After five months of often tense contract negotiations by Los Alamos National Laboratory protective force workers, SOC-Los Alamos the lab’s protective force subcontractor, has reached an agreement with labor union International Guards Union of American Local 69. Yesterday union members voted to ratify a five-year contract that includes the retirement benefits it had sought and prevents SOC-LA from locking out union members. The talks became contentious at points, with the union walking away from the negotiating table for several weeks in May. “This is a good deal for our members,” Chris Mandril, IGUA Local 69 Business Agent, said in a statement yesterday. “It was not easy, but staying at the table and pushing SOC-LA to do the right thing finally got our members the benefits they deserve. Without the threat of being locked out of their jobs, our guards can rest easy knowing that they will be able to continue to put food on the table for their families and they can look forward to a more secure retirement. That means a lot to the hard-working men and women who show up every day to keep New Mexico and our nation safe.”
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