Battelle union contract approved on close vote

Union workers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland narrowly approved a new contract Friday, according to the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council.

Union leadership recommended voting in favor of the contract, although HAMTC President Dave Molnaa said Friday that he was not proud of the contract because it reduced worker benefits.

Workers will receive a 2 percent wage increase each November through 2019. They will be moved from the Hanford Site Pension Plan to the plan used by other PNNL staff. The deal was reached with the help of a federal mediator, ending two and a half years of negotiations.

The contract rewards staff and ensures the long-term viability and affordability of benefits programs, said Greg Koller, spokesman for Battelle, the Department of Energy contractor managing the national lab. The contract recognizes the skills and expertise of union staff, he said.

This story was originally published August 28, 2015 at 10:07 PM with the headline "Battelle union contract approved on close vote."