Union Workers Threaten Protest

YouNews™

Story Published: Jun 13, 2008 at 5:23 PM MST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 9:38 PM MST

By Rick Montañez

Video

Several Dozen United Steel Workers Union members walked circles around the INL buildings in Idaho Falls today. Many of them carrying signs with phrases like "We don't expect more, we just want to be treated fair."

Today's union event has nothing to do with the walk out earlier this week, in fact it's a different union all together. But, it is connected to an incident at the end of last month.

The union members told me today, they held this demonstration so they can tell management they want more job security written into their new contracts.

Larry Wheeler, a union member:
"Were serious about trying to get a good contract."

Larry Wheeler is an employee for the BEA and a member of the United Steel Workers Union local 652, today he joined his fellow union members to bring attention to their concerns.

"It has to do with a new classification of temporary employees," says Wheeler.

According to Wheeler, the new contract leaves room to lay off full time people.

"If a full time person is laid off he may or may not get a temporary job," says Wheeler.

"Frankly, that kind of language is unacceptable to us. It really makes our jobs not very secure," says Wheeler.

After more than 30 years working out at the site, Wheeler just wants to know his job will still be there.

"We spent the best part of our lives working for a company and trying to be a part of the INL and these last propositions we've got have basically not been acceptable," says Wheeler.

Other issues include a lack of inflation rate pay and increased fees for workers to get out to the lab, still the main reason behind protesting the new contract, according to the union isn't money, it's the job security.

The union and BEA will have federal Mediation on the new contracts next week, but next Friday is the deadline for final negotiations, if no deal is met by then, the union says it will go on a full strike.

Current Weather

Current Temp 48 °F

Fair

Video

More Weather

Current Weather

More Weather

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.