20 June, 2011
A tentative collective agreement was reached late in the evening on 19 June in New York City for 15,000 General Electric (GE) workers in the US. The proposed four-year accord came hours before a Sunday midnight expiration of a prior agreement for 11,000 of the 15,000 workers, represented by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) and the International Union of Electronic Workers/ Communications Workers of America (IUE/CWA).
Ten American unions have been bargaining with GE since 24 May as part of a joint union Coordinating Bargaining Council (CBC). The unions represent industrial workers who manufacture everything from jet airplane engines to locomotive train diesels to electrical appliances to small motors to lighting systems. Pension terms negotiated under the agreement will also apply to staff of NBC, the US television network owned by GE.
Details of the proposed agreement will not be released until Thursday, 23 June, to allow the GE Conference Boards of the UE and IUE/CWA time to consider all provisions and make recommendations to their respective memberships.
UE President John Hovis
“While the proposal contains important improvements and advances, it also contains certain disappointments,” said President John Hovis of the UE, an ICEM affiliate. “However, given the current economic climate overall, it’s an agreement we can support.”
Breakthroughs came in bargaining on 18 June when GE negotiators increased its wage offer and withdrew unfair and additional payments on retirees for prescription drug coverage. Entering bargaining yesterday (19 June), the two sides were still grappling with issues related to a company Health Choice medical plan, a pension scheme for new hires, and regressive GE proposals to an early retirement option for workers.
The CBC has representation from the UE, IUE/CWA, United Steelworkers (USW), International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM), National Association of Broadcast Employees & Technicians (NABET/CWA), the United Auto Workers (UAW), the International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees (IFPTE), the Electrical Workers (IBEW), Sheet Metal Workers Union (SMWIU), the United Association of Plumbing and Pipefitting Union (UA), and the Firemen & Oilers division of the Service Employees Union (SEIU).
The talks were national in scope for multiple local branch unions of the UE and IUE/CWA, while mostly single-site or single-unit bargaining was simultaneously occurring for the other unions although the entire CBC was at the large table in the New York talks.
Messages of support (or congratulations) can still be given CBC negotiators by signing this IUE/CWA Unity Petition.