The Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council is recommending that members approve the latest collective bargaining agreement proposal after 20 months of contract negotiations with cleanup contractors. A ratification vote has been set for Oct. 9. HAMTC workers overwhelmingly rejected a previous proposal in a vote July 16. HAMTC determined the primary reason for the failed ratification vote was changes to the pension program, said a memo sent by CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co. to managers Tuesday. Workers also were unhappy with proposed wages and benefits, the memo said. The latest proposal will retain the current pension benefits for workers vested for at least 10 years in the pension program, but reduce the payout to those more recently vested. New employees would be offered a 401(k) plan. The contract would be for three years with a possible two year extension. The HAMTC negotiations committee believes it has done the “very best that we could do given the current state of affairs,” said HAMTC President Dave Molnaa in a letter sent to HAMTC members Tuesday. The proposal represents the best contract that will be offered, though it is not the “fair settlement” that had been sought, Molnaa said.