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The IAM Union Kentucky State Council brought the voices of working families directly to lawmakers in Frankfort for a lobby day at the State Capitol.
Although the State Council’s official meeting is scheduled for late May, council leadership organized the lobby day to coincide with Kentucky’s legislative session in January and February — ensuring IAM members had the opportunity to engage elected officials while key decisions were being made.
“We had a great lobbying day,” said IAM Union Kentucky State Council President Chris Harrington, who organized the event. “If we had 18 to 20 members this year, we need 36 to 40 next year.”
“The Kentucky State Council is doing great engaging members and making sure they are prepared and have the confidence to speak with elected officials about issues that are impacting workers,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “We need to keep the energy up to continue building worker power across the state, and the entire South.”
This year’s lobby day marked significant growth in participation. In 2025, five members attended. This year, 18 rank-and-file members from six different IAM locals — Local 219, Local 681, Local 830, Local 1294, Local 1720, and Local 1969–made the trip to Frankfort.
“It’s not just me,” Harrington said. “It’s all of our leadership in Kentucky. The locals were supportive. The locals sent their people and paid lost time for them to be there. It was a great effort all around.”
The day began with a morning strategy session, including coordination with the Kentucky AFL-CIO to review legislative talking points. Members then met directly with legislators before regrouping for an afternoon debrief to assess progress and plan next steps.
IAM Southern Territory Special Representative Ryan McCarthy, a former Kentucky State Council president, joined members throughout the day to speak with legislators.
IAM members focused on several critical issues impacting working families in Kentucky:
Repeal of Right-to-Work: Members discussed House and Senate legislation aimed at repealing Kentucky’s right-to-work law: Senate Bill 161 and House Bill 585 – Repeal “Right to Work”
Buy America / Build America Protections: Members advocated for HB 472 – The Kentucky Buy America Act to strengthen domestic manufacturing requirements to ensure taxpayer dollars support American jobs.
Unemployment Insurance Reform: A major point of discussion centered on rolling back recent changes to Kentucky’s unemployment system that have made it more difficult for laid-off workers to access benefits. Current rules require workers to make multiple weekly job search contacts — a burden that affects not only workers but also employers fielding calls from “potential” employees who expect to return to their previous jobs once temporary layoffs or retooling periods end.
Harrington noted that the lobby day’s growth in participation reflects a renewed awareness among members about the importance of political engagement.
“I think the labor movement is coming to the forefront, and our membership is starting to see the important issues that we have to get out there and stand up for,” Harrington said.
While legislative battles remain uphill, the Kentucky State Council’s expanding lobby day demonstrates growing momentum and commitment among IAM members to advocate for policies that protect workers and strengthen unions.
