In a surprise move, the 600,000-member Machinists Union has written a letter to Senator Chuck Schumer and the rest of the Democratic Caucus, urging Schumer to step aside in the race for Senate Majority Leader.
"After thoughtful discussions with our IAM Union Executive Council, we believe this is the right moment for a new generation to lead Senate Democrats. With the utmost respect and appreciation for your service, we respectfully urge you not to seek another term as Senate Democratic Leader," wrote Machinists Union President Brian Bryant in a letter obtained by POLITICO.
Bryant was previously employed at the Navy's Bath Iron Works shipyards in Bath, Maine. The union has fought hard against Trump's plan to move Navy work from Bath Iron Works to foreign shipyards and represents tens of thousands of defense contractors across various industries.
The Machinists Union has traditionally been seen as one of the mainstream unions in the AFL-CIO, and it is unclear if their decision to go out against Schumer will persuade other unions to do the same.
Earlier today, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen, a favorite of progressives, announced that he was considering running for Senate Majority Leader as the list of Senators, particularly newly elected Senators, calling for Schumer to step down has grown.
This is a developing story, and Payday will update as we learn more.
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