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IAM International President Brian Bryant has appointed longtime organizer and activist Arther Jackson as an IAM Organizing Special Representative. The appointment was effective April 1, 2024.
Jackson began his career with United Airlines in 1987 in Chicago as a ramp serviceman. He also worked in Seattle and San Francisco, where he got involved with IAM Local 1781.
Serving the membership in many different offices, he was elected as a Shop Steward, Safety Committeeman, Grievance Committee Person, Chairman of the Grievance Committee, Vice President, President, and Trustee of Local 1781 in San Francisco. He also served as a District 141 Assistant General Chairperson.
As a shop steward, grievance committeeman, and chairman of the grievance committee, He attended and resolved hundreds of cases to defend our member’s rights under the contract.
Jackson has helped organize thousands of new members, including at United Airlines, which brought over 20,000 new members to the IAM, the largest in the airline industry and the labor movement. He also helped organize fixed base carriers at Swissport, Menzies and Jetstream. He was the lead negotiator at SFO Swissport and helped them reach a first contract.
“With a career spanning decades, Arther’s tireless advocacy for workers’ rights and relentless pursuit of justice have left an indelible mark on the labor movement,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “Arther brings with him not only a wealth of experience, but also an understanding of the transformative potential of collective action.”
Jackson took more than 15 classes at the Winpisinger Center, which he used to obtain his bachelor’s degree in professional studies from State University of New York’s Empire State College.
District 141 appointed Jackson an organizer in 2016, where he worked on the Jet Blue campaign; due to COVID-19, he returned to the ramp in 2020. In February 2022, Jackson was appointed as an Associate Organizer for the Air Transport Territory.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Arther to our organizing team, and we anticipate the significant contributions he’ll bring to his new position,” said IAM Organizing Director Mike Evans. “With his expertise, we aim to maintain our standing as one of the premier organizing unions within the labor movement.”
