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3mo ago

Pratt & Whitney Machinists Begin First Strike Since 2001 Over Contract Dispute

Approximately 3,000 union workers in Connecticut walk off the job after negotiations stall on wages, retirement benefits, and job security.

Driton Ahmetovic, a union member from the East Hartford power plant, stands outside of the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford on Sunday morning.
Pratt & Whitney employees hold signs while picketing at the Silver Lane entrance in East Hartford on Monday. the first day of their strike. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
Pratt & Whitney employees hold signs while picketing at the Main Street entrance in East Hartford, Conn., on the first day of their strike, Monday, May 5, 2025. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant via AP)
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Overview

  • Members of IAM Locals 700 and 1746 launched a strike early Monday at Pratt & Whitney's East Hartford and Middletown plants following the expiration of their contract at midnight Sunday.
  • Union members overwhelmingly voted to strike, with 77% of nearly 2,100 participants supporting the action in a Sunday vote.
  • Key union demands include higher wages to address inflation, stronger retirement and pension benefits, and improved job security commitments.
  • Pratt & Whitney has implemented contingency plans to maintain operations and argues its latest contract offer, which includes a 4% immediate wage increase and a $5,000 ratification bonus, is competitive.
  • This strike, the first in 24 years, highlights broader concerns over economic pressures and the future of middle-class jobs in Connecticut's aerospace industry.