GE Aerospace and UAW Reach Five-Year Deal, Ending Three-Week Strike

More than 600 striking United Auto Workers (UAW) members at two GE Aerospace facilities in Ohio and Kentucky will return to work after ratifying a new five-year collective bargaining agreement, ending a three-week strike that impacted the production of engines for the U.S. Navy. The strike at GE Aerospace's Evendale plant in Ohio, which produces marine and industrial engines for the U.S. Navy, and its Erlanger facility in Kentucky, which supplies parts to some of the company's engine plants, demonstrated the critical role these workers play in national defense manufacturing.

This agreement comes at a critical time for the aerospace and defense industry, which has seen a recent uptick in labor actions as workers seek to reclaim ground lost during the pandemic and address ongoing concerns about healthcare costs and wage stagnation. The strike at GE Aerospace highlights the power of collective bargaining in securing improved wages and benefits for workers, even in highly specialized and critical sectors where companies might assume they have more leverage over their workforce.

The new contract includes several significant victories for the union. Workers secured a base wage increase ranging from 3% to 5% through 2029, providing predictable income growth over the life of the agreement. Perhaps more importantly, the deal includes about $3,500 in cash payments per employee specifically designed to help offset rising healthcare costs, addressing one of the most pressing concerns facing American workers today. This healthcare cost offset is particularly significant given that medical expenses continue to outpace wage growth across most industries.

The successful resolution of this strike sends a powerful message about the effectiveness of organized labor in the current economic climate. "With these contracts in place, we look forward to our UAW-represented employees returning to work and resuming normal operations," said Christian Meisner, chief human resources officer at GE Aerospace [Reuters, September 19, 2025]. While management's statement focuses on operational continuity, the underlying reality is that the company was forced to return to the bargaining table with a substantially improved offer after workers demonstrated their collective power through sustained strike action.

This successful strike and contract negotiation will likely embolden other UAW locals and unions in the manufacturing and aerospace sectors to push for similar gains in their own negotiations. The agreement demonstrates that even in the face of a major corporation with significant defense contracts, organized labor can achieve significant victories through solidarity and strategic action. The focus on healthcare costs in the agreement also sets a precedent for future negotiations across various industries, as unions increasingly recognize that addressing medical expenses is as important as direct wage increases.

The victory at GE Aerospace also underscores the importance of unions in maintaining skilled manufacturing jobs in the United States, particularly in critical defense-related industries where worker expertise and continuity are essential for national security.