The Inside Story: 5 Shocking Details From The GE Aerospace Evendale & Erlanger Strike Votes
The labor landscape at GE Aerospace’s critical manufacturing facilities in the Cincinnati area underwent a significant shakeup in late 2025, culminating in a powerful strike and subsequent contract ratifications that set a new benchmark for aerospace workers. This period of intense collective bargaining saw over 600 members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) and a separate sympathy strike by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) at the Evendale, Ohio, and Erlanger, Kentucky, sites. The actions were a clear signal of the workforce’s determination to secure better benefits and wages in the face of rising corporate profits, making the details of the final votes and agreements essential reading for anyone tracking the aerospace industry and organized labor.
The events, which included a three-week picket line and two separate union contract votes, were highly publicized, drawing national attention to the demands of workers building and maintaining essential components for the global aerospace sector. The final ratification of two separate, yet intertwined, agreements—one for UAW Local 647 and another for IAM Local 912—marks a pivotal moment in the history of the company's relationship with its unionized workforce, securing five-year terms that address critical worker concerns as of the current date, December 19, 2025.
The Dual Labor Action: UAW Local 647 and IAM Local 912
The recent labor drama at GE Aerospace’s vital facilities was not a singular event but a powerful, multi-union action involving two distinct groups: UAW Local 647 and IAM Local 912. This dual-front approach demonstrated the interconnectedness of the workforce in the Cincinnati-area operations, which are crucial for the production of jet engines and other high-tech aerospace components.
1. UAW Local 647's Overwhelming Strike Authorization
The initial and most dramatic action came from the members of UAW Local 647, who represent over 600 employees at both the Evendale, Ohio, and Erlanger, Kentucky, facilities. The union's mandate for action was undeniable: members voted by an overwhelming 84% to authorize a strike.
- The Strike Date: The authorized strike commenced on August 28, 2025, after the existing contract expired at midnight.
- The Core Issues: Negotiations had stalled primarily over two critical issues: escalating healthcare costs and unfavorable work schedules. Workers felt that the company, which is a major player in the aerospace industry, was not adequately addressing their financial burdens, particularly concerning rising medical expenses.
- Union Leadership: The action was supported by UAW leadership, including UAW Region 2B and UAW Local 647 President Brian Risch, who emphasized the need for companies to respect the union.
The picket lines in Evendale and Erlanger remained active and intense for three weeks, forcing GE Aerospace back to the bargaining table.
2. The Sympathy Strike by IAM Local 912
Adding another layer of pressure to the negotiations, members of IAM Local 912, representing a separate group of workers at the Evendale facility, conducted a "sympathy strike." This show of solidarity with their UAW colleagues demonstrated a unified front against the company during the contentious period.
- Duration of Sympathy Action: The IAM sympathy strike lasted from August 28 to September 8, 2025.
- Impact: The combined actions of both the UAW and the IAM created significant operational disruption, highlighting the essential nature of the unionized workforce to GE Aerospace’s production capabilities.
While the UAW was striking for a new contract, the IAM was simultaneously in its own collective bargaining process, which later resulted in a separate, but equally significant, contract ratification.
The Contract Wins: Key Details of the Ratification Votes
The most important outcome of the labor actions was the successful negotiation and ratification of two forward-looking, five-year contracts. The final agreements, approved in September 2025, secured substantial gains for both groups of union members, addressing the core issues that led to the strike and the threat of a work stoppage.
3. UAW Local 647 Ratifies New Contract, Ending the Strike
After reaching a tentative agreement, UAW Local 647 members held a ratification vote on September 19, 2025. The result was a decisive victory for the union, officially ending the three-week strike.
- Ratification Percentage: Approximately 82% of the UAW workers voted to approve the new union-backed proposal.
- Terms Secured: While specific details on the healthcare concessions were not fully released, the agreement was secured after the union spent two weeks walking the picket line, suggesting significant wins on benefits and work conditions that were central to the dispute. The contract covers a five-year term.
- Broader Labor Trend: This successful action by UAW Local 647 reflected a broader trend of aggressive and successful labor actions being pursued by the United Auto Workers across the country.
4. IAM Local 912 Secures Massive Wage Increases
In a separate but parallel development, IAM Local 912 members also ratified their own five-year contract with GE Aerospace in Cincinnati. This agreement, which followed their sympathy strike, secured major economic gains for the Machinists.
- Contract Term: The new deal runs from August 18, 2025, to August 18, 2030.
- The 19.5% Wage Increase: The most significant win was a 19.5% general wage increase over the five-year term of the contract. This increase compounds to a total of 21.1% over the life of the agreement, providing substantial financial security and a major boost to the hourly wage rate for the highly skilled workforce.
- Discussions Timeline: Discussions for this agreement officially began on July 29, 2025, in Columbus, Ohio, culminating in a forward-looking deal.
The Long-Term Impact on GE Aerospace and Labor Relations
The dual contract ratifications at the Evendale and Erlanger facilities signal a new era of labor relations for GE Aerospace, a company that recently spun off from General Electric. The company, which provides critical technology for both commercial and military aviation, now faces a five-year period of labor stability under the new contracts, but with significantly higher labor costs and more worker-favorable conditions.
5. A New Benchmark for Aerospace Manufacturing Wages
The 19.5% general wage increase secured by IAM Local 912 is a potential game-changer, setting a new and aggressive benchmark for future contract negotiations across the aerospace manufacturing sector. For the company, this represents a major investment in its workforce, ensuring the retention of highly skilled personnel who build and service complex jet engine components.
The successful negotiation of these contracts underscores several key entities and concepts in modern labor:
- Collective Bargaining Power: The UAW's willingness to strike and the IAM's solidarity action proved the efficacy of organized labor in securing demands on critical issues like healthcare and compensation.
- Evendale's Strategic Importance: The Evendale, Ohio, facility, in particular, is a cornerstone of GE Aerospace's operations, making any strike action a direct threat to the company's production schedule and bottom line.
- Focus on Benefits: The centrality of healthcare costs in the UAW dispute highlights the ongoing national crisis of rising medical expenses and the expectation that major corporations should absorb more of the burden.
- Future Negotiations: The success of both UAW Local 647 and IAM Local 912 will undoubtedly influence the strategy of other unions and management teams in the upcoming rounds of aerospace and manufacturing contract talks.
In summary, the fall of 2025 was a defining period for GE Aerospace's relationship with its Cincinnati-area workforce. The strike vote, the three-week picket, and the final ratification of two separate agreements—one that ended the strike and another that secured a substantial wage hike—have firmly placed the power of the unionized worker back at the center of the company's operational strategy. This outcome provides a fresh, unique look at the realities of modern collective bargaining in the high-stakes aerospace industry.
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