Northern New England's primary landline provider, FairPoint Communications, has reached an agreement with two unions representing more than 1,700 workers to end a four-month strike.
The tentative deal was announced Thursday, about six weeks after federal mediators brought the two sides back to the negotiating table. The proposal will be put to a vote by workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
FairPoint Communications Inc. workers will return to work Feb. 25. They went on strike in October, saying the company wanted too many contract changes too fast.
The Charlotte, North Carolina-based company had declared an impasse and imposed contract terms. It was freezing the old pension, requiring workers to contribute to health care costs and eliminating retiree health care benefits. It also wanted the ability to hire outside contractors.
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