UAW Local 405 Rallies at Triumph Group Facility
Striking workers marked one week off the job with a Veterans Day rally in West Hartford, joined by state officials.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Unions
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Striking UAW Local 405 members held a Veterans Day rally at Triumph Group's West Hartford facility, marking one week since they walked off the job. The contract covering 174 union members expired October 31, 2026.
Why it matters
The dispute centers on wages, job security, cost-of-living protection and healthcare for workers at a facility that supplies components for U.S. military aircraft. Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and several state lawmakers joined the rally, signaling state-level attention to the labor action.
The union cites an average Triumph wage of $39.34 with no cost-of-living adjustment, compared with claimed UAW production rates of $43.70 at Rolls Royce and $43.79 at GE Aerospace. Triumph has not commented publicly, and no settlement timeline has been reported.
The players
Triumph Group
Triumph Group is a U.S. aerospace manufacturer that makes components for military and commercial aircraft and was acquired in 2025 by Warburg Pincus and Berkshire Partners in a $3 billion deal.
Susan Bysiewicz
Susan Bysiewicz is the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut, who has previously served as the state's Secretary of the State.
The details
Workers walked off the job after the contract for 174 UAW Local 405 members expired October 31, 2026, following negotiations that began September 22, 2026. The West Hartford facility, which employs around 550 workers, is one of 15 Triumph U.S. sites and makes engine controls, fuel metering units and fuel pumps for military aircraft.
Timeline
September 22, 2026: Negotiations on a new contract began.
October 31, 2026: The UAW Local 405 contract expired and workers walked off the job.
November 11, 2026: Striking workers held a Veterans Day rally at the West Hartford facility.
Political Context
The strike comes after a 2025 $3 billion acquisition of Triumph Group by Warburg Pincus and Berkshire Partners, part of a wider pattern of private equity ownership among U.S. defense component suppliers. Union demands for cost-of-living protection and wage increases raise questions about labor terms under that ownership structure.
Customers of Triumph's military aircraft components could face supply disruption if the strike at the West Hartford facility continues. Workers' wages and healthcare terms are the central issues, and any settlement would set the cost of labor for the 174 covered members.
The takeaway
Labor disputes at defense suppliers can affect both workers and the production schedules that depend on them. Readers tracking the story should watch for a statement from Triumph Group and any new contract terms.
Further reading
Follow more coverage of labor disputes and union activity in the state.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hartford Business Journal.
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