IAM Union Local S6 Members at Bath Iron Works Honor Life of Amber Czech, Call for Action Against Workplace Violence
Local S6 women paying tribute to slain welder Amber Czech.
IAM (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) Local S6 union members at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW) held a gathering on November 24 to honor the life of Amber Czech, a 20-year-old welder and educatorwhose life was tragically cut short by a coworker’s violence on Nov. 11, 2025, in Cokato, Minnesota.
Czech, known for her skill and dedication to the trade, worked as a welder and spent her days off teaching the craft at her former high school. The Local S6 tribute underscored the urgent need for action against workplace violence and a renewed commitment to protecting women in the skilled trades.
IAM Local S6 member and BIW welder Megan McCandless organized the event because she said she felt an obligation to honor Czech and send a message to young women that they will be supported and protected if they choose a career in the trades. McCandless said she was the only woman welder in her building ten years ago and now there are about a half dozen female welders.
Members gathered in the BIW shipyard for a visible display of support and solidarity for women in the trades. Bath Iron Works created a video of the tribute.
“I thought we had a responsibility through the company and the Union to shed light and recognize what happened in honor of Amber,” said McCandless. “We had women from the company and the Union coming together in honor of Amber Czech. It is a woman’s issue, and it is so important to have each other’s back in the workplace.”
“Amber was one of us, a young, talented welder who loved her craft and her community,” said IAM Union International President and Local S6 member Brian Bryant. “Her life was brutally stolen. This kind of workplace violence is a horror no family or coworker should ever have to endure. The IAM and Local S6 stand united in saying it will never be tolerated. We owe it to Amber, and to every worker, to fight for dignity, safety, and respect on the job.”
The Machinists noted that only six percent of women are welders in the U.S. trades workforce, which leaves far too many feeling isolated and vulnerable.
IBEW Local 567 also released a statement in memory of Amber.
"We acknowledge the added stressors woman in the trades endure on the job and In true union fashion we pledge to be Brothers to all our Sisters in the trades and look out for their well-being," Local 567 said in a statement. "Violence - verbal or other, against woman will never be tolerated on any job site we are on. All workers in the trades deserve to work in a safe environment and return home safely. We send out our condolences to Amber's friends, family and her community."