Los Alamos Guards Union Looks to Resume Contract Talks Next Week

Talks appear set to resume next week on a new collective bargaining agreement for protective force workers at Los Alamos National Laboratory, though the union representing the protective force workers is not optimistic an “acceptable” economic package will be reached. The International Guards Union of America Local 69 broke off talks with the lab’s protective force subcontractor, SOC-Los Alamos, last week after accusing the company of negotiating in “bad faith.” Yesterday, the union informed SOC-Los Alamos of its intent to resume negotiations on May 19, according to IGUA Local 69 Business Agent Chris Mandril. “Also, we conveyed to SOC-Los Alamos that the Union is not optimistic we can reach an acceptable economic package given SOC-Los Alamos has failed to seek and gain authority to enhance the economic package to meet industry standards, but that the Union is prepared to negotiate through the end of the extension period,” Mandril said in a written response. The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire in June.