Retired International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) International President Robert “Bob” Martinez Jr. has been inducted into the Texas AFL-CIO’s Labor Hall of Fame, recognizing his more than 43 years of service to workers in Texas, across North America, and globally.
Martinez, a U.S. Naval Air veteran and native Texan, began his career as an aircraft assembler at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Fort Worth in 1980. He joined IAM Local 776A upon starting at General Dynamics after leaving the Navy.
“When I first walked through the doors at General Dynamics as a member of IAM Local 776A, fresh out of the United States Navy, I wasn’t thinking about titles or awards,” Martinez said during his induction speech at the Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention. “I was thinking about earning a living, taking care of my family, and standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and women next to me on the job.”
Martinez advanced through union ranks to become IAM’s 14th International President in 2016. He was both the first Latino president of IAM and the first Latino to lead a major labor union in U.S. history.
Jody Bennett, IAM Resident General Vice President and longtime member of IAM District 776, introduced Martinez at the ceremony by highlighting his influence on labor movements and leadership values. “Bob’s story is a labor story. It’s a Texas story. And it’s an American story,” said Bennett. “Like so many of our members, he didn’t set out to lead a union—he set out to earn a living, protect his coworkers, and make things better than he found them.”
IAM International President Brian Bryant commended Martinez for his dedication: “Bob Martinez is a leader whose commitment to working people helped shape the modern IAM and strengthened the labor movement around the world,” Bryant said. “This recognition reflects the impact he made not just in Texas, but the countless lives he changed along the way.”
Martinez received this honor surrounded by family, friends, and fellow union members.
As International President from 2016 until his retirement in 2024, Martinez led efforts that expanded organizing into new industries and established new support programs for members. The union also achieved financial stability under his guidance and promoted advancement opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups within its leadership.
During national crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Martinez advocated for working families and worked to preserve hundreds of thousands of union jobs.
In addition to his work with IAM, Martinez held several roles representing workers’ interests nationally and internationally. He served on the AFL-CIO Executive Council; chaired its Industrial Union Council; participated on the U.S. President’s Export Council; supported domestic manufacturing; advocated for stronger Buy American standards; and represented aerospace workers worldwide as IndustriALL’s global aerospace chairman.
Throughout his career, Martinez emphasized his connection to Texas roots: “For decades—whether I was in Washington, D.C., or wherever this work took me—everyone knew one thing about me: I represented Texas,” he said. “I was a Navy veteran. I was a union machinist. And I carried the grit, the values, and the pride of Texas working people with me everywhere I went.”
Martinez retired in 2024 after more than four decades with IAM.
