An F-35 on display at the Lockheed Martin aircraft plant in Fort Worth, Texas. A recent contract between Lockheed Martin and the International Association of Aerospace Workers and Machinists (IAM) union will keep the Fort Worth facility running without labor disruptions for the next five years. (Department of Defense/US Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)
Lockheed Martin Dodges Strike at F-35 Plant in Texas
The new contract, which lasts through 2031, includes a 6 percent wage increase, a $6,000 “ratification bonus,” and annual cost-of-living adjustments.
Lockheed Martin has reached an agreement with its Fort Worth, Texas, workforce, avoiding a walkout similar to the one faced by one of its largest competitors last year. This week, approximately 5,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 776 voted to ratify a new contract with the aerospace giant.
IAM Union members in Fort Worth produce the F-35 Lightning II, one of Lockheed Martin’s largest programs, and also one of the largest and most expensive defense and procurement projects in US history.
Thanks to its strong workforce and supply chain partners, the world’s largest defense contractor is able to produce the Lightning II at a rate five times faster than any other allied fighter being manufactured today. Lockheed Martin set a record in 2025, delivering 191 F-35s to the US military and its partners. To date, more than 1,300 F-35s are also operational in the global fleet.
“In Fort Worth alone, IAM members delivered 142 aircraft, the most deliveries at the facility to date – shattering the company’s previous delivery record,” the union announced.
About IAM District 776’s New Contract
According to IAM District 776, the new contract includes a “historic general wage increase” (GWI) of 6 percent, a $6,000 “ratification bonus,” a $1,000 annual cost of living adjustment, increased vacation time, an end to mandatory overtime, and an increase in pension contributions.
“Being the nation’s largest defense employer, Lockheed needed to offer an agreement that the membership felt they needed to keep Lockheed at the top,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “Our membership made their wishes clear from the start. The negotiating committee took those wishes to heart and worked to bring a solid proposal to the membership for consideration.”
Bargaining for the new contract began in mid-March. The union ratified the contract, and it went into effect on Monday, June 15, at midnight. It will last for another five years, until 2031.
“Our members made it clear what the purpose and goal for these negotiations were,” said District 776 Directing Business Representative Doyle Huddleston. “No takeaways and make improvements on the top issues. We did what our members asked us to do, and they decided with their votes.”
The contract also covers IAM union members employed at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland—giving the aerospace giant a half-decade reprieve from potential labor problems in multiple states.
Billions of Dollars Have Been Spent on the F-35—Lots of It in Texas
The F-35 program plays an exceptionally large role in manufacturing employment in Dallas-Fort Worth. Approximately 22,000 people in the area are employed by the aerospace firm, making it the largest single employer in Tarrant County through its two major hubs.
The aeronautics facility (Air Force Plant 4) in Fort Worth features a 1.2 million-square-foot campus, which remains the primary hub for F-35 fighter production in North America. Roughly 19,000 workers are employed at the plant.
On June 2, the Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin a contract valued at more than $879 million to support further delivery of the F-35 Lightning II.
In total, the F-35 program supports more than 254,000 jobs through 1,800 suppliers across 48 states and Puerto Rico.
By securing the contract, Lockheed Martin avoided a lengthy strike similar to the one Boeing faced last year. That walkout impacted delivery of the F-15EX Eagle II to the United States Air Force and foreign partners. It was only this March that Boeing was able to increase production of the F-15EX, a 4.5-generation upgrade to the F-15 Eagle that it had marketed as a cost-effective alternative to the F-35.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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