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 to cut nearly 900 jobs at the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD).
According to the IAM, about 200 civilian defense contractors it represents at CCAD have been notified that their positions will end on September 30, 2025. In addition, approximately 200 federal employees—part of the IAM-represented workforce among the depot’s 2,300 federal staff—are facing layoffs as part of a broader plan to eliminate 600 federal jobs. Further reductions are possible.
“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.”
The IAM highlights that CCAD injects more than $1.6 billion each year into the local economy, supporting thousands of jobs in Corpus Christi and nearby areas. The union warns that large-scale layoffs could affect not only defense capabilities but also have negative consequences for businesses and neighborhoods in southern Texas.
IAM leaders are asking Texas lawmakers to press the Department of Defense and U.S. Army to reverse course on planned cuts in order to safeguard both national security functions at CCAD and its role as an economic anchor for the region.
The IAM Union represents around 600,000 active and retired members across North America in industries such as aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroads, transit, healthcare, automotive, among others.
