IUE-CWA Members at GE Aerospace Ratify Contract

Last week, IUE-CWA members ratified a historic new four-year contract with GE Aerospace. The agreement brings back stability to IUE-CWA families with cost of living adjustments and wage increases, compounding to nearly 17% over the course of the contract. Members also won pension and 401(k) protections, improved PTO and bereavement leave, and defeated attempts by the company to impose major concessions.

“IUE-CWA has been part of GE’s history for nearly a century, and we will be part of its future,” said IUE-CWA Industrial Division President Carl Kennebrew. “With the ratification of its first labor contract with GE Aerospace as a standalone entity, our membership takes a strong, confident step forward. GE Aerospace has made commitments to invest in our union plants, and we will work with them and hold them accountable to turn their commitments into reality.”

“This is the richest four-year contract that I have ever seen from GE,” said IUE-CWA GE Aerospace Conference Board Chair Jerry Carney. “They came after the pension freeze, and we were able to beat them back. They came offering paltry raises, and we were able to get the biggest gains ever in a four-year contract. According to GE, they would never give the COLA formula back. We got COLA back! They came after huge healthcare cost increases for our GE members, and again we were able to beat them back to more reasonable rates. The pay increases far outweigh any healthcare cost increases.

“The bargaining committee fought hard and late for 22 days to bring back this unprecedented contract, and all of them held together strong and firm.”

Members hosted several visibility actions, with a union-wide mobilization committee coordinating across plants under the direction of the bargaining committee. Solidarity and community support showed the company the power of the union and helped secure historic contract wins.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.