Machinists at Pratt Vote to Strike

Thousands of machinists at jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney on Sunday rejected a contract offer of a 10% pay raise over three years and voted to go on strike.

The walkout, set to begin early this morning, would be the first at Pratt since 1985.

“We’re prepared to continue this process, whatever it takes to come up with a satisfactory contract,” said James M. Parent, a spokesman for the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 91, which represents 5,100 employees.

More than 4,000 members showed up for Sunday’s vote, with more than 84% of them choosing to reject the company’s latest contract offer. In a second vote, 69% approved the strike, Parent said.

Company officials made what they said would be their final contract offer Saturday, after 30 hours of continuous negotiations. In addition to the wage increase, a $1,000 bonus per worker was offered if the pact were ratified, said Mark Sullivan, a company spokesman.

The new contract would have boosted the average wage of $23.27 an hour to $25.88 by the end of the three years.

Pratt & Whitney also offered a 10% increase in pensions and improvements in health insurance and the company’s pension plan, Sullivan said.

Union members said they were more concerned with job security and wanted assurances that the company would not move any more jobs out of Connecticut. They also were seeking language limiting the subcontracting of work.