[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 123 (Thursday, July 17, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E690]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING GARY ALLEN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MELANIE A. STANSBURY

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 17, 2025

  Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gary Allen, who 
just retired as the International Association of Machinists and 
Aerospace Workers Western Territory General Vice President and was the 
President of Local Lodge No. 794 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mr. Allen 
was first initiated into IAM Local Lodge No. 794 in 1979 upon his 
employment at the General Electric Aircraft Engine Plant.
  Following his father Ray's example. Mr. Allen involved himself in the 
IAM very early in his career at General Electric by being elected Area 
Steward in 1981. Only one year later, he was elected First Shift 
Steward, and by 1983, he was elected Chief Steward, overseeing the 
activities of all shop stewards on all shifts at General Electric. Mr. 
Allen also served as Local Lodge Auditor, Labor Relations Negotiating 
Committee member, Organizing Committee member, and as a delegate to 
then District Lodge 183.
  In 1985, at the age of 24, Mr. Allen became President and Directing 
Business Representative of Local Lodge 794, representing members at a 
variety of shops including General Electric, Greyhound, Fruehauf 
Trailers, and Arkansas Best Freight. He held this position until 1989, 
when he was appointed Special Representative for the Western Territory.
  In 1991, Mr. Allen became a Grand Lodge Representative, and in 1996, 
he was appointed as the Territorial Organizing Leader for the Western 
Territory, where he coordinated the organizing activities throughout 
the Western Territory. Mr. Allen was then moved to IAM Headquarters in 
1997 as a Coordinator for Collective Bargaining and later that year was 
appointed Aerospace Coordinator in the newly-formed IAM Aerospace 
Department where he coordinated collective bargaining throughout North 
America with aerospace companies such as General Electric, RollsRoyce, 
Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Sundstrand, and Raytheon among others.
  In 2003, Mr. Allen was appointed to serve as the Western Territory's 
Administrative Assistant, where he served in that capacity until 2009, 
when he was elected General Vice President of the Western Territory.
  Since 2012, Mr. Allen has represented the IAM as a trustee on the IAM 
National Pension Fund, the 6th largest multiemployer pension fund in 
the United States with approximately $8.4 billion in assets, providing 
over 80,000 retirees and beneficiaries with retirement security.
  Since 1991, Mr. Allen has also served his community as an Executive 
Board member for the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement 
(LCLAA), becoming a Vice President of the Board in 2010.
  One thing is clear: Mr. Allen has dedicated his life to ensuring his 
fellow union members are treated with the dignity and respect they 
deserve both on and off the jobsite. His decades of knowledge and 
leadership will be missed not just at IAM, but across the union world 
as a whole. I wish him the best in his retirement.

                          ____________________