האגודה הישראלית לחקר יחסי עבודה

Dominion's union-represented employees in six states -- announced in joint statement they had ended the lockout after they “entered into a written agreement.”

According to the statement, the written agreement states UGWU Local 69 has agreed to not engage in any “strike, slowdown, or work stoppage” as of Wednesday until April 1, 2017.

UGUW has also been directed to notify its members of the agreement and inform them that if they strike, slowdown, or stop any work activity they are to be notified for violating the agreement.

“[UGWU] will take all possible steps to bring such activity to an immediate end, and the Employer [Dominion] may treat employees who engage in that activity as having violated this agreement,” the statement read.

In the meantime, the parties say they will continue to negotiate toward a “new collective bargaining agreement” during the period covered by the agreement.

The announcement comes after the union and Dominion held unsuccessful negotiations on a new labor contract last Thursday after the previous one expired on Apr. 1.

The Times-Mirror previously reported that Dominion said it initially took action to lockout its employees after the union refused to take a tentative contract agreement to union members for a vote.

The union, however, said it had presented the company with an offer to not strike while negotiations were ongoing so that employees would not be locked out of work, but that the company did not respond and proceeded with the lockout.