BECHTEL PLANS HANFORD WTP LAYOFFS

Bechtel National plans to cut another 200 to 300 positions at the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant by the end of the year, with the initial round of notices for the new layoffs going out late this month. The layoffs are for non-manual workers, after Bechtel sent out layoff notices to 198 construction workers at the end of March, bringing total layoffs of construction workers to about 550 over five months. In addition, it is looking for other cost savings, including reducing overtime, reviewing purchases and reviewing subcontracts, which also could lead to job losses at some subcontractors on the project. Bechtel is aligning its work force with current vitrification plant project priorities and resulting work plans, it said. Bechtel has been directed by the Department of Energy to propose a new baseline that prioritizes work at plant facilities that will not handle high level waste as technical issues are resolved. The proposed baseline is to be planned on an annual budget of $690 million, down from $740 million this year. The non-manual positions that will be cut provide technical, construction and other support to the project, said Suzanne Heaston, Bechtel spokeswoman. Bechtel plans a job fair in May to help workers find positions at other Bechtel projects and projects led by its prime subcontractor URS.