Pilgrim Nuclear Union Official: 'Pack The Van, We're Going Back to Work'
Pilgrim nuclear power plant union approves new labor contract.
Photos
Operators of the Pilgrim Nucear Station, on strike and locked out of the plant for more than a month, ratified a new contract Sunday.
They walked into a conference room at the Radisson Hotel on the waterfront, one by one, from 10am to 4pm to cast a yes or no vote. Union officials checked their name as among those who voted with a green underliner. The green proved prophetic as the members approved the agreement 141 to 67.
After the 4pm count, one union leader gave instructions to the people still on the picket line via cell phone: "Pack the van, we're going back to work."
"We are pleased that our workers have voted to accept Entergy’s latest contract offer," union president Dan Hurley said in a prepared statement. "These have been lengthy and difficult negotiations for our workers, who have been locked out of their jobs for over a month and without medical coverage since the beginning of July. Entergy began negotiations with demands for major concessions on healthcare, retirement, salary and staffing, and we fought hard to emerge with important protections for the hardworking men and women who safely run Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant on a daily basis and make the plant extremely profitable for management. Now is the time for us to move forward and our workers are looking forward to returning to their jobs this week.
“The new contract, which came to fruition as a result of a lot of hard work on both sides, reflects our commitment to our employees, is acceptable to our union workers and preserves union interests,” Pilgrim Site Vice President, Robert Smith, said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to our employees returning to work, which has been our goal throughout this process."
Neither side revealed the specifics of the deal, but union members said off the record it involves small percentage pay increases over several years and a helath care plan that involves higher co-pays.
The strike lasted a little more than a month. One picketer recalled a strike against Boston Edison, the company that built the plant, lasting 13 weeks.
Health insurance became a major issue in the negotiations.
"Once you give it up, you never get it back," one striker said.
Some union members paid $2,600 for the month to have health insurance coverage through the COBRA law. The new contract will re-imbursement them for a portion of that expense.
“We now turn our attention to the transition/turnover process and have initiated our Reintegration Plan which is a deliberate process to ensure the qualifications, training and other site requirements of returning employees are current and meet all NRC or procedural requirements," Smith said. "As employees are reintegrated, we will be phasing out our alternate staffing/contingency plan and expect to have all of our union employees back to work this week.”
That reintegration process begins tomorrow morning at Entergy's Chiltonville training center.
Walter
5:31 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
The cobra payments were enough to make 50+ members understand an increase in cost and copayment was still a great deal. Imagine having to pay $2000 a month for health insurance?
Michael R. Landers
6:49 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Congratulations on a successful result.
Ernie Douglas
7:51 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Congratulations to Entergy managers for running PIlgrim safely and efficiently for over a month. In spite of all the union and anti-nuke fear mongering, you kep focused on safety and have inspired management around the industry. Thanks for ignoring the threats and vandalism by UWUA and just taking care of business. There will be silly allegations and more baseless charges in the coming days from unscrupulous UWUA hacks. Just stay focused on safe operation and try to tune out the snivelers.
Ron Reagan
1:56 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Ernie, you go in the plant at all ? That place was a sh*t hole. Yall were operating on a wing and prayer. Only you accomplished was throwing away personal items. I saw the condition of the plant, place should have been condemed by the board of health. Change your name to Ernie " no clue" Douglas
Nuclear consultant
8:24 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Ernie,
There won't be hardly anybody that admits to voting yes when they come back
They will mostly say they voted no
And you are right, management took care of business safely and efficiently
Nuna Buisness
9:36 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
I wish you had any idea what you were talking about. The regular employees will be happy to have them back!
MM May
5:01 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
Nuna Business, are you kidding me???? The employees are going to find it hard to forget the names that they were called day in and day out.
Freedom
8:59 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Ok, nc. If you say you don't work there, how do You know what goes on inside those walls? Just a stockholder, huh? Ya, I think not.
Walter
9:07 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Imagine losing 8 grand to gain nothing? Maybe better leadership in 2016 will leave a better result.
Meg Sheehan
9:18 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
I'll miss that Rat -- but will forever remember what it stands for.
Casey Meserve
3:10 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Ok everyone, name-calling is not allowed, remember? Read the Terms of Use.
