The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has joined with Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.) and other labor organizations to introduce the Trade Adjustment Assistance Modernization Act. The proposed legislation aims to renew and update the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program, which has been without congressional funding since 2022.
Laura Ewan, IAM Legislative Chief Counsel, emphasized the need for action. “TAA must be reauthorized, modernized, and properly funded to help assist and retrain workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own,” said Ewan. “Their job losses are caused by greedy corporate decisions that rely on bad trade policy and trade loopholes to prioritize shareholder profits over people.”
The TAA program is designed to provide support such as job training, income assistance, healthcare help, and reemployment services for U.S. workers affected by trade-related job losses. According to data cited by advocates of the bill, participants in TAA earned about $50,000 more over a decade than those who did not receive such support.
Since the program expired in 2022, nearly 200,000 displaced workers have filed petitions seeking assistance; however, these cases remain unresolved due to lack of authorization from Congress.
“Every day Congress fails to act, American workers and their families are left to struggle,” said Ranking Member Sanchez. “They are not economic statistics. They are our friends and neighbors who unfairly lost their jobs to outsourcing. Trade Adjustment Assistance is a lifeline to them, helping them rebuild their careers, protect their families and hold on to hope. Congress cannot abandon them any longer.”
If passed into law, the TAA Modernization Act would extend the TAA for Workers program—as well as similar programs for firms and farmers—for seven years. It would also broaden eligibility criteria, increase available funding, improve benefits like childcare support for beneficiaries, establish a new Communities program under TAA provisions, and restore funding for community college initiatives related to worker adjustment.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Sanchez along with multiple Democratic co-sponsors from across the country.
Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), another co-sponsor of the legislation said: “Louisville is powered by unions, our workers deserve to be made whole if they lose their jobs due to trade changes,” adding: “I’m proud to join Rep. Sanchez to introduce the Trade Adjustment Assistance Modernization Act, a bill that makes good on our promise to American workers.”
IAM International President Brian Bryant highlighted examples where TAA has previously helped union members facing layoffs because of outsourcing or plant closures: “The IAM knows firsthand how critical the TAA program is to workers who lost their jobs as a result of outsourcing and unfair trade practices,” said Bryant.“When Caterpillar shuttered its Joliet, Ill., facility in 2018 and 2019 and moved roughly 600 IAM jobs to Mexico, TAA was there. When Truck-Lite closed its Falconer,N.Y., plant in early 2020 and shipped more than 150 jobsto Mexicoand China,TAA was there.Now ,nearly400WhirlpoolworkersinAmana,Iowa ,are losingtheirjobstoMexico ,withhundredsmorecutsexpectedlaterthisyear.WithoutTAAreauthorization ,theseworkerslosenotjustthei rpaychecks ,butthejobtrainingandfinancialsupporttheyneedtorebuildtheirlives.That’snotjustablowtoworkers,it’sablowtotheirfamiliesandtheircommunities.”
