Teamsters report Gainesville Safran strike amid overtime dispute

Teamsters members at Safran Seats in Gainesville were on strike by Sept. 24, 2026, with required overtime and workers’ pay at issue, according to a union announcement that day. The union said its Local 767 has more than 350 members making aircraft seats at the operation and classified the walkout as an unfair labor practice strike. Teamsters announcement

Members voted down Safran’s proposed contract on Sept. 18 because of its mandatory-overtime language, the union said. Negotiators then went back to bargaining seeking to eliminate that requirement.

Pay demands extend to employees whose wages have reached the upper limits of their pay scales, longtime employee Michelle Shero said in the announcement. Shero also said workers wanted holiday pay reinstated. Union account

The Gainesville industrial operation is at 2000 Weber Drive, according to Safran’s location listing.

The strike’s legal classification affects whether workers can reclaim their jobs. National Labor Relations Board guidance says employers cannot permanently replace employees striking over unfair labor practices. Those workers generally have a right to return after the strike, provided they have not committed serious misconduct. Economic strikers can face permanent replacement. The union’s characterization of this walkout does not establish that the board has made such a determination about Safran. NLRB explanation

Earlier bargaining records show how Safran and Local 767 addressed extra hours. Their agreement covering an initial term from 2020 through 2024 gave qualified volunteers priority for overtime assignments. It barred compulsory overtime for employees scheduled for three 12-hour days or four 10-hour days each week.

That agreement also provided for yearly renewal unless either side submitted the required notice requesting changes. Its provisions establish the historical arrangement, but do not confirm the terms in force during the current dispute. Safran–Local 767 agreement

In its broader business, Safran reported that Aircraft Interiors’ adjusted recurring operating income during the first half of 2026 was double the amount published for the corresponding period a year earlier. The figures describe the entire division, rather than earnings at the Gainesville factory. Company financial report

Safran has separately identified a need to retain specialized manufacturing knowledge. The company said it began an apprenticeship partnership with North Central Texas College in June, enrolling three employees. Instruction covers toolmaking and welding, along with machining used in preproduction work. According to Safran’s announcement, the participants’ training was scheduled to run through summer 2027. Company apprenticeship report