More than 4,100 IAM members at Pratt & Whitney (P&W) a unit of United Technologies Corporation, overwhelmingly ratified a three-year contract yesterday. The current contract was set to expire at midnight December 2nd.
The new accord features a 3.5 percent annual pay raise with a $3,000 bonus, increases pension benefits by 16 percent and adds additional paid holidays.
A sticking point for the membership - job security provisions that weren't included in a similar contract that was rejected by the membership in August.
``The major gain was job security,'' said IAM Chief Negotiator Jim Parent. ``Now that we protected that work, we can look to grow jobs here in Connecticut.''
Members from three District 26 Locals in Middletown, East Hartford and Cheshire, CT, rejected a “last, best and final” offer from P&W in August, after P&W's requested to open talks nearly two months earlier than scheduled.
“The members put Pratt & Whitney on notice when these talks opened,” said Eastern Territory GVP Lynn D. Tucker, Jr. "They backed up their resolve by rejecting the offer in August and again by authorizing strike sanction for the Negotiating Committee. Congratulations to DBR Everett Corey and ADBR Jim Parent."
"This was a tremendous effort by everyone involved, said DBR Everett Corey. "Thanks to Aerospace Coordinator, Frank Santos, Strategic Resources Director, Neil Gladstein, and the entire Negotiating Committee from the three local lodges. This negotiation had a successful end by their hard work."
