Pratt Workers Rally To Support Union Negotiators

Pratt & Whitney workers staged a rally outside the company’s corporate headquarters in East Hartford Tuesday evening. The International Association of Machinists is still locked in contract talks with the company, just days away from a deadline for agreement. As WNPR’s Harriet Jones reports, at the center of the controversy is language about job security.

Additional reporting for this story was by Charles Desrochers.

Standing opposite Pratt & Whitney’s main offices, Lynn Turner, General Vice President of the International Association of Machinists set the tone for the rally.

“Welcome to East Hartford, where greed resides across the street. $1.5 billion — and they want more.  Brothers and sisters are you ready to fight?”

These talks come at the end of a very contentious year for Pratt. The company tried to close two engine repair plants – one in Cheshire and one in East Hartford. But the union successfully challenged those plans in court, citing the so-called Letter 22 clause in their contract that guarantees job security. Wayne McCarthy leads the union local at the threatened Cheshire plant.

“First, I’d like to ask, is there anyone here from the Cheshire engine center? Well, I tell you what, this corporation wants to silence your voices, they want to steal your jobs, they want to take them out of state and they want to take them out of the country. That’s what this fight is about.”

McCarthy has been at the talks over this new contract. The company has proposed radical changes to the language of Letter 22, clearing the way for plant closures in the state. When lead union negotiator James Parent took the stage he voiced a concern that workers who are not under immediate threat should also rally to the cause.

“Listen, December 5 is close. The thing you can do is reach out to every member in that shop, in Cheshire, Middletown and East Hartford, bring them along, make sure they know the issues. When they talk about closing Cheshire, when they talk about closing CARO—who’s next my friend?”

Machinist Earl Schofield works at one of Pratt’s main plants in East Hartford. He says he’s heard that message about solidarity between the various Pratt & Whitney plants.

“We know that Cheshire’s on the chopping block right now, and who’s going to be next—East Hartford probably. They’re knocking buildings down over here like there’s no tomorrow, so I don’t think they have a serious intention to stay here in East Hartford either.”

Workers have already authorized a strike with a routine vote several weeks ago. This means if there’s no approval for a contract on December 5th a walkout could begin right away. David Cartier has worked for Pratt & Whitney for 32 years – he says he and his colleagues are braced for a strike.

“I think everyone’s prepared to do what they have to do. A strike would be unfortunate, and hopefully Pratt & Whitney will understand that job security’s very important to each and every employee here, and that’s what we’re here for.”

The last time Pratt & Whitney workers walked out was nine years ago. That strike ended after 11 days.

For WNPR, I'm Harriet Jones.