Textron Machinists approve contract, will return to work after nearly a month on strike

After nearly a month on strike, Machinists Union workers at Textron Aviation in Wichita are expected to return to work after voting Sunday to accept the latest contract offer from the company.

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 774 voted on Sept. 21 to reject the company’s offer and go on strike , which started Sept. 23.

“Today [Sunday], local Textron IAM members voted to accept the latest contract offer, which covers nearly 5,000 members across three campuses in Wichita. They will return to work beginning Wednesday, Oct. 23,” IAM communications director Jonathan Battaglia said Sunday.

The ratified five-year agreement ended the strike on Sunday. The contract is good until September 2029.

Workers’ top complaints about Textron’s initial contract were that increases in insurance premiums cut into the proposed wage increases, proposed reductions in money the company gives employees for medical expenses, and concerns around retirement benefits, said a Textron employee who worked as a union steward for 12 years.

That contract offer included a 26% wage increase over the four years, increased in cost of living adjustment with a “maximum increase from $700 to $1,500 per year,” a “guaranteed $3,000 lump-sum payment every year of the contract,” and a “maximum 3% increase” annually on low- and high-deductible health insurance plans, according to Textron.

The new contract boasts a 31% wage increase over the life of the contract, increases in cost of living adjustment with a maximum increase from $700 to $1,500 per year, a guaranteed $3,000 lump-sum payment every year of the contract and a maximum 3% increase annually on low- and high-deductible health insurance plans, Textron said Sunday.

The contract also included longevity pay that recognizes long-term employees and increase the company’s match to 9% for Textron’s 401K Savings Plan.

“We are pleased to have ratified a contract with the IAM that offers our employees, their families and the Wichita community a shared future,” Textron Aviation CEO and president Ron Draper said. “We value our workforce and the work they do, and this agreement reflects our commitment to our team. The ratification of this contract marks a new chapter, and we are eager to move forward together.”

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