Union workers at Pratt & Whitney have been on strike for nearly three weeks, and on Thursday, talks resume at the bargaining table.
Amid the strike, a video has surfaced online that appears to show union workers blocking the entrance on Aircraft Road to the plant in Middletown.
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WATCH HEREIt’s unclear who the men are or when the video was taken, but it appears to show them blocking the road with their vehicles. One man is seen getting out, wearing a sweatshirt with a union logo, and making a vulgar hand gesture at drivers as they pass by.
One union employee, speaking to NBC Connecticut anonymously over the phone, said the video shows the level of frustration felt by union members.
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SIGN UP “I think this translates into showing what we’re all feeling. That we thought the company that we’ve worked for for years was gonna give us something fair that we can look forward to, and instead they didn’t address the things that we cared about at all,” they said.
According to a non-union worker who wishes to remain anonymous, it’s not just happening in Middletown.
At the East Hartford location, they told NBC Connecticut that union members are "doing their best to make life difficult to get on and off Pratt & Whitney property.” The worker added, “There's also a guy with a bull horn swearing at us and calling us names as we enter and exit the campus. They're also videotaping all the cars that come in and out and take pictures of us. Very harassing."
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On Thursday morning, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers are returning to the bargaining table with Pratt & Whitney management. The 3,000 union members have been on strike since May 4. They’re fighting for better job security, wages, and retirement benefits.
“Folks have a legal right to access the facility, and we’re looking to the police to maintain order to make sure that’s done responsibly and asking all sides to behave responsibly,” said Sen. Matt Lesser (D-Middletown).
Middletown police said they were made aware of the video, “but it was addressed informally without enforcement action.”
When asked for a response to the video, a union spokesperson only said, “The negotiations committee is focused on preparing for Thursday’s upcoming negotiations.”
