Union Rights at a Breaking Point: Retired Machinists Union International President Tom Buffenbarger Explains
Retired International Union President Tom Buffenbarger of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast as the country confronts rising tensions around immigration enforcement, public trust in investigations and tariff threats that can raise costs for working families.
Buffenbarger argued the United States has already slipped into a 1960s-style crisis climate, only “worse,” because federal power is being defended in real time before facts are established. He called for public outrage, credible state-led investigations and trade policies that protect workers, supply chains and the cost of living. He also pointed to an organizing bright spot: young workers who increasingly see unions as the clearest path to stability and opportunity.
- The Outrage Test: Buffenbarger says the country is “back in the 60s again,” but with less restraint and faster narrative control.
- The Investigation Gap: He expressed confidence in state-level leadership, such as Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, rather than in federal investigators.
- The Tariff Price Tag: He warns that tariff brinkmanship with Canada and other partners will raise prices on groceries and manufacturing inputs.
- The Next Generation: The Machinists Union is mobilizing for the Young Workers March on Washington, on Saturday, Feb. 7.
A political temperature spike, and a warning to working people
Ed “Flash” Ferenc opened the segment by asking Buffenbarger whether the nation is drifting back toward the turmoil of the 1960s, a period defined by political violence, mass protest, and a public that refused to accept official explanations at face value.
Buffenbarger, who led the Machinists Union through major economic and political cycles, said the comparison is no longer theoretical.
“We’re here back in the 60s again, but it’s worse this time.”—Tom Buffenbarger
His argument was not nostalgia. It was a diagnosis: when institutions move quickly to justify force and slowly to establish truth, working people lose more than confidence in government. They lose the conditions that make union rights, civil liberties and public accountability enforceable.
Union Rights and Civil Liberties: Minneapolis killing raises national alarm
Ferenc pointed to Minneapolis as the central flashpoint, describing a deadly immigration crackdown that has left six people killed, including a VA nurse whose death, he said, was described differently by administration officials.
Buffenbarger focused on what he called the moral and procedural breakdown that follows when official narratives harden before facts are established. He recalled Kent State University and the response in 1970 after four students were killed and nine injured by the Ohio National Guard, arguing that public outrage is not a cultural artifact. It is a democratic necessity.
Buffenbarger framed the recent situation in Minneapolis as a working-class story as much as a political one. The victim, he noted, was a union nurse who cared for veterans.
Buffenbarger’s perspective on Union Rights: who can the public trust to investigate?
Buffenbarger drew a sharp line between state credibility and federal credibility. He said he would trust local officials, especially if Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison were in charge, describing Ellison as dedicated and capable.
But he said he has no confidence in a federal investigation.
“To answer your question directly, I have no confidence in the federal government’s investigation into this.”—Tom Buffenbarger
In labor terms, the concern is structural. When public institutions normalize pre-judgment and suppress scrutiny, it becomes harder for working people to believe the same system will protect them in disputes over safety, due process or the right to organize.
Union Rights, tariffs, and the working-class cost of trade brinkmanship
Buffenbarger then shifted to bread-and-butter economics: tariffs, trade threats, and the Trump administration’s posture toward allies.
His central point was that tariff talk is not abstract. It is measurable at the grocery store and in factory supply chains.
“I see the price is still high or continuing to rise,” Buffenbarger said, pointing to staples such as cereal, milk, and eggs.
Buffenbarger emphasized the U.S.-Canada relationship as a practical reality, not a political prop. The U.S. depends on Canadian grain and dairy, he said, as well as on industrial inputs that feed American production, including automotive and aircraft parts.
“When you stop to think about the interaction of trade between our two countries and the stuff we make in this country, we can’t make it without Canada,” he said.
Buffenbarger argued that sudden tariff threats signal contempt toward long-standing partners and ultimately punish American families through higher prices and instability.
“The prices will continue to go up, and we will hurt ourselves,” he said.
Machinists and Union Rights: Young Workers March builds the future
Ferenc highlighted a concrete labor response: the Machinists Union's call for members and allies to mobilize at the Young Workers March in Washington on Saturday, Feb. 7, promoted through the union’s website, goiam.org.
The march, Ferenc noted, comes as Gen Z is increasingly described as the most pro-union generation in modern U.S. history.
Buffenbarger said young workers are responding to what they see: a world where stability is not guaranteed, and opportunity must be organized and defended.
“I think they do get it. And I think they look around and see what’s happening in the world they live in.” —Tom Buffenbarger
He pointed to the IAM’s early investment in youth leadership, including the union’s first young workers conference during his tenure. The purpose, he said, was to treat the future as a responsibility, not a slogan.
“It’s not enough to take care of the here and now,” he said. “You've got to take a look at the future and plan for it.”
His message was a forward directive: “Now we need the young people to take the baton and run with it and keep running forward,” he said. “Let’s not go back.”
The fight for Union Rights doesn’t end here
Buffenbarger’s warning is clear: the labor movement cannot afford to look back. From defending trade stability with our Canadian partners to mobilizing the next generation for the Young Workers March, the Machinists Union is on the front lines of the most critical battles in American labor.
Don't miss a single update from the front lines of the Machinists Union. Whether it's aerospace, manufacturing, or transportation, stay informed on how IAM members are holding leadership accountable, fighting for fair trade, and securing the future of work.
Join the Movement: The Machinists Union is mobilizing for the Young Workers March on Washington. Visit goiam.org to find travel details and local union meetup points.
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