Ratification Votes to Begin Later This Week

The General Electric Company and its two largest unions have reached tentative agreements on new four-year labor contracts. The agreements are subject to review by union negotiating committees and ratification by union members.

The ratification votes are scheduled to begin this week and continue through next week by members of the International Union of Electronic Workers-Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) and the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). Terms of the new contracts will be extended to eleven other unions that have local contracts with GE.

Just In Under The Wire

GE's three-year national contracts with the IUE-CWA and the UE expire at midnight on Sunday, June 15. The local union contracts have expired or will expire over the next few weeks. Negotiations on the new contracts began in the third week of May.

The tentative four-year agreements will provide significant improvements in wages, pensions and benefits.

IUE-CWA President Edward Fire said, "IUE-CWA has met its goals of safeguarding affordable health insurance and substantially increasing pensions for our members." Fire and IUE-CWA/GE Conference Board Chairman Art Smith are recommending the contract to the Conference Board delegates.

GE Senior Vice President for Human Resources William J. Conaty said, "GE jobs are good jobs and these four-year contracts will make them even better. The agreements provide good wages, pensions and benefits to GE workers while allowing our businesses to compete in tough markets."

"We faced difficult issues - a challenging economy and rising health care costs - but everyone at the table remained focused on doing the right thing for our employees and GE," Conaty said. "The result is an overall package that will provide significant economic growth for our employees over the next four years."

Ratification Meetings

The IUE-CWA/General Electric local union leaders will meet Wednesday, June 18 to review the tentative agreement and to submit it to IUE-CWA's members at GE for a ratification vote. If recommended for approval to its members, the ratification vote will be conducted by June 24.

The IUE-CWA represents about 13,000 GE employees at company locations such as Louisville (KY); Lynn (MA); Schenectady (NY); Arkansas City (KS); and Waterford (NY).

The UE/GE Conference Board will meet Tuesday to review the contract and make a recommendation to its members. The UE Negotiating Committee is recommending the contract to the Conference Board delegates.

The UE represents about 3,000 employees at locations such as Erie (PA); Fort Edward (NY); and Ontario (CA).

FMI: www.ge.com