The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has called on Texas congressional leaders to intervene in planned layoffs at the Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). The union is urging U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, as well as Representatives Michael Cloud and Vincente Gonzalez, to take action against job cuts that could affect nearly 900 workers.
The IAM represents about 200 civilian defense contractors at CCAD who have been notified their jobs will end on September 30, 2025. Additionally, around 200 federal employees represented by the union are among the 600 federal positions set for elimination at the depot. Further reductions may be possible.
“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.”
According to IAM statements, CCAD contributes over $1.6 billion each year to the local economy, supporting thousands of jobs throughout southern Texas. The union argues that significant job losses would not only diminish essential defense capabilities but also impact businesses and neighborhoods in the area.
IAM officials are asking lawmakers from Texas to press the Department of Defense and U.S. Army to reverse their downsizing plans in order to safeguard both employment levels at CCAD and its broader economic role.
The IAM Union represents about 600,000 active and retired members across North America in sectors such as aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroads, transit systems, healthcare, automotive industries, among others.
