Staff report

CLEVELAND – On Friday, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), co-chair of the United States Senate Air Force Caucus, sent a letter to the CEO of Raytheon Technologies, owner of Collins Aerospace’s Plant in Troy, urging the company to come back to the bargaining table and negotiate with its union employees, according to a press release from Brown’s office.

United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 128 reported that nearly 300 members were locked out of Collins Aerospace last weekend following failed contract negotiations. Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies subsidiary, manufactures aerospace and defense products.

According to the press release from Brown’s office, the workers’ paychecks were withheld this week after management and the local union did not reach an agreement.

“I write to express my immense concern about the treatment of these workers. I am troubled by the aggressive actions of management to lock out and withhold the paychecks of workers who make the work of Collins Aerospace (UTC Systems) possible. Your workers contribute to Raytheon’s success and enhance the economy of the City of Troy and the Miami Valley region,” wrote Brown in his letter to Gregory J. Hayes, CEO of Raytheon Technologies.

Brown pointed out that these highly-trained, qualified, and skilled union members work on a number of platforms including U.S. Air Force planes. Brown’s letter further stated, ”As Co-Chair of the United States Senate Air Force Caucus, it is especially alarming that, in the midst of an invasion in eastern Ukraine, the jobs of highly-trained, qualified, and skilled union members working on a number of platforms, including U.S. Air Force planes, would be at risk due to a failure in contract negations. The expertise UAW workers bring to the facility cannot be replaced. Without a resolution in the near future, this situation could have dire ramifications for the impacted workers, and our national security.”

Browns letter went on to ask that the Troy plant of Collins Aerospace contact Brown’s staff with an update “on your plans to reach an agreement that honors and fairly compensates the work of the members of UAW Local 128.”