SRS PROTECTIVE FORCE UNION SET TO VOTE ON BARGAINING AGREEMENT

The union that represents hundreds of protective force workers at the Savannah River Site will vote today and tomorrow to ratify a five-year collective bargaining agreement that was recently reached in talks between its negotiating team and security contractor WSI-SRS. According to Martin Hewitt, the president and chief negotiator of United Professional Pro-Force of Savannah River Local 125, the tentative agreement includes 2.5 percent annual raises over the life of the contract as well as increased contributions to the union members’ 401(k) retirement plans (a $3,000 lump sum and a $100 annual increase in company contributions). Hewitt said while the wage increase is less than the 3.5 percent average bump the union received during negotiations five years ago, the negotiating team achieved its objective of protecting the benefits of members. Hewitt said he expected the agreement to be ratified, and said he would know the results of the ratification vote by late Friday evening. “We’re pretty happy,” Hewitt said. “We didn’t lose anything. There were no takeaways. … You do have members that are concerned about the 2.5 percent increase. They wish it was more.”