Workers with the Savannah River Site’s security contractor went on strike Tuesday, following failed negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
According to a press release from the Department of Energy, the CBA with Centerra-SRS expired in April. At that point, DOE and Centerra workers, who are members of the labor union United Professional Pro-Force of Savannah River (UPPSR), began negotiations for a new agreement.
The Energy Department said talks continued through the summer; on July 19, Centerra-SRS provided a final offer, which has not been made public. “On July 31 and August 1, the Union voted to reject Centerra’s proposal and subsequently chose to exercise their right to strike,” DOE said. The strike began at 4 a.m. Tuesday and includes workers with picket signs outside of the gates of the South Carolina facility.
Centerra-SRS employees 688 workers, according to spokesman Rob Davis. Fewer than 50 percent are UPPSR members, but Davis did not specify how many. The contractor has “appropriate resources to ensure continued protection of SRS security interests and personnel,” according to the DOE release.
As a result of the strike, access to the site is limited and traffic on the access roads is heavier. Access is available 24/7 through Barricades 1 and 2, and Barricades 4, 6, and 9. Barricades 3 and 8 are only open from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
UPPSR President Mathias Miller said Wednesday that it doesn’t appear the issue will be resolved anytime soon. He said a key problem with the contract proposal was an increase in insurance premiums that workers aren’t willing to pay. To that point, Davis said insurance premiums fluctuate based on medical claims that are filed. “Current trends lead us to estimate a 10% to 13% increase in premiums for the next enrollment period,” he said via email.
The other main issue was language in the contract that Miller said would give Centerra-SRS a license to change parts of the agreement at its discretion. “If we sign, we would basically have no contract,” he said. “They would be able to move things around however they wanted to. And even after negotiations, they would have the final word.”
Davis said the contractor believes its offer is the “most lucrative Protective Force Collective Bargaining Agreement ever proposed at a DOE Site anywhere in the country.” He added that the total cost increase to wages and benefits would have exceeded $30 million over the six-year life of the proposed CBA.
Centerra-SRS provides security support services for the 310-square-mile site near Aiken, S.C. Those services include access control, property protection, law enforcement, criminal investigations, and traffic control.
The contractor holds a 10-year, $1 billion deal, which expires on Oct. 7, 2019. Last month, the Energy Department issued a request for information (RFI), seeking parties interested in taking on the new contract. An Industry Day to meet with interested parties was slated for Aug. 14.
