June 6, 2012 – On May 30, 2012, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and AT&T reached a tentative agreement to extend the existing contract by 12 months. The agreement covers approximately 7,000 AT&T employees. Most are IBEW Local Union 21 members in Illinois and NW Indiana, and the rest are IBEW members spread out across the country in several other states. The current contract had been set to expire June 23, 2012.

The specific terms of the tentative agreement are written into three separate documents agreed to by the IBEW and AT&T. The documents are available to be read online or downloaded below:

• AT&T – IBEW T-3 Extension Agreement
• IBEW System Council T-3 Benefit Outline Summary – Attachment 1
• Memorandum of Agreement - Surplus and Force Adjustment Negotiations

The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by members of the bargaining unit. IBEW Local Union 21 will present the settlement offer to bargaining unit members in the days ahead. All members will be afforded the opportunity to vote on the settlement through a secret ballot process.

On June 15, 2012, IBEW Local Union 21 will mail a package to each members home. The mailing will be sent to the members’ last known address, and will include:

1. An IBEW System Council T-3 cover letter about the agreement;
2. Copies of the three documents referenced in the bullet points directly above;
3. Instructions and a ballot for voting to either accept or reject the tentative contract agreement; and
4. A postage paid envelope to mail your ballot back to IBEW Local Union 21.

All members must mail back their ballots to cast their vote. Ballots must be received at IBEW Local Union 21 by Tuesday, July 3, 2012. Ballots will be counted at the IBEW Local Union 21 hall on Thursday and Friday, July 5-6, 2012. Once all ballots are tallied, an official announcement of the results will be made by the IBEW as soon as possible.