The collective bargaining agreement between Los Alamos National Laboratory and its protective force workers expires next week, and with negotiations deadlocked, the lab is readying a contingency force that would take over security at the lab once the current deal expires. The agreement between International Guards Union of American Local 69 and lab protective force subcontractor SOC-Los Alamos expires April 24, and union members have balked at extending the deadline. While negotiations are continuing, and will through next week, the two sides remain far apart on a significant number of issues, according to officials with knowledge of the talks. Lab officials would activate the contingency force if a deal is not reached.
The union had sought to preserve its lucrative health benefits deal—its members don’t pay for health benefits at all—while boosting its retirement benefits along with significant pay increases. The lab has pushed for union members to contribute to health care costs, which would bring the protective force in line with other sites around the complex, and is opposed to significant changes to retirement benefits and large pay increases. An official with IGUA Local 69 did not respond to a request for comment. A final vote on a potential agreement is likely April 23 or 24, officials told NS&D Monitor.
Members of the contingency force began training Sunday, and the force consists of SOC-Los Alamos supervisors and security police officers from around the weapons complex. “In a work interruption, SOC-LA and the Laboratory are fully prepared to execute the contingency plan and will ensure the Laboratory remains open and secure and that national security interests are protected—including the safety and security of special nuclear materials,” Los Alamos spokesman Kevin Roark said. There hasn’t been a security strike in the weapons complex since Pantex guards went on strike in 2007.
