About 3,000 International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers members approved a new contract agreement with Pratt & Whitney at two plants in Connecticut, ending the strike they began on May 5. The jet-engine builder cut off negotiations that day, following the workers rejection of the initially negotiated proposal, but the talks resumed on May 23.
Voters endorsed the new contract with a majority of 74%, and a Pratt & Whitney spokesperson stated the result "reaffirms our commitment to the people, programs and communities that have powered our legacy — and will shape our next century of aviation innovation.”
In the new deal, Pratt committed to maintain the two manufacturing plants in East Hartford and Middletown, Conn., through 2029. Further details of that commitment have not been provided, but preserving the activity at those locations had been a significant point of agreement for the workers.
The agreement also provides workers with a 15.5% wage increase over four years and increased contributions to pension funds.
The strike had been the first work-stoppage in more than 20 years at Pratt & Whitney, which designs and manufactures jet engines for commercial and military aircraft, including the GTF geared turbofan engine supplied to Airbus for its A320neo jets, among other high-volume aircraft programs. The F135 engine that powers the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is also produced in Connecticut.
The IAM is the same union that staged a seven-week strike at Boeing Corp. in September and October 2024. IAM union international president Brian Bryant called the new contract “a testament to the power of collective bargaining and the importance of respecting the workforce."