Machinists win new contract after three week strike

EAST HARTFORD, Conn.—The spirit on the picket line remained strong for all 23 days of the strike by members of IAM Locals 1746 at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford and 700 in Middletown.  “I am very proud of the strength and resolve of our members. I am very proud of the strength and resolve that everyone has shown on the line,” said 700 president Wayne McCarthy.

This strength and unity of the workers, combined with widespread solidarity from the state labor movement, local communities, and elected officials at all levels, brought the billionaire Pratt & Whitney / RTX corporation back to the bargaining table with an improved offer addressing some of the major concerns.

Their profits, in the billions, and last quarter were 41% higher than last year.

At the Oakdale Theater, copies of the proposed agreement were available for members to review.  The negotiating committee recommended that the workers accept.  By a vote of 1608 to 562, the new contract was ratified with 74% of the vote.

Significant gains were made from TRX, Pratt & Whitney’s parent company, which has opened a new plant in North Carolina that is not unionized.  The contract secures that the jobs in Connecticut will stay here in the company’s home state through the life of the contract until 2029.

“We held strong, and we got adjustments made to the areas we were most concerned about. Overall, sticking together got us to a better place than where we were,” said Michael Lamourex, chair of Local 700 strike committee.

“The big one for us was job security.  They didn’t talk at all about job security in the last proposal. In this one, they are talking about keeping work in Middletown and East Hartford and their plans to expand.  We got an extra year in the pension and an increase to the people in the 401K plan. The general wage increase was moved from 4% to 6% in the first year.”  

Wage increases in the next three years are 3.5% (2026), 3% (2027), and 3% (2028).

Increased employer contributions to retirement were also secured.

“Our committee worked tirelessly to ensure our members’ priorities were heard, and this agreement is a direct result of that determination,” said IAM Union District 26 Directing Business Representative Jeff Santini. “We are proud of what was achieved at the table and even prouder of the solidarity shown by our membership throughout this process.”

“Pratt & Whitney is a leader in the aerospace industry because of the dedication and skill of our members,” said IAM Union Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “The voice of the membership was heard loud and clear — and this new agreement reflects the value they bring to Pratt & Whitney. I commend this committee for reflecting the will of the membership.”

“Our members stood together with strength and resolve,” said IAM Local 700 President Wayne McCarthy. “This agreement includes real gains for our members and proves what we can accomplish when we stick together.”

“We went into these negotiations with clear goals, and thanks to the support and unity of our membership, we’ve delivered results,” said IAM Local 1746 President Howie Huestis. “This contract puts our members in a stronger position for the future, and we’re proud of the work that went into making it happen.”

Pratt & Whitney agreed to come back to the bargaining table immediately after 2,300 Marine Draftsmen at Electric Boat, represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 571won a new contract proposal, dramatically offered minutes before their strike deadline.  The recommendation of the union bargaining committee to accept was ratified this week, including a 30% pay raise over the five-year contract, among other gains.

Throughout their strike, the IAM workers understood that what they would be able to win would raise the standard for all workers in Connecticut and nationally.

IAM (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) represents 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, and automotive industries across the United States and Canada.

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