IAM Workers WIN at Trane in Tennessee

This article was featured in the Winter 2025-2026 IAM Journal and was written by IAM Communications Representative John Lett.

The IAM Union in Clarksville, Tenn., recently ratified a historic four-year contract at Trane Technologies, one of the oldest manufacturing plants in that area and a legendary producer of commercial heating and air units. Members of Local 1296, under the direction of District 1888, agreed to a collective bargaining agreement that guarantees large wage increases, a boost in benefits, and rock-solid workplace protections.

The city of Clarksville was established in 1784 as a tobacco farming community. It's now the fifth largest metropolitan area in Tennessee, and Trane Technologies is one of the area's biggest employers. Trane Technologies, initially founded in Wisconsin, began as a family plumbing business in 1885. By 1913, the company incorporated and created its first heating system. Almost 20 years later, it patented its first air conditioner.

"There is a lot of working-class history in the city of Clarksville and a strong union tradition at Trane Technologies," said IAM Union Local 1296 President Brandie Givens. "The IAM Union is proud to be part of that history. Our members there have been the centerpiece of innovation, and they play a role in sustaining our local community and economy."

IAM Union Local 1296, which has women in top leadership positions for the first time in history, was able to negotiate the contract with help and training offered at the IAM's William W. Winpisinger Center Education and Training Center in Maryland. The guidance was important because the Local had never negotiated a contract of that magnitude.

"We didn't know what to expect when we started preparing, but we were very excited and pleased when the membership ratified the new contract," said Givens. "The negotiating committee attended the Negotiation Prep Program at the William W. Winpisinger Center."

Local 1296's bargaining committee also received confidence, support, and training from the Leadership Excellence Assembly of Dedicated Sisters (LEADS) program. The course prepares women in the IAM Union for the roles of Business Representatives, Directing Business Representatives, and President/Directing General Chairs.

"I was honored to be able to participate in the first cohort of the LEADS program and was also a member of the Committee on the Future. The LEADS Program showed me that women are not alone in the fight against management and we have allies throughout the IAM," said IAM Union Local 1296 Recording Secretary and Grievance Committee Member Ashley Carpenter. "I was able to learn so much about our union that I didn't know prior. My self-confidence grew as a result."

Carpenter has been an IAM Union member at Trane Technologies for almost 20 years, brazing copper tubing for the last 14 years. In addition to her duties as a union leader, she's also a single mom to an 11-year-old daughter. During the summer they enjoy visiting beaches and relaxing in the pool with friends and family. Carpenter says Trane Technologies is a local staple and a driver of prosperity and pride.

"Trane has been open for decades and has contributed to the local economy by negotiating contracts that allow our members to be able to take care of their families," said Carpenter. "Me, along with several other employees, are second- or third-generation IAM Union members at Trane."

According to the National Women's Law Center, women make up almost half of union membership in the U.S., holding prominent positions in the movement. While union membership has steadily declined over 25 years, representation of women has increased over that time, as is the case at IAM Union Local 1296.

"We look forward to making the lives of our members and their families better every day," said Givens. "I would like to thank all the union brothers and sisters that helped and supported us."

The new collective bargaining agreement with Trane Technologies covers almost 1,700 employees in the region, including 1,100 members at the large manufacturing plant in Clarksville, a city of 180,000 located about 90 minutes from Nashville. The multi-year deal calls for an immediate 9.3% wage increase in the first year, amounting to a $2 raise, and an additional $2 skill adjustment for maintenance workers.

"I'm so proud of our members and their negotiating team. Once again, the IAM Union leads the way in the South when it comes to fighting for the working class and winning," said IAM Union Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. "Our bargaining team worked hard, didn't budge, and ultimately delivered a contract that lifts the quality of life for working families in northern Tennessee."

The new contract also includes wage increases over a four-year span.

"Our union takes pride in bargaining industry-leading contracts. We set the bar high," said IAM Union Southern Territory Chief of Staff Reggie Dixon. "We step up, take care of our members, and make sure they are rewarded for their loyalty and hard work. Our members come first, plain and simple. And we delivered there in Tennessee."

In addition to wages, the new contract improves bereavement leave, increases paid time off, and enhances insurance benefits. The new deal also has language that allows IAM Union Local 1296 shop stewards to conduct business without cumbersome restrictions.

"This contract is about more than just numbers, it's about dignity on the job. We did bargaining unit surveys in early 2024. The committee took the results of that survey and formed proposals," said IAM Union District 1888 Directing Business Representative Bill Benson. "We fought for these gains at the table, and they will have a lasting impact on the lives of our members and their families. We started negotiations in December of 2024, and we stayed at the bargaining table until mid-February 2025."

The contract victory at Trane Technologies is much more than a win for workers - it also sends a powerful statement to anti-union forces in the South, a region well known for legislative and corporate oppression of labor with the help of right-to-work laws.

"It can be tough in Tennessee, as many politicians and business interests here work very hard to frustrate unions," said IAM Union District 1888 Assistant Directing Business Representative Billy Givens. "But this contract shows them that we will persevere and push forward in the face of any opposition."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in Montgomery County, the area where Trane Technologies is located, has increased. The current rate is nearly 3.5%, a slight boost from 3.0% recorded in April. That uptick in regional unemployment highlights the importance of a lucrative labor contract like the one bargained at Trane Technologies by IAM Union Local 1296.

"It takes teamwork and trust to win at the bargaining table," said General Vice President Martin. "IAM Union headquarters, the Southern Territory, District 1888, and most importantly, Local 1296, delivered and won big for working families."

IAM Union District 1888 represents a variety of occupations in the Clarksville area of Tennessee. Not only does the organization represent workers at Trane Technologies, it also services members at local U.S. military installations, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Bluegrass Station, and more than 60 other worksites throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia.

"We have a long track record of fighting for our dedicated, talented workers and the middle-class families in that region of the South," said General Vice President Martin. "We will use our history of success in the South and the recent contract victory at Trane Technologies as momentum in future collective bargaining negotiations and organizing drives. The best is yet to come, and members at IAM Union District 1888 and Local 1296 will be part of it."

Featured Image: Left, IAM Local 1296 members registering for the contract ratification vote; right, Local 1296 President Brandie Givens and Recording Secretary Ashley Carpenter