The Hanford Saga

[Protectologist]

Since SRS is hiring contractors to fill positions on a long term basis should we believe that Hanford will be going this way once the contract negotiation is complete?

[roadhp]

That's the way it started with Rocky Flats.

[turkeypoint1967]

Sounds like hanford employees are about to get a dose of reallity.

[GLW]

http://m.tri-cityherald.com/tricity/db_97925/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=tiCnI56w

Wow big changes coming for Hanford. This should be interesting. I guess HAMTEC is
not as strong as everyone thought.

As the link is dead the proper acronym is HAMTC (Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council) for anyone trying to perform a media search and inform themselves,...

[jason95@centurytel.net]

Today is the day. Will I see Hanford again in another 6 months or so??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZAVjDI2E7M

[jason95@centurytel.net]

I and a few others have made our return as temps, though this time they are telling us we will only be here until 9/30. We shall see...

[Vikingstar5]

 Someone will be working to clean up Hanford for a longtime to come. IF CH gets it way on demoing PFP the area east of it to the river will be a wasteland. The local union for HPs is mm how to put this- if your liked they help, if your not your screwed. Worked there a long time and had problems due to family issues. The 2 union stewards I worked with before quitting throw me under the bus. Its really bad when your talking to your president and he cant remember your name 5 Min's into a conversation.
Good people there. Management has gone to far toward Rocky Flats thinking.  CH pay off Gov fine so the supervisors and managers that let the time card stuff go on are now out of the GAO line of fire. Now there going after site workers that got stuck calling out over time and taking them to court for the stupidity of others.
In the near future a big section of the work force is going to get reality gut punch and they refuse to see it coming. Kinda hard to pay a NCO 40$/hr to hang Rad rope and pick up trash, when a laborer can do it a 20/hr.

[turkeypoint1967]

Hope fully they, (the company and the "union") dont hose you over like they did the last group of temps.  Despite the contract saying they were only allowed to work 720 hours as temps, many of them were here well over a year.  When the issue was brought to the attention of the "union", they were told tough, the union signed off on it, thus they lost their seniority etc.  Pretty shady.

[105KW]

Hope fully they, (the company and the "union") dont hose you over like they did the last group of temps.  Despite the contract saying they were only allowed to work 720 hours as temps, many of them were here well over a year.  When the issue was brought to the attention of the "union", they were told tough, the union signed off on it, thus they lost their seniority etc.  Pretty shady.

The whole mess at hanford is in flux right now. With over a 98 % turn down on the last vote I am not real sure where this is headed. I do know I have heard more talk of voting for a strike then I have heard in decades out here.  A lot of folks aren't happy with their locals or with Hamtc or the xxxxx xxxx companies.   The Union "swears" they will not allow the temps to go over their 720 this time...we shall see.

Edited for inflammatory language please see NW rule #4  

[61nomad]

Have all the temps lost their seniority?  What will happen now when they hit their 720 hours?  I have seen a lot of job postings for exempt positions lately. Any rumors on when/if they will be staffing non-exempt?

[105KW]

Have all the temps lost their seniority?  What will happen now when they hit their 720 hours?  I have seen a lot of job postings for exempt positions lately. Any rumors on when/if they will be staffing non-exempt?

The temps that we have now all have a 2009 seniority date on the list.  I suspect ( but don't know ) that local 984 will NOT grant an extension above the 720 hours after the last firestorm of criticism it received last time.. The leaky tank issue has been creating some talk of new hires, recalls, and absorption at WRPS.  I do know that some folks have approached HR about possible VROF offers at the end of the year and was told no VROF was being considered and actually they were looking to hire in the future months. Remember this is Hanford for what I hear today is a lie tomorrow.

105 KW

[Protectologist]

What are the sticking points on the contract? With that high a rejection rate there must be some pretty big changes in the proposed agreement.

[105KW]

What are the sticking points on the contract? With that high a rejection rate there must be some pretty big changes in the proposed agreement.

Aah..you name it it's there.  Not one single article is an advancement for the workers. We all understand that a good contract requires give and take, but to lose in every article is unacceptable. Main points for a lot of folks are :

1.   Severe reduction  or cancellation in pensions. Everyone will lose, but unless you have at least 15 years AND are 50 the reductions are just unworkable. Some guys are here with 30 years but won't be 50 and will lose 20 percent or more of their pensions.

