IAM International President Brian Bryant led a group of union leaders on a tour of Bath Iron Works (BIW), where more than 4,000 members of Local S6 are involved in building advanced U.S. Navy battleships. Bryant, who previously worked as a pipefitter at BIW and is a member of Local S6, was accompanied by Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan, also a former BIW shipbuilder and Local S6 member. Other IAM General Vice Presidents, Chiefs of Staff from various territories, and staff from the IAM Headquarters joined the visit.
The delegation visited key areas of the shipyard, including major production buildings and a U.S. Navy destroyer that is over 75% finished. They also toured BIW’s modern training center, which recruits and trains people from nearby communities—many without prior mechanical experience—to become skilled union shipbuilders.
“This facility is more than a training center – it’s a gateway for working people in Maine to enter a proud trade and build a better life,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “It strengthens the shipyard, our union, and the communities we call home. That’s what the IAM is all about.”
During their visit, IAM leaders met with Local S6 members at work to observe their skills and unity firsthand.
“There’s a deep sense of pride and unity here that you can feel the moment you walk through the gates. Local S6 members are carrying forward a tradition of excellence,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan, “Now they’re bringing in new talent to strengthen that foundation.”
