Machinists at Kent’s Hytek Finishes to get pay raises

Machinists Union members who work at Hytek Finishes in Kent will see pay increases as the result of their new union contract.

Union members at the plant approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement on Jan. 27, with a 95-percent yes vote, according to Machinists Union media release.

The contract covers about 180 hourly workers at Hytek, who do metal coating and finishing on aircraft parts for Boeing, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopters, Goodrich Corp. and Gulfstream.

Over three years, the proposed offer:

• Raises the minimum wage for workers in each of four job categories – effective immediately – and removes previous caps on maximum pay.

• Provides for additional raises for all workers in March of 2017, 2018 and 2019; raises would be 2.25 percent each year in all four job categories, assuming workers accumulate the expected amount of “skill points.” Workers could get larger raises by accumulating more skill points.

• Raises minimum pay of some workers by an additional $1.50 an hour in January 2020.

• Improves language regarding sick leave, holiday pay and probationary periods for new employees, and sets new requirements for the company to give advance notice before requiring overtime work on holidays and when making changes to work schedules.

This is second contract for workers at Hytek since they joined Machinists Union District Lodge 751 in 2011.

“This is a good contract that makes improvements in wages and other areas,” said IAM 751 President Jon Holden. “Our members at Hytek work hard, and this contract rewards them for their skills and dedication.”

Hytek is a subsidiary of Bellevue-based Esterline Corp., which is the largest aerospace company with headquarters in Washington state.