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In a move steeped in symbolism and labor history, the IAM Union has formally rechartered Local 625 as Local 1, restoring a title that traces back to the union’s founding in 1888.
The Local ceremony, held in Waycross, Ga., marked what union leaders described as a reclamation of the IAM’s historical identity. The redesignation honors the original 19 machinists who met in a railroad pit in Atlanta in 1888 under the leadership of Thomas Talbot to establish what would become one of the largest rail unions in the world.
Previously known as IAM Local 625, the Waycross-based local was first chartered in 1933 and carried that designation for 97 years. Union officials characterized the transition to “Local 1” as a tribute to the IAM’s origins and a symbolic gesture tying today’s membership to the organization’s earliest roots.
Curtis W. Taylor, a retired machinist with more than four decades of service, said the renaming was long overdue. Taylor, who hired on in 1967 and worked 41.5 years in the railroad industry, remarked that the Waycross local “should have been [Number 1] all the time,” citing its historic ties to the union’s founding state of Georgia.
Headquartered in Waycross, Local 1 currently represents more than 250 members, primarily serving railroad workers across the Southeastern United States. The Local plays a central role in supporting workers connected to freight operations and locomotive maintenance in the region.
Union leadership conducted a site visit to the CSX Transportation locomotive facility and service center in Waycross as part of the re-chartering events. The facility is known for producing and maintaining locomotives critical to freight transportation throughout the country.
The visit included Josh Hartford, Special Assistant to the International President; Reece Murtagh, President and Directing General Chair of District 19; and Jason Gibbs, General Chair. Officials toured the shop floor, met with members, discussed working conditions with management, and observed day-to-day operations.
Murtagh described Local 1 as a “strong” and “fighting” Local, emphasizing the importance of leadership maintaining direct contact with members and ensuring workplace standards remain high.
Local 1 operates out of a historic union hall in Waycross, a former church purchased collectively by members who pooled their resources. The building is owned free and clear and is recognized as part of the Waycross Historical Society, underscoring the Local’s longstanding presence in the community.
Jamie Crews, President and Local Chair of Local 1, expressed pride in carrying forward the 1888 tradition and thanked international auditing committees and executive boards for their support throughout the transition process.
Union leaders framed the change not as a simple administrative update, but as a restoration of historical continuity. By aligning the Waycross local with the legacy of Talbert and the original 19 machinists, the IAM reinforces its deep roots in Georgia while maintaining its operational focus on supporting railroad workers across the Southeast.
For members in Waycross, the new charter reflects both heritage and ongoing commitment — a reminder that the union founded in a railroad pit more than a century ago continues to shape the lives of working machinists today.
