Work to Resume 05 July

Spirit AeroSystems workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) voted on Thursday, 29 June to accept a contract offer tendered by the company’s management. The vote occasioned the end of a strike that commenced Saturday, 24 June following the rejection of the company’s previous offer.

Wichita, Kansas-based Spirit AeroSystems Holdings is the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer. Companies under the first-tier of the aerospace industry’s supply-chain produce major aircraft components and systems—wings, fuselages, control systems, landing gear, and the like.

Spirit AeroSystems builds key facets of Boeing aircraft, including portions of 737 and 787 family fuselages and the cockpit sections (referred to in Boeing vernacular as Section 41) of nearly all the plane-makers commercial aircraft.

Spirit also produces fuselage sections and wing spars for Airbus’s A350.

Spirit's main competitors are Dallas, Texas’s Triumph Aerostructures -Vought Aircraft Division, Charlotte, North Carolina’s Collins Aerospace, Rome, Italy’s Leonarda S.p.A., and Tokyo, Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

With a contract agreement reached, Spirit machinists will return to work Wednesday, 05 July.

Machinists union member Brandon Kettleman, one of thousands of Spirit workers affected by the inchoate agreement, looks upon such with uncertainty.

“I know it’s a give-or-take thing,” Mr. Kettleman remarked. “Me personally, I think the company can offer us better.”

In a tweet pertaining to the newly-struck deal, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly stated: “Congrats to IAM Local 839 members on approving a new contract with Spirit AeroSystems. Thanks to both IAM members and the company for coming to the table, securing higher wages and better conditions for workers, and making it possible for our aviation industry to remain strong.”

IAM Local 839 Chief Negotiator Jason Baze set forth: “We knew these negotiations were not going to be your typical set of talks. Our membership clearly said the original offer was unacceptable by rejecting it soundly. The committee returned to the table to address their concerns.”

Mr. Baze’s sentiments were echoed by IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Rickey Wallace, who averred: “At the end of the day, IAM members democratically decide what is acceptable to them during contract negotiations—and we always support their decision. These critical improvements demonstrate the power of collective bargaining. I am very proud of our Local 839 negotiating committee and membership.”

The offer accepted on 29 June includes:

• No changes to the extant Spirit employee healthcare plan.
• No mandatory weekend overtime.
• Signing bonuses of $3,000 cash.
• Total wage increases of 9.5-percent in year one, guaranteed increases of 23.5-percent over the life of the contract, annual bonuses, and cost of living allowances.

The union confirmed 63-percent of its members voted in favor of the new contract.

Spirit AeroSystems president and CEO Tom Gentile asserted: “We listened closely to our employees and brought forward a fair-and-competitive offer. With its approval by our IAM-represented employees, we look forward to getting back to the important work of delivering quality products to our customers.”

FMI: https://ll839.org