2. Forced Overtime.  Getting folks to work overtime has never been a problem, but now the companies want use the threat of forcing you to stay as a weapon to get more concessions.

3. Removal of double time

4. Removal of ECI pay.

5. Ability to put you on any shift they deem appropriate at any time with little notice

6. Huge increases in Medical

7. Cut 5 % of base pay for tank farm workers.

8. Want the workers working in the most hazardous chemical areas to pay for the own Short term disability or go with out.

9. No raises for 2012. Offered 1.5  % for 2014


And the list goes on and on..It is apparent the companies are wanting to force an impasse and go for implementation.


105KW

[Fluffy Bunny]

Aah..you name it it's there.  Not one single article is an advancement for the workers. We all understand that a good contract requires give and take, but to lose in every article is unacceptable. Main points for a lot of folks are :
1.   Severe reduction  or cancellation in pensions. Everyone will lose, but unless you have at least 15 years AND are 50 the reductions are just unworkable. Some guys are here with 30 years but won't be 50 and will lose 20 percent or more of their pensions.
2. Forced Overtime.  Getting folks to work overtime has never been a problem, but now the companies want use the threat of forcing you to stay as a weapon to get more concessions.
3. Removal of double time
4. Removal of ECI pay.
5. Ability to put you on any shift they deem appropriate at any time with little notice
6. Huge increases in Medical
7. Cut 5 % of base pay for tank farm workers.
8. Want the workers working in the most hazardous chemical areas to pay for the own Short term disability or go with out.
9. No raises for 2012. Offered 1.5  % for 2014
And the list goes on and on..It is apparent the companies are wanting to force an impasse and go for implementation.

Wow... your nightmare contract is better than any contract I have ever had.  And to think of all those unemployed people ready to take your job for even less.  I wouldn't worry about the 3,906 Radiological (HP) Technician's who have there resume on NukeWorker looking for a nice job just like yours.  I'm sure they would never settle for such a terrible contract.

[turkeypoint1967]

That seems to be the mindset at Hanford.  Alot of the "workers" out here forget that the only reason they arent stocking shelves at Walmart is becausethe union is in control.  They had better hope the union never goes away. 

[105KW]

 Your more than welcome to come here and work. But given that some of the folks have spent their entire working lives in the chemical and rad zones of Hanford I don't think most of us are willing to give up 60 years of bargaining in one swoop of the pen.

105 KW

[61nomad]

I appreciated the Hanford union when I was a contractor there.  I liked getting the same hourly pay as the house techs. Double time was nice, too.

It would be nice to get the same treatment when working "union" powerplants.

I dont get the people on this site bashing other people for having a better deal than they do.  And I doubt any of the HP s at Hanford would be stocking shelves at WalMart without the union.

[turkeypoint1967]

You must not know some of the ones I work with.

[RadRooster]

Awfully quiet in here lately, anyone know what the latest status is after the big Government shutdown scare? Lots of news articles about leaky tank, drums knocked off trucks and dropped rolloff containers. Is there any good news?

[pringles can]

Everyone loosen up your toe-thumbs, the raider nation is about to show PFP what Radcon is all about!

[jason95@centurytel.net]

I'm back in the saddle again! (Have been for almost 6 months now) After being a 'temp' right up to the 720 hour limit last year, I'm back for my 3rd "permanent" gig. PFP is a Pretty Fun Place to work, with some nice people and unique challenges. All the press that Tank Farms gets these days, I'm kind of glad I'm over here.

http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/investigations/2014/10/28/hanford-vapors-report/18042229/

[Jason9x]

Mass hiring. 16 Sr. Techs wanted and 75 trainees!!!

[Rennhack]

Mass hiring. 16 Sr. Techs wanted and 75 trainees!!!

You should talk them into paying for an add...

[Jason9x]

Oh, didn't think about that  . My bad. They really should. I'm sure they would get better results that way.

[American.Badger]

Who's getting this contract? Who's hiring those? Thanks.