Pratt & Whitney machinists end 3-week strike after approving a new contract

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EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — About 3,000 machinists at jet engine-maker Pratt & Whitney in Connecticut approved a new four-year contract Tuesday, ending a three-week strike over wages, job security and other issues.

Union members were expected to return to work Wednesday after 74% of them voted in favor of the new deal, according to locals 1746 and 700 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based RTX Corp., makes engines for commercial and military jets, including the GTF line for Airbus commercial jets and the F135 for the military’s F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft fleet.

The union said the new contract, which runs to May 2029, guarantees continued operations at the company's East Hartford and Middletown plants through 2029. It also includes a 6% wage increase the first year, followed by raises of 3.5% in 2026 and 3% in both 2027 and 2028. Retirement benefits also were improved, the union said.

“This agreement includes real gains for our members and proves what we can accomplish when we stick together,” Wayne McCarthy, president of Local 700, said in a statement.

The company said in a statement that the contract “recognizes the skill and dedication of our workforce by keeping them among the highest compensated in their field, while ensuring the company is well-positioned for the future.”

Union members began picketing in East Hartford and Middletown on May 5, after about 77% of union members voted to approve their first strike since 2001.