Hanford Contractor, Guards Union Agree to Contract Extension

Mission Support Alliance and the Hanford Guard Union have agreed to a 60-day contract extension for the union contract. The extension will extend talks past the holiday season, taking some of the pressure off those at the bargaining table. The guard’s contract was set to expire at the end of October and already was extended for two weeks. Issues that have been under discussion include MSA proposals to make changes to seniority and the guards’ work schedule and a third issue related to disability retirement benefits. Ed Pacheco, president of the union, said the guards remain committed to settling the contract at the bargaining table, particularly because of current global events. MSA previously said that it looked forward to continued good faith bargaining by both parties.