Unionized former workers at Thomson’s Marion, Ind., TV tube plant approved a severance package Wed. that expands the longevity award to include those employees with at least 20 years experience. Previously, there was a 30-year threshold. The workers, members of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1160, voted 343-235 to approve the agreement. The factory, the closing of which was announced March 16, had 865 unionized workers. Under the package, Thomson has agreed to provide: (1) one week of straight-time base pay per year of service. (2) continued health, dental and vision coverage for as long as premiums are paid by the worker. (3) life insurance coverage for the first 6 months to employees with 3-10 years of service. Those with 10 or more years get free coverage for the full term of the layoff.

Some U.S.-based TV manufacturers have been driven to the “brink of bankruptcy” by low-cost imports from China that have soared 3,000% during the past 3 years despite only a 5% rise in demand, industry officials testified Thurs. at an ITC hearing in Washington. Production volume in the U.S. has plunged 27% and factory utilization fell to 43.6% from 60.9% in 2001, they said. At the same time, Best Buy and Wal-Mart executives testified against imposing anti-dumping duties, arguing that they've helped expand the TV market and have had little impact on higher end brands as they carve a low-end niche.

The AFL-CIO said it would back long-term strategic campaigns to support workers at Comcast Cable and Verizon Wireless seeking representation by the CWA and IBEW. It said it would “help develop and coordinate a comprehensive corporate campaign strategy with the 2 unions, including political, regulatory, legal, public relations and shareholder activities, to compel the companies to respect workers’ organizing and collective bargaining rights.”

Unionized workers at Thomson’s Marion, Ind., TV tube plant overwhelmingly approved a one-year extension of their current contract. The proposal also was approved by a majority of 19 technicians at Thomson R&D and product development facilities in Indianapolis and Lancaster, Pa. However, unionized workers at Thomson’s TV glass plant in Circleville, O., rejected the proposal in a 179-87 vote, setting the stage for negotiations on a new contract to replace a 3-year one due to expire in April.

Thomson offered workers at its Marion, Ind., TV tube plant a one-year extension of a contract that expires in April, including provisions covering a closure, union officials said. A vote on the proposed extension by members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1160 was scheduled for Wed. Results weren’t available by our deadline.

In the latest volley between Comcast and 2 labor unions, the CWA and the IBEW accused Comcast of trying to mislead the FCC and misconstruing Commission rules. The debate centers on public files that the FCC requires cable operators to have available for public inspection in regular business hours. The files include such materials as all requests in the previous 2 years for cable time by or on behalf of a political candidate, with information on how the request was handled; information on children’s programming on local origination channels; EEO reports; leased access requirements and signal leakage and repair logs.

Verizon said it had reached a tentative agreement with 4 IBEW locals on a contract for an unprecedented 5 years and covering 750 of its employees in Ill., where the company has 1,900 employees. The tentative agreement, reached late Fri., provides an 18.5% general wage increase over the life of the contract and enhancements in health care, pension and holiday programs, Verizon said. With the current contract expiring March 13, it said it expected the results of ratification votes by employees on the new agreement by Jan. 16.

At our deadline Mon., TV set manufacturer Five Rivers Electronic Innovations and 2 unions were claiming victory over a Commerce Dept. preliminary decision that imposed 28-46% antidumping duties on color TVs (CTVs) imported from China. Commerce didn’t propose duties on CTVs from Malaysia.

Members of CWA and IBEW ratified a 5-year contract with Verizon, the unions announced Wed. CWA, which represents 60,000 workers from Me. to Va., said 89% of its members had voted for the contract. IBEW, which represents 22,000 workers in New England, N.Y. and Pa., said 90% of its members voted yes. CWA Pres. Morton Bahr said the contract was important because it achieved key goals of job security, maintaining the current quality of health care coverage and improving retirement security. CWA said separate agreements covering workers at Verizon Information Systems, Verizon Wireless and Verizon Connected Solutions were ratified with approval votes of 95%, 96% and 66% respectively. The settlement was reached Sept. 4.

Union officials, representing workers at TV glass plant, and company officials are at odds on future of CRT business. With Corning closing TV glass plant in State College, Pa., and Techneglas and Thomson trimming jobs at factories in Ohio, “our basic feeling is we have 4 to 5 years,” Tony Blankenship. pres. of Local 2331 of IBEW at Thomson’s Circleville, O., plant told Columbus Dispatch newspaper. But officials at Thomson and Techneglas both said they were confident that cost-cutting and efforts to make new products would help keep them remain competitive. “I don’t think the end is in sight,” Chet Kucinski, gen. mgr. of Thomson’s Circleville plant, said. Techneglas Mfg. & Engineering Vp Joseph Schaeufle backed Kucinski, saying “we're not giving up.” Techneglas also has plant in Pittston, Pa., and is supplier to Philips, Samsung, Toshiba and other manufacturers. Techneglas has cut employment at Columbus plant to 430 from peak of 1,500 in late 1990s. Thomson, meanwhile, laid of 400 of 900 workers at Circleville facility last month and halted plans to rebuild one of 3 glass furnaces. Separately, Matsushia Display Devices Corp. of America has changed name to MT Picture Display Corp. of America, reflecting CRT joint venture that was formed with Toshiba in spring. Joint venture has CRT plants in Troy, O., and Horseheads, N.Y.