IAMAW’s effort to improve diversity paved the way for other unions

Our Black History Month coverage continues as Alliance for Retired Americans President Robert Roach Jr. joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed what it meant to become the first black General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and his legacy to improve diversity in union leadership.

Roach began his career as a ramp serviceman for TWA Airlines in the 1970s. After years of working his way upwards through the union, he was appointed to the Machinists leadership council in the 1990s under then-General Vice President Tom Buffenbarger. Together, they began working to improve the diversity in the union’s leadership to better represent the makeup of the union’s membership. To accomplish this, they created an educational program to develop new leaders in the union consisting of members of all races, genders and beliefs.

These efforts to improve diversity stretched beyond the Machinists Union, noted Roach. With a growing number of black union members throughout the nation, Roach’s work to educate union leaders on how to improve leadership diversity left a lasting impact on the labor movement. Roach discussed being appointed General Secretary-Treasurer in 2012 and what he accomplished to further diversity efforts until his retirement in 2015.

During Roach’s time as Vice President, he fought to save the pension plan of IAMAW members in the airline industry during a time when several airlines were filing for bankruptcy. His team protected the pension plan, while all other airline groups could not save their pension plans. The efforts saved the pensions of more than 50,000 IAMAW members by creating a national pension fund. 

Learn more about Roach’s time with the Machinists and his work with the Alliance by listening to the show above.