Ninety Alstom employees who operate and maintain the Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) Rail Division and the Transportation Communications Union/IAM (TCU/IAM). The election results were announced on August 20, 2025.
These workers are responsible for running Atlanta’s automated people mover system, which transports about 250,000 passengers each day between terminals at what is recognized as the world’s busiest airport. Their decision to unionize was influenced by concerns regarding job security, fair wages, improved working conditions, and a desire for a stronger voice in their workplace.
Organizers from IAM and TCU/IAM worked alongside Alstom employees to foster solidarity and discuss the advantages of union representation. This organizing victory reflects a broader trend among transportation workers across the United States seeking better conditions and greater respect at work.
Following this result, TCU/IAM will start preparing for collective bargaining with the goal of reaching an initial agreement that addresses members’ needs.
“This victory marks a historic moment as the first joint organizing effort between TCU and the IAM, and we could not be prouder of the outcome,” said TCU/IAM National President Artie Maratea. “The Alstom workers, who operate and maintain the Plane Train at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, perform vital work keeping hundreds of thousands of passengers moving safely every day through the world’s busiest airport. We proudly welcome these workers into our union family and look forward to negotiating a strong first agreement that secures the wages, benefits, and protections they deserve.”
Earlier in 2025, Alstom delivered its first Innovia APM R vehicles to Hartsfield-Jackson as part of an $87 million project—the company’s largest automated people mover replacement contract so far. These new vehicles are expected to improve reliability for travelers using Atlanta’s Plane Train system; in 2024 alone, over 108 million passengers passed through the airport.
“This organizing win is significant because the IAM Union was founded in Atlanta in 1888,” said Josh Hartford, Special Assistant to IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “More than 135 years later, workers in this city continue to carry forward the proud legacy of standing together for dignity, respect, and a better future. The Alstom Plane Train workers are now part of a union family with a history of fighting and winning for working people.”
The IAM Rail Division includes members from both TCU/IAM and IAM District 19. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents around 600,000 active and retired members across several industries such as aerospace, defense, railroads, manufacturing, transit systems, healthcare services, automotive sectors among others.
