The machinists’ union negotiating committee recommends that union members vote in favor of Textron’s final offer.

The Machinists union is at Park City Arena on Saturday voting on the final contract offer with Textron Aviation.

PARK CITY, Kan. (KAKE) - Machinists at Textron Aviation have voted rejected the company’s contract offer and have authorized a strike. The voting took place Saturday at Hartman Arena. The vote came out as 81% to strike.

The Machinists union negotiating committee is asking union members to vote in favor of Textron Aviation’s “best and final” contract offer, but some union members say they would rather strike.

Textron Aviation has proposed its final contract offer to Boeing employees represented by the machinists union before the contract expires at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22. The new proposed four-year contract offers a 26% pay increase over the four years,

Union members at Textron Aviation held the rally at Naftzger Park in downtown Wichita near the hotel where company and union officials are conducting the negotiations. After the rally, the group marched down the sidewalk to the hotel blowing whistles and fog horns.

"We believe this is one of the best contracts in decades, which is why the Local Lodge 774 negotiating committee is recommending ratification," IAM District 70 president Lisa Whitley said.