KeySpan employees avoided a strike late Tuesday night as their negotiators, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Locals 1049 and 1381, reached a tentative three-year contract agreement with company officials just 45 minutes before the midnight deadline.

The agreement on the new collective bargaining agreement is pending ratification. Both unions must vote on the agreement by March 15. Two main details of the agreement include employee salary and health benefits. If approved, employees will see a 3.5 percent salary increase in year one and a 3.75 percent increase in years two and three. Increases in travel funds are also promised for those employees who use their own vehicle to get to work sites. Moreover, employees with 30 years or more of service will get improved retirement benefits.

If negotiations failed to go the union's way, an expected 3,200 power line workers, meter readers, laborers and clerks were prepared to skip work and hit the picket lines early Wednesday morning at KeySpan's headquarters on E. Old Country Road in Hicksville.

Local 1049 kicked off contract negotiations Friday, Dec. 8 at its offices in Hauppauge. The 1049 negotiating committee joined the 1049 executive board and business staff, the KeySpan bargaining team and bargaining representatives of Local 1381 to formally open up discussions. Each party provided an overview of what they expected to achieve, Ralph Ranghelli, business manager and chief negotiator, IBEW Local 1049, said.

Ranghelli reviewed the past 10 years, detailing the tremendous role KeySpan employees have played in helping the company get through a period of uncertainty. In a previous statement, Ranghelli said, "Since the early '90s, when the company was faced with financial, political and public opposition, the employees have been there. They have remained focused, committed and excelled in their performance."

Noting KeySpan's stock price increased by more than 60 percent, with assets of more than $10 billion, annual revenues of $5 billion, a customer base of 3.5 million and more than 13,000 employees, Ranghelli asked that Local 1049 members be treated fairly. Both parties committed to "bargain in good faith" at the onset of negotiations back in early December.

KeySpan Vice President William Bollbach originally described negotiations as "historic" because it was the first time his company had negotiated with two IBEW local unions simultaneously. Bollbach further explained that through negotiating, KeySpan's major challenges included retaining the high level of customer satisfaction and providing service in a cost efficient manner.

When the 1049 negotiating committee met with KeySpan officials Dec. 18, Ranghelli said it was the union's belief that the company "rapidly moved away" from the message presented at the kick-off meeting, submitting a set of proposals that were "solely focused on bringing economic harm to 1049 members."

Ranghelli claimed the proposed changes, in reality, were "designed to reduce, or eliminate compensation and health and welfare benefits that 1049 members had earned through increased productivity and dedication to providing excellent customer service." After this meeting, union representatives expected protracted and difficult negotiations with KeySpan.

Negotiations continued throughout January, further discussing health and welfare issues that would dramatically affect bargaining unit employees immediately and well into their retirement years. Philosophical differences were apparent in how these benefits should be provided as well as the appropriate level of benefits. Chief Negotiator Ranghelli advised KeySpan officials that the "clock is ticking and time is running out on this contract."

Health and Welfare subcommittees of Locals 1049 and 1381 met with KeySpan officials Jan. 22 to further discuss benefits in the areas of medical, dental, life insurance, long-term disability and pension. At the session's conclusion, both parties agreed to continue these meetings. Furthermore, the newly formed Career Path subcommittee met Jan. 29 to examine KeySpan's "Career Path Opportunities" proposal in the Gas Construction Maintenance and Service Department.

Wearing red armbands to show their solidarity, the union's main negotiating committee broke new ground Feb. 1, making several amendments and modifications to the company's original proposals.

By Feb. 13, although Chief Negotiator Ranghelli said in a previous statement that considerable work still needed to be done prior to the contract expiration, both parties agreed to continue meeting throughout the night to reach an agreement. Both parties were cautiously optimistic by 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and finally reached an agreement at 11:15 p.m., less than an hour before workers' contracts expired.