The Union of Machinists surveys a second Spirit contract

WICHITA, Kansas (KSNW) — The polls are now closed for a second vote on the preliminary contract agreement between Union of Machinists and Spirit AeroSystems.

Polling stations closed at four o’clock on Thursday afternoon. KSN spoke to some union members, and The Contract had more positive feedback compared to the previous version. Several workers said they believed this edition would pass.

“My initial thought, before I went to walk the line this morning, was that this should pass easily. This time everyone wants to go to work, but after talking to several people on the line, I think it will be very close,” said Christopher Turner, operator. the spirit.

Several of them said they would pay for something better if possible. Others say they are happy to have their basic health insurance back on the table.

Some whose health insurance benefits expired the same night their previous contract ended said they need to get back on that plan as soon as possible.

“I actually need health and vision insurance so I can get some prescription safety glasses, and I went looking, and I can’t afford it without insurance, so the insurance part is a huge thing,” Santos-Sandoval, another spirit worker, said.

“They’re basically fighting over peanuts, and the thing about it is, you know, it’s peanuts to them, but it’s not really peanuts to us,” said Darrick Reed, another Spirit worker. “All I can really say is that it’s better than the last version, but I think there could be a better version out there.”

Union president Cornell Baird said he believes the contract is “a very good service proposition.”

KSN will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

To watch KSN’s coverage of the Spirit Machinists Union Strike, click here.

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To view Spirit and IAM Wichita contract negotiations, click here.