Unionized machinists at Pratt & Whitney ended their strike this week after ratifying a new labor contract with the aircraft engine manufacturer.
In a statement, the company said the contract will take effect Wednesday and cover the next four years. The machinists will officially return to work Thursday.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents about 3,000 workers employed by Pratt in its home state of Connecticut, said 74 percent of its membership voted to approve the new contract. The deal includes provisions the union had pushed for, including a 6 percent increase in first-year base pay and a guarantee to continue operations at company plants in East Hartford and Middletown, Connecticut, through 2029.
Job security was a major sticking point for the machinists, who voiced concerns that Pratt would eventually move their jobs to Southern states with lower operating costs.
Industry Delays
The strike began over three weeks ago, when union members voted down an earlier contract offer from the manufacturer. At the time, union leaders said Pratt’s proposed increases in pay and benefits were not commensurate with the value members created for the company.
Pratt is a subsidiary of RTX Corp., formerly known as Raytheon Technologies. It manufactures engines for military and commercial aircraft, including the GTF for Airbus commercial jets and the F135 for the Lockheed Martin F-35. Manufacturing, assembly, testing, and inspection of those engines takes place at both sites affected by the strike.
While Pratt has not commented on the matter directly, it is possible the work stoppage delayed deliveries of engines to aircraft manufacturers and in turn slowed their deliveries to airlines.
In 2023, the company issued a product recall affecting thousands of aircraft powerplants over contaminated metals that could cause cracking over time. A large number of Pratt-powered aircraft have been grounded in the years since as the company inspects its engines for defects.
