Machinists at Pratt & Whitney said they ratified a new three-year contract this weekend that promises wage increases and improved benefits.
Roughly 3,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 26 — Local 700 in Middletown and Local 1746 in East Hartford — voted to ratify a new contract with Pratt & Whitney on Sunday.
The new three-year agreement took effect today and runs through May 2025.
Union officials said the new contract offers wage increases in each year of the contract, improved benefits for employees’ medical and dental health care, better vacation and paid time off plans and more apprenticeship programs, among other things.
“This negotiating committee studied, prepared, and executed the very best for our membership,” IAM District 26 Assistant Directing Business Representative and Chief Negotiator Jeff Santini said in a statement. “As a result, we have made solid gains in nearly every aspect of our agreement and maintained previous important language.”
The IAM District 26 negotiating committee unanimously recommended the proposal, according to union officials, ending contract negotiations that began at the end of March.
Officials from Pratt also praised the agreement.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that is both fair to our employees and allows the company to remain competitive,” said Pratt’s lead negotiator David Powilatis, the vice president of employee and labor relations. “This contract rewards our employees for their skill, dedication and hard work, while also positioning the company for long-term success.”
