Amphenol Reaches Deal with Striking Workers in Sidney

Hundreds of Amphenol Aerospace workers in Delaware County are back on the job after walking the picket line for four days.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 1529 voted in the afternoon of October 19 to approve the deal addressing sick leave and eliminating a two-tier wage system that was created in 2013 and paid workers hired after that date four dollars less per hour with no pension.

The walk-out in Sidney began at noon Saturday, October 15 after rejecting a company offer that labor representatives said contained inadequate provisions for sick leave, did not offer necessary increases to cover the higher costs of medical care and lacked a provision to compensate essential employees who stayed on-the-job during the pandemic.

Union members gathered early Wednesday afternoon at General Clinton Park in Bainbridge to consider a proposed tentative agreement addressing the two-tier wage structure, sick leave and retirement.

IAM members manned the picket line for 24 hours a day after the strike was declared and the first employees returned to the job for third shift at 11 p.m. October 19.

Amphenol issued a statement following the walk-out saying "We are committed to working with IAM immediately to negotiate an appropriate solution."

Union leadership commended the company for listening to their concerns and addressing those issues.

Amphenol Aerospace describes itself as a designer and manufacturer of QPL Mil-spec and custom circular and rectangular electrical and electronic connectors for the military and aerospace industries.

The company says it also specializes in designing and building high-speed cable assemblies, media converters, fiber optic connectors, Ethernet switches, high power and high voltage connectors and a variety of special application connectors and custom interconnect systems.