GE today began negotiations on a new national contract with the International Union of Electronic Workers/Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA).
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE today began negotiations on a new national contract with the International Union of Electronic Workers/Communications Workers of America (IUE-CWA). Negotiations with the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) will begin tomorrow, May 22, 2007. Separate talks will be held with each union. The current four-year contracts with the unions expire at midnight on June 17, 2007.
"Our goal is to negotiate fair contracts that will continue to provide employees with attractive wages and benefits while keeping GE's diverse businesses competitive -- just as we've done for eleven consecutive negotiations," said Bill Casey, GE's chief negotiator.
The IUE/CWA represents about 10,000 GE employees and the UE about 4,000. The IUE/CWA agreement covers such major company locations as Louisville, KY; Lynn, MA; Schenectady, NY; and Arkansas City, KS. Major GE locations covered by the UE contract include Erie, PA and Fort Edward, NY.
In addition to the two nationally bargained contracts, there are local contracts with nine other unions representing about 6,600 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 Imagination at Work -- a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and security technology to medial imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employees more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com.
Gary Sheffer