Internal NFFE News
September 18, 2025
The IAM Union and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) are celebrating the election victory of James Walkinshaw, who last week won a special election for the seat of Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.
Walkinshaw is the successor to Gerry Connolly, who passed away in May after staunchly supporting federal workers on Capitol Hill for over 15 years representing VA-11. Walkinshaw previously served as Connolly’s Chief of Staff and has vowed to carry on his former boss’s legacy by being the biggest supporter of federal workers in the House of Representatives.
The IAM Union and NFFE were influential during Walkinshaw’s campaign, garnering broad support from the labor movement and community organizations in Northern Virginia. Walkinshaw won the election in a landslide, securing over 75% of the vote in the September 9 special election which saw record-setting turnout.
Walkinshaw represents a critical vote in the House, where the IAM Union and NFFE are pushing for the passing of the Protect America’s Workforce Act (H.R. 2550), which would restore collective bargaining rights for over one million federal workers after President Trump denied their union rights via executive order in March.