Contract reached, SEA says

Shira Schoenberg reports in the Concord Monitor that the State Employees Association claims it has reached an agreement with the Governor's Office to avoid 750 layoffs.

"As of 6 p.m. this evening, talks were completed between the SEA and the governor's office," SEA spokesman Mike Barwell said last night. "We have addressed all outstanding concerns in a tentative agreement."

Colin Manning, a spokesman for Gov. John Lynch, sounded more cautious, noting that the final language must still be worked out.

"Both sides are going back to the table tomorrow to hopefully come to agreement on the final language," Manning said. "We're hopeful there can be agreement so that employees will have a contract they can vote on."

Time, as it often does, will tell.