REGION

REGION
Union workers to voteon GE contract proposal
YOUNGSTOWN -- General Electric employees locally and nationwide will vote Monday and Tuesday on a four-year contract that would include 16.5 percent in raises and cost-of-living increases over the term of the agreement. Negotiating teams for GE's two largest unions, International Union of Electrical Workers-Communications Workers of America and United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America have agreed to send the agreement to members for ratification.
An IUE-CWA press release said workers would pay 18 percent of their health-insurance cost, the same percentage they now pay. GE officials had talked about increasing the worker share to 30 percent. Workers would see wage increases of 3 percent the first year, 2.5 percent in 2004 and 2005 and 3 percent in 2006, plus an improved cost-of-living arrangement.
The proposal also includes two early-retirement opportunities and would give union retirees one extra pension payment in December of this year, a payout that would total $142 million.
GE employs about 600 at three Mahoning Valley plants.
NATION
Delphi announces dividend
TROY, Mich. -- Delphi Corp. declared a quarterly dividend of 7 cents a share on its common stock, payable July 29 to shareholders of record June 30.
Kroger-Cincinnati deal
CINCINNATI -- Concern that Kroger Co. was considering moving its headquarters out of Cincinnati led city officials to agree to provide the company with $15 million for a new parking garage. Kroger said it had been looking at sites outside of the city to accommodate employee parking.
From Vindicator staff reports