Textron Aviation In Trouble With Machinists ? IAM Local 774 Members Voted to Reject Contract, Strike From Monday.

•  81% of machinists at Textron Aviation in Kansas have voted to authorize a strike.
• The Machinists union at Textron Aviation will go on strike Monday after rejecting the company’s final contract offer Saturday.
• The contract would have increased wages by 26% over the next four years. It would have also given union members an annual lump sum bonus of $3,000.
• The union needed a simple majority to reject the contract but more than two-thirds of its members needed to approve a strike.
• The current agreement expires just after midnight, Monday morning, Sept. 23.

Around 5,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 774 (District 70) employed at the Textron Aviation in Wichita, have rejected the company’s offer, they have voted to authorize a strike.

The strike is set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday after the current four-year contract reached in September of 2020, ends on Sunday, Sept. 22.

Two strike headquarters will be set up: one on the east side on Harry Street at the Carpenters Union building, and another on the west side at the Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprenticeship building.

On Tuesday, September 17th, hundreds of Textron Aviation machinists rallied in downtown Wichita, asking for a new contract with better benefits. 

Textron Aviation said that they are disappointed and posted the following statement to their their website.

Textron Aviation is disappointed that IAM District 70, Local Lodge 774 members did not vote to accept the proposed four-year contract with Textron Aviation and have chosen to strike.

The contract offer, which took six weeks of thoughtful and good-faith negotiations by both the Union and the company negotiating committees, provided a plan that aimed to protect the future of all Textron Aviation employees and the Wichita community. 

No one benefits from a strike, and the company has made every effort to avoid one. However, as would be expected of any responsible business, the company has prepared for this scenario to ensure the business continues to operate for customers. 

What was the offer ?

Earlier, Textron Aviation had proposed its final contract offer to employees represented by the machinists union before the contract expires at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22.

The new proposed four-year contract offered a 26% pay increase over the four years, including an 11% wage bump immediately if the contract is agreed upon.

The offer specifically stated that workers would receive a 4% pay increase in 2025, a 5% pay increase in 2026 and a 6% pay increase in 2027.

Textron Aviation had also offered machinists union workers an additional $1.50 per hour in technical pay for employees holding jobs that require a specific skill set. The contract also listed an additional $2.00 per house in license pay for workers holding an eligible license within an eligible job classification.

IAM Local 774 Members at Textron Aviation released the following statement.

Nearly 5,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 774 (District 70) at Textron Aviation in Wichita, Kan., have overwhelmingly rejected the company’s offer. The current agreement expires just after midnight on Monday, Sept. 23.

As a united front, IAM Local 774 members are pursuing improved pay rates, healthcare, and job security after having voiced their concerns regarding compensation and benefits, highlighting the pressing need for enhancements to ensure the well-being and livelihoods of all workers.

As a united front, IAM Local 774 members say that thay are pursuing improved pay rates, healthcare, and job security after having voiced their concerns regarding compensation and benefits, highlighting the pressing need for enhancements to ensure the well-being and livelihoods of all workers.

Textron is among Wichita’s largest employers with more than 10,000 workers. It builds and services Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft models at plants in east and west Wichita.

It’s the first strike at the company since Beechcraft Machinists walked out in 2008. Textron Aviation, which was formed in year 2014, is parent company to the erstwhile Cessna and Beechcraft companies.

Looking ahead, most non-union machinists are expected to report to work Monday. The company has told them to prepare to cross picket lines leading into the Textron Aviation facilities.

However, it's yet to be decided on the negotiations between the company and the union to resume. It’s the second aviation strike in about a year. Machinists workers at Spirit AeroSystems went on strike in June 2023 for nearly a week.

IAM Local 774 said in a release,

The IAM looks forward to returning to the table with Textron Aviation leadership to work on an equitable agreement for both parties.

Textron Aviation has added further in its website statement,

Textron Aviation is as committed as ever to collaborating and agreeing upon a contract with the IAM that acknowledges employees’ contributions and sets all up for long-term success. 

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