WALLINGFORD — Connecticut-based machinists at jet-engine maker Pratt and Whitney voted Tuesday to approve a new contract, an endorsement that ended their three-week strike.
The new four-year agreement was endorsed by 74% of the 2,170 machinists who voted at a meeting at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford. As a result, the machinists will return to work on Thursday, after a paid day off on Wednesday.
Pratt & Whitney's approximately 3,100 machinists at its plants in East Hartford and Middletown had been on strike since May 5, in their first work stoppage since 2001. The company's previous contract proposal was rejected by 80% of machinists who voted on May 4. But the new offer was unanimously recommended by the negotiating committee of the machinists' union, with union leaders indicating that it addressed their demands for better wages and retirement benefits, as well as stronger job-security guarantees.
"I think they moved enough in the areas we were looking for to get it passed. Wage security, retirement security and job security all got adjustments in the latest proposal," Michael Lamoureux, head of the strike committee for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers' Local 700, which represents about 1,400 Middletown-based workers, said in an interview following the meeting.
In a written statement, Pratt & Whitney officials lauded the machinists' approval of the contract, which will replace the previous, three-year agreement, which expired on May 4.
"This is the outcome everyone was working towards — a contract that recognizes the skill and dedication of our workforce by keeping them among the highest compensated in their field, while ensuring Pratt & Whitney is well positioned to secure jobs and opportunity for years to come," the statement said. "As Pratt & Whitney marks its 100th anniversary, this outcome reaffirms our commitment to the people, programs and communities that have powered our legacy — and will shape our next century of aviation innovation."
In response to an inquiry from CT Insider, a Pratt & Whitney spokesperson said the machinists' company-provided benefits would be reinstated Wednesday. Those benefits, such as insurance for health care, were suspended on May 19.
The approved four-year contract will run from May 28, 2025 to May 6, 2029, compared to the previous three-year duration made by the company earlier this month, according to a summary of the contract reviewed by CT Insider. Key terms include a one-time 2% special wage adjustment and an immediate general wage increase of 4%, followed by wage increases of 3.5%, 3% and 3% in the following three years. The company will also add a cost-of-living adjustment to its base pay.
Improvements to the machinists' retirement benefits include a 20% raise to the monthly "multiplier rate" for pension-eligible employees. Pension participants will stop accruing benefits after Dec. 31, 2028, but the pensions they have earned up to that point will be maintained and paid out at retirement.
The new contract also outlines larger company contributions to 401(k) plans, including an increase in 2028 from 50% to 100% to the company's matching-contribution rate.
Among job-security provisions, the contract commits to continuing its operations at the East Hartford and Middletown facilities through 2029.
It also stipulates that there will be no involuntary layoffs of staff if machine parts are subcontracted for more than 90 days without a return date.
In addition, there are protections for the production of turbine airfoils, which are crucial to the engines' cooling and thrust.
"In order to meet customer demand, the company has established, and intends to maintain, multiple turbine airfoil production sources, including the company's East Hartford facility," says part of the contract summary. "It is not the company's intent to utilize other sources of turbine airfoil production capacity for the purpose of reducing bargaining unit jobs in Connecticut."
The section also notes that "should future circumstances require the company to transfer turbine airfoil production work from its East Hartford facility to another prosecution source, and that transfer of work results in a surplus of employees in the bargaining unit, the company will offer a special separation program for volunteers who are eligible." Those volunteers would receive one week of severance pay for each completed year of service, a $10,000 lump-sum payment and continued medical and dental insurance for one year.
Among other beneficial terms, union officials said in a news release that the new contract would provide "more flexible workweek options."
Support from many machinists and elected officials, but some remain opposed
After voting, several machinists told CT Insider that were now satisfied with the job-security protections.
"They had information this time about keeping jobs in Connecticut," said Jack Yang, a production technician at the East Hartford plant, about the language in the new contract.
Cher Yang, who works in machine tool services in East Hartford and is the younger brother of Jack Yang, gave similar reasoning.
"Job security was the biggest thing," Cher Yang said. "We can work out the rest of the details in the next contract."
But the quarter of the voting machinists who cast 'no' votes showed that many of the workers are still unhappy. Before the meeting started, some of them expressed their disapproval from their seats in the auditorium by shouting declarations such as "it sucks!" and "it's not good enough!"
After voting, a few machinists said that they still did not feel appreciated by the company.
"There's nothing confidence-inspiring to the younger people, who have less than 10 years, who want to make a career and life out of staying in Connecticut," said Chris, who works at the Middletown facility and declined to give his last name out of concern about possible retribution from the company.
A number of elected officials issued written statements on Tuesday afternoon that expressed their support for the new agreement.
"When workers fight together, their unions can achieve outcomes that reflect their true value," said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, whose district includes part of Middletown. "These highly skilled workers fuel our state economy and contribute to our national defense, and this new agreement means all parties can move forward with renewed stability. I will always stand with workers fighting for fairer wages and strong benefits."
State Sen. Matt Lesser, a Democrat whose district in the state legislature includes Middletown, had a similar reaction.
"I am proud of the several thousand union members who made the difficult decision to strike and through their reserve and good faith negotiations have secured a more fair agreement that better reflects the critical importance of their work," Lesser said. "For centuries, unions have supported working men and women, strengthened the middle class and increased wages for all workers."
DeLauro and Lesser were two of the many Democrats who visited the picket lines.
In contrast, Republicans mostly stayed away from the picket lines. Several of them argued that their time would be better spent working on policies to improve the state's business climate, instead of "photo ops" with the machinists.
" Pratt & Whitney and its workers are part of the backbone of Connecticut's economy," said state Sen. Stephen Harding, R- Brookfield, the state Senate's minority leader. "This strike showed how unaffordable Connecticut is for both job creators and their employees ... These strikes will continue to happen in the future unless and until we turn Connecticut's anti-job creator policies around."
© 2025 Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.. Visit www.journalinquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
