Unionized workers at Pratt & Whitney have overwhelmingly approved a new contract offer, bringing an end to a three-week strike. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), representing nearly 3,000 members at two Connecticut facilities, announced that 74% of its members voted in favor of the agreement.
This approval comes after an initial offer from the company was rejected in early May. A key component of the new contract, and a top priority for the union, was Pratt & Whitney’s commitment to continue operating its East Hartford and Middletown facilities through 2029, addressing union concerns about potential job movement to non-union plants out of state.
The strike, which began on May 5th, was the first in over two decades at these Connecticut sites. During the dispute, Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX Corp and a major supplier of engines for F-35 fighters and Airbus A320neo airliners, implemented a contingency plan that included reassigning some engineers to production lines. The strike also drew attention from elected officials, with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong criticizing the company after it suspended workers’ health insurance two weeks into the strike, alleging it was an attempt to punish and intimidate employees.
Both the union and the company have expressed satisfaction with the new labor agreement.
