Tank Farm Workers at Hanford Could Vote to Strike Dec. 13

The Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Commission (HAMTC) will ask workers to either approve a proposed collective bargaining agreement or give the nod for a possible strike.

Two recent proposals have been rejected by the union were offered by Washington River Protection Solutions. The most recent rejection was Oct. 9. This was the same agreement agreed to by HAMTC workers and four other Hanford subcontractors.

The new offer is the same except it doesn't contain a bonus that would have been included for ratifying an agreement by Oct. 11. The HAMTC workers wanted the following in the new agreement:

*Eliminate mandatory overtime, continue existing premium pay and overtime practices, a $2,500 signing bonus, and to change the start time for hot weather days from 4 to 5am.

Washington River Protection Solutions rejected that plan, and countered with no guaranteed 40-hour work week, no Hanford-wide seniority or continuity of service, and other proposals. Union negotiators said those provisions were unacceptable.

If the workers vote no on the offer, it doesn't necessarily mean they will strike. HAMTC officials say they have exhausted all of their negotiating resources.