Steelworkers Call on Congress to Adequately Fund Portsmouth D&D

With hundreds of workers at risk of losing their jobs at the Portsmouth D&D project, the United Steelworkers labor union is calling on Congress to provide adequate funding for the work. Fluor-B&W Portsmouth, LLC, is projecting a funding shortfall of approximately $110 million in Fiscal Year 2015 due to a reduction in the amount of excess uranium to be provided by the Department of Energy to help pay for work, as well as a drop in uranium prices. As a result, FBP last week warned that it will look to cut the Portsmouth D&D project’s workforce by approximately one-third, or as many as 675 employees.

The USW yesterday called on lawmakers to provide a total of approximately $400 million in appropriated funds for FY 2015 to prevent the planned workforce reductions. ‘“Since the Portsmouth plant stopped enriching uranium in 2001, more than 800 USW members of Local 689 have dedicated their lives to performing this much-needed cleanup work so the land can be re-industrialized and used for economic development,” SW International Vice President Carol Landry said in a release. “These are good, family-supporting jobs that benefit the community and perform a service for the country by eliminating hazardous material from the environment. Reducing the workforce would significantly delay clean-up activities and could compromise the safety of the community.”