IFPTE Mourns the Loss of Brother John Garrity
Former longtime Local 3 President was an “IFPTE legislative/political trailblazer
who never hesitated to fight for IFPTE’s members”
Poster of John Garrity presented to his wife, MaryJo, from IFPTE
WASHINGTON, DC – After a long bought with cancer, our Union Brother and former Local 3 President, John Garrity, sadly passed away on August 19 at his home in Delaware. The 90,000 members of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) offer our deepest condolences to his wife, MaryJo, their three children, the entire Garrity family, and the Local 3 family.
Several IFPTE officers and colleagues of Brother Garrity commented.
IFPTE President, Matt Biggs: “John Garrity was a leader among leaders with our IFPTE family and never backed down from a fight when it came to protecting not only his members at Local 3, but all IFPTE members and federal workers overall. Throughout his career as a labor leader, he established relationships with many congressional lawmakers, including some of the most powerful and influential in the nation, such as Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey, and Representatives Jack Murtha, Chris Smith, Frank LoBiondo, and Bill Pascrell, among others. He also built and maintained a great friendship with our former President Joe Biden, who never turned down an opportunity to meet with John in Washington, DC, or in his home state of Delaware. Indeed, IFPTE was honored for John to introduce President Biden at an AFL-CIO event in Philadelphia back in 2023. On a personal level, John was a brother to me who stood arm and arm with me in every fight we had to protect IFPTE membership. I will miss him, but never forget him. IFPTE mourns his loss with his wife, MaryJo, and their children.”
IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer, Gay Henson: “From the time that my Union, the Engineering Association (EA/IFPTE Local 1937), affiliated with IFPTE back in 2009, John was front and center to welcome us to the IFPTE family. In fact, at our very first legislative conference, he volunteered his time to accompany us to our Capitol Hill meetings and invited us to attend all of his. That was, of course, huge for us at the time because it was our first experience representing our members before members of Congress and their staff. He was an IFPTE legislative and political trailblazer who never hesitated to fight for IFPTE’s membership. We extend our thoughts and prayers to his wife and entire family during this difficult time.”
IFPTE Local 3 President, Paul Dobias: “Local 3 mourns John’s passing. As President, he was a vocal and unapologetic leader who did whatever it took to represent the members of Local 3. He was a trade unionist at his core who led by example. I was honored to take the baton from John when he decided to retire as our President and carry on his work. When it came to interacting with congressional representatives, he and Congressman Bob Brady, the representative for the district for our workplace, looked separated at birth and communicated almost telepathically. Additionally, it was through his actions with Senator Casey that we improved security after the Washington Navy Yard shooting. He also defended the disabled to make the whole DoD improve computer systems for disabled employees and wounded warriors who had lost the use of their hands. Local 3 extends our sympathies to John’s wife, kids, and entire family.”
Former IFPTE Local 3 Vice President, Dawn Dillette: “I am proud to have served our Union alongside John. He brought great energy and passion as our President and was always willing to take our concerns to both management and to Capitol Hill. In fact, it is because of John that we avoided management’s efforts to put in place a pay-for-performance system. John knew that pay systems like these in the federal government were discriminatory towards minorities and women, and stood firm against implementation on Local 3’s membership. And he did so in the face of extreme pressures from management and others. He was always there to fight for us, and we will miss him.”
IFPTE Local 121/Western Federal Area Vice President, Jamie Uyeunten: “John was a great champion for IFPTE’s members, not only in the federal sector, but also those in the private and public sectors as well. Whether it was fighting to defeat the Union-busting National Security Personnel System, to efforts to defeat the Department of Labor to eliminate overtime protections for workers, John was there. And he had so many relationships with lawmakers in Congress that he was as effective legislatively as anyone in IFPTE. John also spent many months, and even a few years, here at Pearl working on Navy ships and had occasion to attend some Local 121 meetings. He was Union through and through. Local 121 sends our condolences to his family and Local 3. He will be missed.”
