EAST HARTFORD, Connecticut: Roughly 3,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers began striking early this week at jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney following the breakdown of contract negotiations around wages, retirement benefits, and job security.

Union members were seen picketing outside the company's manufacturing sites in East Hartford and Middletown after 77 percent of nearly 2,100 members voted in favor of the first strike since 2001. The previous contract expired late Sunday.

"Pratt and Whitney is a powerhouse in military and commercial aerospace products because our membership makes it so," said David Sullivan, the union's eastern territory vice president. "This offer does not address the membership concerns, and the membership made their decision — we will continue to fight for a fair contract."

Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based RTX Corp., defended its offer as competitive, noting that its employees are among the highest compensated in both the region and the industry.

"Our message to union leaders throughout this thoughtful process has been simple: higher pay, better retirement savings, more days off, and more flexibility," the company said in a statement. "We have no immediate plans to resume negotiations at this time, and we have contingency plans in place to maintain operations and meet our customer commitments."

The company's latest offer included a 4 percent immediate wage hike, followed by increases of 3.5 percent in 2026 and 3 percent in 2027. It also included a $5,000 signing bonus and improvements to pension and 401(k) benefits.

Pratt & Whitney produces engines for both commercial and military aircraft, including the GTF engine line used in Airbus jets and the F135 engine for the U.S. military's F-35 Lightning II fleet.