Related Articles

The IBEW and Communications Workers of America (CWA) reached a tentative agreement with Lucent Technologies just after midnight on Tuesday for a seven-year, seven-month contract. The tentative agreement includes wage and pension increases for 287 IBEW members in Ohio, Illinois and Oklahoma, said IBEW Manufacturing Department Director Bob Roberts. It also covers approximately 3,000 CWA members.

"Its not everything wed like it to be, but the companys financial situation is not everything theyd like it to be either," Roberts said. "Its the best agreement we could come to under the circumstances."

Few details of the tentative agreement are being released, but in recent days the talks had snagged over the cost of retiree health care. The parties had been negotiating in Washington, D.C. since before the last contract expired on October 31 with the assistance of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services. Members of both unions will vote to ratify the tentative agreement on or before December 17, 2004.

IBEW Talks With Lucent Extended
(November 8, 2004)

The IBEW and Communications Workers of America (CWA) have agreed to extend collective bargaining talks with Lucent Technologies to midnight Monday, November 8.

The current contract expired on October 31 but the parties agreed to continue bargaining for another week with the assistance of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in Washington, D.C. Responsibility for retiree health care costs remains the main point of contention.