Tentative Agreement Reached In Lockheed Strike

Machinists union and company tentatively agree to new contract

A nine-week strike at Fort Worth's Lockheed Martin Plant may be nearing the end.

Late Saturday night, NBC DFW learned that Lockheed Martin reached a tentative agreement with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union.  The workers walked off the job April 23

Back in April, Union leaders told NBC DFW that the major sticking points in the contract were pensions and health care.

The proposal includes workers getting health care they want while future workers will not get the same pension benefits current workers do.

The IAM union represents 3,600 employees in Fort Worth, California and Maryland.

IAM union members will vote on the agreement Thursday morning at 11 a.m. at Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth.

The strike continues until members agree to a new contract.

The company released this statement to NBC DFW late Saturday night:

"We are pleased to report our discussions with the union have been productive and we reached a tentative agreement this evening to end the strike," said Greg Karol, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of Labor Relations. "Lockheed Martin’s revised offer will be unanimously recommended for acceptance by the union bargaining committee to the membership at the ratification vote early next week. We look forward to having them back on the job, building the world’s best fighters. We appreciate the assistance of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in helping us work out many differences and progress to this point," Karol said.

More: IAM Strike Information

NBC 5's Andrew Tanielian contributed to this report.

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