Story ID: 
Bombardier Wichita Machinists Approve New Contract
By: Jerry Siebenmark
Caption: The new Machinists contract calls for a first-year, 6.5 percent general wage increase at Bombardier U.S. Headquarters in Wichita.
Word Count: 150
International Association of Machinists (IAM) at Bombardier’s U.S. headquarters in Wichita earlier this month ratified a new three-year contract. The contract calls for general wage increases of 6.5 percent in the first year, 4 percent in the second year, and 3 percent in the third year.

They also will receive an immediate 10 percent increase in maximum pay rates schedules for all hourly job classifications. Cost-of-living adjustments will be folded into base rates in two of the three years of the contract. In addition, step increases will increase in frequency, from 25 cents every 26 weeks to 30 cents every 20 weeks.

Other highlights include a 50 percent reduction in health care deductibles and improvements to severance pay. “We believe this to be an industry-leading contract and look forward to the continued success of the aircraft servicing business model created in the Wichita facility," said IAM District 70 business representative Bobby Crawford.