Boeing has negotiated a new 3-year contract with unionized workers in Winnipeg, avoiding a strike by over 1,000 employees.

The last-minute deal between Boeing and Canadian Auto Workers Local 2169 will see a general wage increase of at least 2 per cent each year.

Members ratified the contract Saturday. The previous contract expired at midnight on Friday.

"We negotiated a contract that sends a strong message about how much value Winnipeg employees bring to Boeing," said Dave Hyem, general manager of Boeing Canada Operations Ltd, in a prepared statement sent out Saturday. "This agreement enables us to continue to focus on our customer and the shared future we have for Winnipeg."

Boeing's Winnipeg aerospace plant employs 1,476 people.