“CCAD is the world’s largest rotary-wing repair facility and is considered a Department of Defense (DoD) Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for rotary-wing aircraft,” wrote IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “The depot employs more than 2,500 highly skilled workers. The workforce and repair capacity at CCAD is vitally important to our military readiness and national security. To begin to disassemble this workforce and squander this capacity would be both imprudent and inefficient. CCAD is also a major economic driver for southern Texas. With CCAD pouring over $1.6 billion into the regional economy annually, job reductions on the scale proposed will have major implications for the surrounding communities.”
CCAD plays a central role in supporting local employment and contributes over $1.6 billion each year to the region’s economy through its operations.
The IAM has called on Texas lawmakers to press the Department of Defense and U.S. Army to reverse these downsizing plans in order to maintain both national defense capabilities and local economic stability.
The IAM Union represents around 600,000 active and retired members across North America in industries such as aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, among others in both the United States and Canada.
