The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has called on Texas’s congressional delegation to intervene in the planned layoffs at the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). The union, which is the largest defense and aerospace labor organization in the country, is seeking immediate action from U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as Representatives Michael Cloud and Vincente Gonzalez.
Nearly 900 workers at CCAD have received notices that their jobs will end by September 30, 2025. This includes about 200 civilian defense contractors represented by IAM, along with roughly 200 federal employees among a total of 600 federal positions slated for elimination. Additional job cuts may follow.
“CCAD is the world’s largest rotary-wing repair facility and is considered a Department of Defense (DoD) Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for rotary-wing aircraft,” wrote IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “The depot employs more than 2,500 highly skilled workers. The workforce and repair capacity at CCAD is vitally important to our military readiness and national security. To begin to disassemble this workforce and squander this capacity would be both imprudent and inefficient. CCAD is also a major economic driver for southern Texas. With CCAD pouring over $1.6 billion into the regional economy annually, job reductions on the scale proposed will have major implications for the surrounding communities.”
The depot plays a significant role in supporting local jobs through its annual contribution of over $1.6 billion to the regional economy. The IAM warns that these proposed layoffs could reduce critical defense capabilities while also affecting businesses throughout southern Texas.
The union urges lawmakers from Texas to press the Department of Defense and U.S. Army to reverse their downsizing plan in order to maintain both military readiness and economic stability in the region.
IAM represents about 600,000 active and retired members across several industries including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive sectors throughout North America.
