Union workers at Cessna were back on the job as usual yesterday morning following a failed strike vote. Cessna on September 13 presented the union with a contract that the Machinists District 70 leadership immediately rejected. On Saturday the 18, the membership voted by simple majority to reject the contract, which was immediately followed by a vote whether to strike. Only 49 percent of the members voted to strike, far less than the two-thirds vote necessary, requiring acceptance of the contract by default.

Cessna expressed satisfaction with the final vote. “We presented the members a contract that was more than fair, given our business environment, and while we are disappointed they rejected the offer, we appreciate the membership’s willingness to continue to put the customer first, knowing that will lead to success for all.”

Machinists union directing business representative Steven Rooney saw it differently. Cessna, he said, “chose to use the economic downturn as an opportunity to gut the [existing] contract and saddle employees with extreme and punitive measures.”