Lucent Enters Union TalksLucent Enters Union Talks

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) today announced that representatives for the Communications Workers of America, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Lucent Technologies Inc. will conduct their negotiations under FMCS auspices in Washington, D.C.

At the request of the parties, the FMCS Director Peter J. Hurtgen said he will personally join the talks. FMCS staff mediators also will assist in the negotiations, he said.

"The parties are facing a set of very difficult issues, and we hope the process of mediation will help them find common ground on which to build a mutually acceptable agreement," Hurtgen said.

The new round of contract talks cover approximately 3,000 Lucent workers represented by the CWA and another 250 represented by the IBEW. The negotiations will begin Oct. 7, and the current contracts for both groups expire on Oct. 31.

Lucent Technologies Inc.