Meg Sheehan
9:18 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Shame on J. Wayne Leonard for squeezing workers like he did.
Walter
9:38 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Shame on the 100 that changed their convictions and their votes. At least the original 40 had backbone. The rest folded when the health insurance bills arrived.
Is Brian still picketing with the 99%?
Freedom
10:15 pm on Sunday, July 8, 2012
Hey Walter
Your just another fantom blowing your horn at these people who do work that you could never do, and have no idea what bad places they have to work in at plant.
joe legion
4:06 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
Just another example of Corporate greed. The rat symbolized that. It was the best month of my life fighting for what I truely believed in. Hopefully everyone in their lives will get such an opportunity. If you do, you will realize you just can't put a price on it. I can't wait for the next contract 46 months from now.
Tom McCoy
7:23 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
Local 369, You are light of hope to the waining class of true Patriots left in America. I got to know some of you on the Patch. You are the Real Deal. Your Company, Its owners,managers and some of your co-workers are just a reflection of what we the average guy are being fed by 1% today. You deserve better than what they offered. Remember you're the reason they made 10% profit this year. Thanks for your sacrifice and for showing the American kids what a real union is and does.
Stand Proud
Citizen 99%
Walter
7:54 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
What does a real union do aside of misguide its members while forcing them to lose 5-12k only to accept what was mostly the original contract? The UWUA was broken because of union managements poor decision on the walkout option. That alone cost members a months pay.
Michael R. Landers
9:31 am on Monday, July 9, 2012
To Tom McCoy. Thank You. Well put. The workers won by sticking with their convictions. Even if they settled for less than what they deserved, they can feel pride for standing with their brothers and sisters. Management won because now the rightful job holders will resume their positions. The public won, because the public perception of under-trained substitute workers and unskilled staff creating unsafe operations will now go away. The only losers are the nay-sayers and anti-union commentators who have plagued this blog, spewing hatred for the last month. Most of us who live in Plymouth supported the workers in this fight and fully expected management to do the right thing. We can now breath a sigh of relief that our neighbors and friends will return to the jobs that they deserve. And to Walter - it was a lock out not a walk out and the membership voted democratically to not accept previous offers. That's how it works in America!!! Union Leadership recommended the original contract proposal to membership, the membership voted it down, knowing full well the repercussions. The important thing is that both sides have settled, no one was broken and but you are still anti-union. That would make YOU the loser.
Bill
1:34 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
yeah the real deal union in the top 3% of earners in the US....... way above the AVERAGE guy......and now gauranteed even higher pay. Maybe we can get the whole union into that top 2% ($150,000 a year). And you wonder why the majority of the US is against the guaranteed pay raises unions demand even if individuals in the union are in the bottom 1% based on job performance.....
Meg Sheehan
1:25 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Well said Mr. Landers.
Ouie, you are wrong that I don't care about the workers: everyone has a right to expect that Pilgrim will be run safely and in compliance with all laws, which is is not. Entergy should be required to make this radioactive waste dump safe and employ all of the Local 369 workforce doing it --- not some out of state workers from a contractor.
It appears you only care about promoting your selfish principles and bashing people who are willing to stand up to corporate greed.
Walter
4:08 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Most of the union is in the top 3-4% of wage earners in the USA. How did they stand up to corporate greed by demanding more money? Standing up to corporate greed would have been demanding lower rates for everyone paying electricity, not demanding more pay which will raise the rates
Bill
1:29 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Again with the 99% BS Tom? Like I said the majority of the members in this union may not be the 1% ($250,000 annual on a W2) but a significant majority are the 3% ($125,000 annual on their W2s) so like I said your a hypocrit pulling for those poor union members that make more money a year then 97% of the US.
Freedom
1:48 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
And they don't have to adhere to the standards of the nuclear standards so just shut up already
Freedom
2:03 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Also according to some of the supervisors that o have access to the replacement workers were barley able to do the job underhand underqualifyed wasthe term .
Just getting by is not the standard but worked good thing the public reall did not know .
You all who put down the union screw you all
Walter
4:06 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
What language is this?
They got the job done fine. The union forced a lock out that gained nothing and cost workers thousands but you will save $5 on your next copayment so that's a win.
