Entergy and a union representing workers at its Pilgrim nuclear plant in Massachusetts reached a hard-fought contract agreement over the weekend, with the Utility Workers of America Local 369 voting to accept a new four-year contract Sunday night.
The agreement ends three months of negotiations and what unionized workers described as a lockout in place since June 6 when they were escorted from the plant and replaced with workers from elsewhere in Entergy's nuclear fleet. About 250 of the plant's 650 regular employees are members of the union. It had voted down previous offers over issues that included pay, safety, scheduling and healthcare premium increases.
In a prepared statement, union President Dan Hurley said: "We are pleased that our workers have voted to accept Entergy’s latest contract offer. 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."
The Quincy Patriot Ledger quoted Pilgrim Site Vice President Roger Smith as saying the agreement provided guaranteed wage increases and benefits that included a “premium health care plan, a company-matching 401(k) savings program, a defined benefits pension plan and a union incentive plan.”