Hundreds of employees of the aerospace and defense company GE Aerospace at its sites in Evendale, Ohio, and Erlanger, Kentucky, have gone on strike. The strike, which began on August 28, 2025, is the result of failed collective bargaining negotiations between management and the United Auto Workers (UAW). The workers accuse the company of making "insulting counteroffers" that would significantly increase workers' healthcare costs. The labor dispute at the company's key production and distribution sites threatens to disrupt the global corporation's supply chains and is one of a growing number of labor disputes in the aerospace and defense industries.
The strike was authorized by a vote on August 22, 2025, with an overwhelming majority of 84 percent of UAW members in Evendale and Erlanger. Their collective bargaining agreement expired at midnight on August 27. At the center of the dispute is the sharp rise in healthcare costs, a central point of contention in collective bargaining in the United States. The union stated that management's proposals would increase healthcare costs for workers by 36 percent over four years.
While GE Aerospace management claims to have made the union a comprehensive offer that addresses workers' demands, the UAW questions the adequacy of the proposed wage increases when offset by higher healthcare costs. The offer presented by management includes a 12 percent general wage increase over three years, three accelerated cash payments totaling $2500, and increases in paid vacation and sick leave benefits. However, the union believes this is insufficient to offset the financial burden of rising healthcare costs.
United Auto Workers in the aviation sector: A new arena for labor disputes
The strike at GE Aerospace is notable because the United Auto Workers union traditionally represents the auto industry in the United States. Following successful and high-profile labor disputes against the Big Three US automakers—General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis—the UAW has increasingly focused on organizing workers in other sectors. The UAW has pursued an aggressive strategy in recent years to expand its influence across American industry.
The UAW's success in enforcing its demands in the automotive industry is sending a signal to other sectors. Workers at GE Aerospace, whose Evendale site manufactures, among other things, marine and industrial engines for the U.S. Navy, and whose Erlanger site serves as a key distribution center for GE equipment worldwide, see themselves as part of this movement. They are determined to "strike for as long as necessary to win the contract they deserve," the union said in a statement.
Balance sheet and balance sheets: The discrepancy between corporate profits and workers' wages
A central component of the union's argument is the alleged discrepancy between the company's financial performance and the compensation paid to workers. The UAW points out that GE Aerospace generated record revenues of over $2022 billion and shareholder distributions of more than $2024 billion between 100 and 16. During the same period, the company's CEO, Larry Culp, earned $2024 million in 89 alone—1200 times the average annual income of an employee.
These figures serve as a rhetorical weapon in the labor dispute, aiming to sway public opinion to the side of the striking workers. The union argues that the employees, whose work has contributed significantly to this success, should now share in the fruits of their efforts. The discrepancy between the salaries of managers and workers is an emotionally and politically charged issue in the United States, which unions strategically use to bolster their demands.
Mutual accusations: The communication strategy of both sides
The reaction of both parties to the strike demonstrates a classic communication strategy in labor disputes. GE Aerospace expressed "deep disappointment" in a statement that the UAW leadership in Detroit called workers to strike without giving them an opportunity to vote on the company's latest offer. This statement is intended to drive a wedge between the union leadership and its members by directly addressing workers' loyalty.
The union, however, accuses management of unnecessarily complicating the negotiations with insulting offers. The workers had previously drawn attention to the negotiations and demonstrated their determination with so-called "solidarity marches" at both locations, which took place every Wednesday. The industrial action is thus also a contest for public perception and the legitimacy of the respective positions.
The broader wave of protest: A trend in the aviation industry The labor dispute at GE Aerospace is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader wave of labor disputes currently shaking the aviation industry. Employees at major manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus as well as airlines such as Air Canada have recently gone on strike or threatened to go on strike to demand better wages and working conditions. Labor markets in industrialized countries are tight, inflation is increasing pressure on workers' real incomes, while many companies have posted record profits in recent years. Workers see themselves in a good bargaining position and are increasingly willing to stand up for their demands. This trend poses a major challenge for company management, which is now faced with an increasingly organized and self-confident workforce.
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