Raytheon Tucson Union Contract: 24% Raises Over Five Years for 2,200 Missile Workers
TUCSON, AZ — The people who build missiles at Raytheon's Tucson plant just locked in a new five-year contract. More than 2,200 hourly workers represented by IAM Local 933 ratified a deal with average compounded wage increases of 24% over its life, plus several thousand dollars in bonuses. For anyone weighing a factory job in Tucson's defense industry, that changes the math on what Tucson's largest defense manufacturer pays its hourly workforce.
Bigger raises, new four- and three-day workweek options, and expanded paid training for the workers who build missile and defense systems near Tucson International Airport.
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📍 The Raytheon Tucson Contract at a Glance
| Employer | Raytheon, an RTX business, Tucson operations |
|---|---|
| Union | International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 933, Old Pueblo |
| Workers covered | More than 2,200 hourly workers who build missile and defense systems |
| Contract length | Five years |
| Wages | Average compounded increases of 24% over the contract, including equity adjustments |
| Bonuses | $3,000 ratification bonus, $3,500 Munitions Acceleration Bonus, $2,000 lump sum, plus 401(k) matches of $1,500 and $1,000 |
| Schedules | New 4/10 and 3/12 workweek options |
| Training | PACE education program and a Machinists Institute pilot |
| Announced | October 25, 2026 |
What's in the New Raytheon Union Contract
The IAM announced the ratification on October 25 and called the deal unprecedented. The headline number is 24% average compounded wage growth over five years. That figure is an average across the bargaining unit and includes equity adjustments, so an individual worker's raise depends on the job classification. The contract also raises pay for certain job categories and bumps up shift premiums.
The money doesn't stop at the hourly rate. Covered workers get a $3,000 ratification bonus with a $1,500 401(k) match on top, a $3,500 Munitions Acceleration Bonus the union ties to the push to build more critical munitions, and a $2,000 lump-sum bonus with another $1,000 401(k) match. Workers also stay in the RTX Performance Sharing Program, which pays out based on company performance. The union didn't spell out when each payment lands.
"These gains are an investment in the Workers, their families and the community that depends on these good jobs," said Robert "Bobby" Martinez, the IAM's Western Territory general vice president.
Shorter Workweeks and More Time Off
For a lot of plant workers, the schedule changes may matter as much as the raises. The contract adds a 4/10 option (four 10-hour days) and a 3/12 option (three 12-hour days), both of which give more days off than the 9/80 schedule. Vacation tiers improve starting in 2028, the paid time off schedule improves for about 75% of current members, and long-tenured workers get a 2028 PTO transition bonus of $1,000 at 10 to 14 years of service or $1,500 at 15 years and up.
Training: PACE and the Machinists Institute
The contract expands paid education through PACE, the Partnership for Advancement through Career Education, which builds on Raytheon's earlier Career Enrichment Program. It also sets up a pilot with the Machinists Institute for mentoring, curriculum development and training for current workers, along with stronger language on apprenticeships. The IAM didn't publish details on how the apprenticeship provisions work, so treat that as a promise of more structure, not a new program you can apply to today.
That training piece fits the bigger picture. Raytheon is building more missiles in Tucson, and the $24.4 billion SM-6 contract we covered in October is one reason the work isn't slowing down.
What It Means for Tucson Job Seekers
The contract covers people already on the floor. Neither the union nor Raytheon announced a hiring number with it, so this isn't a hiring event. What it does tell you is what a production job at Tucson's largest defense manufacturer is worth over the next five years, and that's useful whether you're applying there or negotiating with a smaller shop competing for the same people. Openings post individually, so get your resume ready and watch for postings in roles like these:
- Assemblers and electronics assemblers: building missile sections and wiring to spec. Assembler career guide and electronics assembler careers
- Machinists: milling and turning precision parts. CNC machinist career guide
- Machine operators: running production equipment. Machine operator careers
- Defense electronics technicians: testing and troubleshooting systems. Defense electronics technician careers
- Quality inspectors: measuring and documenting parts. Aerospace quality inspector careers
- Industrial maintenance technicians: keeping the plant running. Industrial maintenance technician careers
Two things to know before you apply. Defense production work often falls under export-control rules that limit some jobs to U.S. persons, and some roles require a security clearance, so read each posting's requirements. And Arizona is a right-to-work state: a job in a union-covered classification falls under the contract's terms, but union membership can't be required as a condition of employment.
More Tucson Defense and Training News
Raytheon isn't the only defense shop growing here. Albers Aerospace is adding 24 manufacturing jobs on the south side. If you want into the trades but don't have the experience yet, Apprenticeship Access Day on Nov. 4 puts more than 10 paid training programs in one room, and our guide to electrician apprenticeships in Tucson covers another earn-while-you-learn route.
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- Raytheon jobs in Tucson
- Assembler jobs in Tucson
- Electronics assembler jobs in Tucson
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- Machine operator jobs in Tucson
- Quality inspector jobs in Tucson
- Manufacturing jobs in Tucson
- Aerospace jobs in Tucson
Browse the aerospace careers and manufacturing careers guides in the TucsonHIRED Career Center for role-by-role pay and training details.
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📢 Employers: Competing With a 24% Raise?
When the region's biggest defense employer raises its pay scale, every precision shop in town feels it. Post your openings on TucsonHIRED and reach Tucson manufacturing and skilled-trades candidates directly.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much of a raise do Raytheon's Tucson union workers get?
The new five-year contract provides average compounded wage increases of 24% over its life, including equity adjustments. Individual raises vary by job classification, and certain categories and shift premiums get additional increases.
How many Raytheon workers does the contract cover?
It covers more than 2,200 hourly workers in Tucson represented by IAM Local 933, who build missile and defense systems.
What bonuses are in the Raytheon IAM contract?
A $3,000 ratification bonus with a $1,500 401(k) match, a $3,500 Munitions Acceleration Bonus, and a $2,000 lump-sum bonus with a $1,000 401(k) match. Workers also remain in the RTX Performance Sharing Program.
What are the new workweek options?
The contract adds a 4/10 schedule, four 10-hour days, and a 3/12 schedule, three 12-hour days. Both give more days off than a 9/80 schedule.
Is Raytheon hiring in Tucson because of the contract?
No hiring number was announced with the contract. Raytheon posts Tucson openings individually, so search current listings and set a job alert to catch new postings.
Do I have to join the union to work at Raytheon in Tucson?
No. Arizona is a right-to-work state, so union membership can't be a condition of employment. Jobs in covered classifications fall under the contract's terms either way.
Tucson has been building missiles out by the airport for generations. This contract sets what that work pays through the early 2030s, and it gives every plant worker on the south side a new benchmark to measure an offer against.
