EVERETT, WA (AP, MyBellinghamNow.com) – Boeing and its largest union have tentatively agreed on a historic new contract that could avoid an impending strike.

The company and the International Association of Machinists say the Sept. 8 agreement would raise pay 25% over four years. The president of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, Stephanie Pope, says that is the company’s largest-ever general wage increase.

It is still less than the 40% increase that the union had originally demanded, but Boeing agreed with a key union proposal to build its next plane in Washington State.

The Union Bargaining Committee is recommending that members accept Boeing’s proposal ahead of their ratification vote on Sept. 12. The two-part election will first have members vote to ratify the contract, and if it’s rejected, they’ll then vote to authorize a strike that would shut down aircraft production.