International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Lodge 707 (Middletown, Conn.)

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge 707 was chartered on 11 September 1974. The local represents machinists at United Aircraft 's Pratt and Whitney North Haven Plant. The workers, about 1685 men and 615 women, as of 1984, make blades, forms and jet engine parts.

Lodge 707 was originally organized on 10 November 1952 as United Automobile Workers Local 1234 . Local 1234 was decertified on 5 May 1972. The machinists then formed the Independent Aircraft Machinists Union, but about 500 workers continued paying UAW dues. Pratt and Whitney recognized only the Independent and not the UAW Local 1234 after decertification.

At the same time, during the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were several machinists, including Ed Joseph, Harry Miller and Pete LaRosa, who were actively working to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers . In addition, other Pratt and Whitney plants were already affiliated with IAMAW .

In 1974, the Independent and UAW formed a “No Raid Agreement”, and agreed to go into IAMAW .

On 30 September 2002, Lodge 707 merged with IAMAW Lodge 1746, when the Pratt & Whitney plant in North Haven closed and the workers transferred to the East Hartford plant.