BENTON COUNTY, Wash. – A large group of Hanford patrol workers met in front of the Richland Department of Energy building Monday morning, hours before another round of negotiations were set to start with a new federal mediator present.
The picketing follows their lockout from the Hanford site after their contract ended with no new one created.
The lockout began at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, affecting a large number of Hanford patrol workers, though managers have remained on site. Both the Hanford Guards Union Local 21 and Hanford Mission Integration Solutions have confirmed the lockout.
Contract negotiations have been ongoing since September without reaching a successful agreement. Hanford’s patrol workers are a federally commissioned law enforcement agency hired by the Department of Energy. They are responsible for providing protection and support to the Hanford site, including fighting fires, handling sensitive materials, and protecting workers.
Union President Chris Hall shared his thoughts on the situation at hand.
“This is unprecedented. We never had anything like this happen before. We think it is just a tactic of intimidation and coercion,” said Hall.
Dave Donovan, vice president at the International Guard Union of America, stated his concerns over Hanford workers not being on site.
“Our job is to protect the site. And, you know, right now we just feel that the security and safety of the site is being diminished because of us not being out there,” said Donovan.
Renee Brooks, communications manager for HMIS, provided a statement regarding the Hanford lockout:
“HMIS continues to negotiate in good faith with the Hanford Guards Union. Ensuring the safety and security of Hanford is our number one priority, and we will continue to ensure that national security interests are protected, and that Hanford operations continue to be safe and secure until HMIS and the union reach an agreement on terms of a new collective bargaining agreement.”
In the statement, HMIS explains that Security Police Officers (SPOs) and certified exempt SPOs from other Department of Energy sites will be filling in for the unionized workers while negotiations continue. All personnel receive Hanford site-specific training before assignment.
Tom Farris, the business agent for HGU, says the workers and their families have remained in decent morale, even after being out of work for three days.
“I think everybody is in decent spirits, considering what’s going on,” said Farris. “We appreciate the community’s, you know, support and our own members being out here and doing this, and, you know, fighting the fight.”
The union says they have filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, claiming HMIS has stalled negations and forced the workers off the property. In their negotiations, they are seeking fairer pay, medical autonomy, and arbitration and grievance fairness.
HMIS tells NonStop Local that there are no updated statements from the company yet.
