Quick links+
The IAM Human Rights Department has taken on its own identity within the IAM, with the sole purpose of advancing equality and justice.
This February, the IAM Human Rights Department is featuring accomplished IAM members of the Black community in celebration of Black History Month.
IAM members being honored for Black History Month are among the many trailblazers in our union.
Aubria Hopes-Walker
Nominated by: IAM Western Territory
Aubria Hopes-Walker has 30 years of experience with Daimler Trucks North America, where she currently works as the TOS coordinator. She collaborates with floor staff to ensure they are not overworked, and in cases where they are, she conducts time studies and provides recommendations to management for equitable work distribution.
Hopes-Walker holds the position of President for District W24 in Local 1005. Additionally, she is now serving as the interim Chief Shop Steward. Hopes-Walker has organized Local 1005’s Volunteer Organizing Community (VOC). They have actively and consistently shown support by participating in picket lines for every union that seeks our assistance.
Hopes-Walker became involved with the union after witnessing instances of injustice within the workplace. She refrained from expressing dissatisfaction and instead aimed to actively contribute to resolving the issue. Consequently, she assumed the role of shop steward. Recognizing her determination, Dwayne Panion invited her to join the executive board as the communicator. Upon attending her inaugural leadership course at the Winpisinger Center, Hopes-Walker had a revelatory experience on the potential for transformative change in which she could actively participate. She encountered some exceptional individuals at the W3 Center with whom she could discuss and seek advice on various circumstances and problems.
Hopes-Walker has diligently pursued leadership education, successfully completing several leadership courses as well as specialized departmental and staff courses. She felt privileged upon receiving an invitation to the IAM Diversity Initiative, where she had the opportunity to engage with numerous accomplished individuals in deliberating the future of our esteemed union.
Last year, thanks to District W24 Organizer Jessica Denning, Hopes-Walker had the opportunity to collaborate with her on the Volvo mechanics campaign, as well as the Weyerhaeuser campaign. Local 1005 engaged in regular weekend walks until Weyerhaeuser resumed operations. She had the privilege of participating in the Adidas red card campaign, where members of the Local 1005 VOC, along with several others, attended the power breakfast to advocate for the workers’ rightful salaries.
Through her membership in constituency groups such as the Coalition of Labor Union Women and the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Hopes-Walker has had the opportunity to connect with individuals from different unions. Engaging in this activity has provided her with the chance to disseminate her knowledge to other labor organizations and to recognize the value of the IAM and its benefits for its members. She says she has not encountered any other educational facility comparable to the IAM’s W3 Center. She is highly appreciative of the progressive development of W3 and the noticeable transformation that has occurred since her initial enrollment in 2016.
Hopes-Walker has always been an advocate for change, and the IAM is where she firmly believes she has discovered her true vocation. During her brief tenure as interim Chief Shop Steward, Hopes-Walker observed a transformation in the individuals who approached her with grievances. This has assisted every employee in understanding that their union values their opinions. If she had to redo the entire process, Hopes-Walker says she would become involved much sooner, because she has received numerous accolades for her effective demonstration of valuing employees’ perspectives with their grievances and advocating for them on the work floor, while also helping them recognize our collective identity as a union.
