NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 19, 2003--The General Electric Company today began negotiations on new national contracts with the International Union of Electronic Workers/Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA) and the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE). Separate talks will be held with each union. The current three-year contracts with the unions expire at midnight on June 15.
"Our goal is to negotiate agreements that are fair to employees and keep GE's diverse businesses competitive, as we have for ten consecutive negotiations," said Dennis Rocheleau, GE's chief negotiator.
The IUE/CWA represents about 13,000 GE employees and the UE about 3,500. The IUE/CWA agreement covers such major company locations as Louisville, KY; Lynn, MA; Schenectady, NY; Arkansas City, KS; and Waterford, NY. Major GE locations covered by the UE contract include Erie, PA; Fort Edward, NY; and Ontario, CA.
In addition to the two nationally bargained contracts, there are local contracts with 11 other unions representing about 7,900 GE employees. Talks on these local contracts will begin at GE plant locations around the country during the next several weeks.
For more information, visit www.ge.com/negotiations
GE (NYSE:GE) is a diversified technology and services company dedicated to creating products that make life better. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, medical imaging, television programming and plastics, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs 315,000 people worldwide.
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