Union, Lockheed reach tentative agreement to end Georgia strike

WASHINGTON - Lockheed Martin and striking machinist union members reached a tentative contract agreement Wednesday after meeting with federal mediators this week. <br> <br> Rick Sloan, a spokesman for the International Association of Machinists, said the potential agreement would end the 6-week-old strike if agreed to by the entire union membership. <br> <br> Sloan would not discuss details of the agreement. The vote could come as early as this weekend. <br> <br> More than 2,700 members of the machinists union Local 709 have been picketing the defense contractor&#39;s Marietta, Ga., plant since March 11, after rejecting a contract proposal by Maryland-based Lockheed Martin. <br> Both sides have been meeting this week with federal mediators in an attempt to resolve the dispute. <br> <br> The deal reached Wednesday was accepted unanimously by the negotiating committee members, who were returning to Georgia after holding talks all night, said Bob Wood, a spokesman for Local 709 in Marietta. <br> <br> ``During the past two days, we&#39;ve negotiated improvements in the company&#39;s last, best and final offer,&#39;&#39; he said. ``It&#39;s now more in line with agreements recently ratified at the two Lockheed plants in California.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The Marietta plant produces F-22 Raptor fighters and C-130J transports. Workers at Lockheed operations in Meridian, Miss., and Clarksburg, W.Va., that supply materials for the Georgia plant also are on strike.