Freedom
7:04 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
Honestly Walter, do you even have any friends? Because you surely don't know the meaning of loyalty. I am so proud of all those union people standing out there together, fighting for what they believe in. I proudly and loudly leaned on my horn every time I went by them. I'd take any of them on my team anytime! I'm guessing that's something you won't have to worry about. Kudos to Tom, Brian, Susan , Joe and Mike! There should be more of them around!
Walter
8:35 pm on Monday, July 9, 2012
They may have marched in circles out of fear of retribution from the nuts but 40 then 89 and finally 140 plus stood loyal against the fight. Stop spinning it the union management let down the union members. They got schooled by entergy.
What these members lost in wages will never be made up by this contract or the next but guess what pay your union dues because they always get their cut.
Waterfront Plymouth lockout
1:04 am on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
My Uncle Never gave in ,hes proud to be 1 of the 67 who said NO ,which was 174 a month ago.Nuclear consultant the workers you supervise know which department you work in and the workers will tell you off loser.
Ron Reagan
1:48 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
well said, and I was part of that 67. What I learn was how to prepare for retirement,
Freedom
10:29 am on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Walter
Really is that all you got name calling, sticks and stones Walter . If all the name calling got to it must have been true and then you work there?? Sometime the truth hurts
Look inside yourself , and stop being so bitter it will consume you or maybe that's what you want because you are so ineffective in the job you do that being a dick on here is your only outlet, nothing like a little cyber masturbating to make you feel good about yourself. Buck up and be a Man or pack up your balls !
susan Smith
6:30 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
OH My walter, now look at what you did! HMMMMM Walter, "Wally" whom ever you are. You need to just grow what Freedom said and get on with your life. Know that when these locked out folks come back all that work piled up will mount to OVERTIME so they havnt lost anything since ENTERGY had previously stopped OVERTIME. SO LET THE PAY CHECKS ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL right this way WALLLLLLLLLLLLL
Walter
8:56 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
The truth does hurt. You got a reduced copayment in exchange for 8-10k in lost wages which you never get back. Bravo. And who is name calling? Does Casey still moderate this blog?
susan Smith
7:18 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Overtime! roll the checks
Walter
8:59 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Damage control. Susan a months pay wont be made up by some overtime that may have occurred anyway. A months pay was lost for nothing. But spin it all you want and please throw as many insults as you can.
You're a union puppet that is clear just from your insulting tone and poor spelling.
Ron shorter
11:20 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
8 to 10 thousand ! what ??????
Ron Reagan
1:53 pm on Saturday, July 14, 2012
Don't know about the others, but the union did the right thing voting down the offers. The plant was a sh*t hole when we got back. You paint a pig sty, its still a pig sty . The place stunk, no work go done. Unless you call throwing away personal items as work. That plant was days away from shutting down.
Joe Smith
9:48 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
walter you dick..can you speak pig latin?..uckfa ouya, ouya uckinfa owardca...grow some testicles you dink. mind your own business and drop dead
Walter
10:44 pm on Tuesday, July 10, 2012
"joe" next time be more careful with the logins you outed yourself a couple of days ago. We a knew you were lazy at work but you're sloppy even online.
Ernie Douglas
6:34 am on Sunday, July 15, 2012
Ron, like your namesake you don't know what you are talking about. Plenty of work got done. Safely and efficiently. The plant was not days away from shutting down. Management has justifiably been complimented by the NRC, INPO, and the independent monitors who came in. I would have been happy for you stay out another month. But I am okay with you saying you did the right thing. And the company did the right thing by exercising their legal RIGHTS. Stop lying.
susan Smith
7:19 pm on Sunday, July 15, 2012
Wow, All I can say, is this "Proud to be one of the people who walked the line" And I am shocked that ENTERGY mgt would throw away personal items belonging to workers. This was not a strike. If it were , I could agree with tossing personal items, but when you do what they did, it is not right. Entergy said " No manager or supervisor will retaliate" Well guess what when you mess with the personal items of people I call that retaliation. Entergy owes each and every employee an appology for tossing items.
369bleckney
11:34 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Nuclear consultant ,no one is talking to you at work,3year old.LOSER get your job applications ready for Sears.