IFPTE Local 1921/Eastern Federal Area Vice President, Ben Emmel: “John was well respected and admired across IFPTE’s federal sector. He was always there to help any Local and any member when called upon and never hesitated to leverage his relationships on Capitol Hill to help others. His legacy and impact on IFPTE will certainly live on for many, many years.”
IFPTE International Representative, David LaFemina, who worked with Local 3 and John for some 25 years, also commented: “John defined what Solidarity is all about. He was tough, strong, and as persistent as anyone when it came to fighting against attacks on our Union and his members. Local 3’s membership, and all of IFPTE, was certainly fortunate to have a fighter like him in our corner. On a personal note, John was a great friend and Union Brother who would have given the shirt off his back to me if I ever needed it. IFPTE will not be the same without him, and we will miss him greatly. I offer my condolences to MaryJo and his family.”
IFPTE General Counsel, Teresa Ellis, who worked closely with John over the years: “John was one of a kind and always humble and genuine with everyone. But he was also as tough as they came. My deepest condolences to his family, friends, and Local 3.”
IFPTE Assistant to the Executive Officers, Brian Kildee, who worked with John on helping to build the IFPTE PAC: “John understood the immense importance that a strong IFPTE PAC had in helping to bolster the success of our legislative program. He did not shy away from politics and was quick to tell anyone who would listen that, as a Union, we need to support those who have proven that they support us, regardless of party. John was a pleasure to work with and get to know. We are all saddened by his passing and extend our condolences to his family.”
IFPTE Legislative Director, Faraz Khan: “John helped to establish the highly successful IFPTE legislative program that IFPTE’s membership enjoys today. He was there at ground level back in the early 2000s when IFPTE was becoming a force on Capitol Hill, and impactful politically through the building up of our PAC and endorsing candidates. There is no doubt that the wins on Capitol Hill IFPTE have delivered over the years have John’s fingerprints all over them, and these are wins that IFPTE members will be impacted for many years to come. It was an honor to work with him. He will be missed, but his impact will certainly live on.”
Former IFPTE President and Secretary-Treasurer, Paul Shearon, perhaps said it best in rounding out the comments: “John was a great trade unionist whose Solidarity for his IFPTE Brothers and Sisters was as unwavering as his lack of tolerance was for the BS policies like pay-for-performance that management tried to impose on his members. He was a true leader.”
John Garrity introducing former President Biden at AFL-CIO rally.
John Garrity proudly signed his Union Card with IFPTE Local 3 when he was hired as a civilian worker by the United States Navy, working at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, now known as Naval Support Activity Philadelphia, over three decades ago. He quickly became an active member of Local 3 and was mentored by former Local Presidents, Howard Landry and Dennis Gallagher, leaders that John called, “as hard-charging Union leaders as you will ever see.”
Brother Garrity became president of Local 3 in 2002 after Brother Gallagher retired from the position, quickly delivering for Local 3’s members by defeating a ‘Pay Demo’ compensation system that management tried to impose on Local 3 members. As John said at the time, “the only people who win with pay-for-performance are upper-tier management. The rest of us, particularly minority and women workers, get screwed.”
Brother Garrity was the first IFPTE Local leader to step up and volunteer his Local to participate in the IFPTE LEAP PAC program and became a leader within the IFPTE family in championing legislative issues on Capitol Hill to the benefit of all IFPTE members. He became great friends with national lawmakers. Perhaps the biggest highlight of Brother Garrity’s dedication to the members of Local 3 and all IFPTE was his aggressive and relentless fight to defeat the union-busting National Security Personnel System (NSPS).
See John’s address in support of President Biden in 2024 (at the 30-second mark), and the Local 3 video in support of the IFPTE PAC.
He is survived by his wife, MaryJo, and his three children. IFPTE will update this notice with service details when they are available.
Click here for a copy of this release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Contact: Candace Rhett
(202) 239-4880