Eleven Pantex security guards have been fired in connection with a “sick-out” earlier this month and contractor B&W Pantex is charging the Pantex Guards Union with unfair labor practices, according to a complaint filed last week with the National Labor Relations Board. B&W Pantex filed the complaint with the NLRB Jan. 23, suggesting that the action by the guards disregarded the collective bargaining agreement with the union and represented a “mid-term strike or work stoppage.” In its claim, B&W said the guards—all of whom worked on the Evening Construction Shift—called out sick Jan. 21 to avoid a drill that was scheduled to take place during their shift. “This sick-out was a concerted activity, planned in advance by the 11 SPOs [security police officers] in question, at least one of whom was a union officer,” B&W Pantex said in the complaint. “As such, notwithstanding any after-the-fact disavowals of the sick-out by the union, the union had knowledge of the sick-out and failed to prevent or stop it.”
B&W PANTEX FILES UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES CHARGE AGAINST GUARDS UNION
The Pantex Guards Union did not respond to a request for comment, but PGU President Frank White told the Amarillo Globe-News that the union was fighting the allegations. “We deny the charge and we are filing grievances to get these employees back on the job,” he said. In a statement, B&W Pantex called the action by the guards a “concerted failure,” adding: “B&W Pantex believes this was an unlawful job action and a violation of its collective bargaining agreement with the union. Despite the actions of these individuals, the Pantex Plant remained safe and secure at all times.”
Groups seek NEPA review of plan to issue surplus plutonium to private companies
The South Carolina Environmental Law Project (SCELP) is demanding the Department of Energy and its National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) conduct a public environmental review of plans to provide 19.7 metric tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium to private nuclear companies. SCELP published the letter of demand Sept. 8 on behalf of Nuclear Watch New Mexico, […]