Sandia, union agree on new contract

Metal Trades Council earlier jilted labs’ ‘ final offer,’ authorized strike

The union that represents more than 400 workers at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque has reached an agreement with the labs on a newly negotiated contract.

Negotiations had deteriorated at the end of September after the Metal Trades Council union rejected Sandia’s “last, best and final” offer and voted to authorize a strike.

Charles Carroll, president of the local MTC, said members voted to accept the revised agreement on Monday night.

“Sandia National Laboratories is pleased our union-represented employees have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement,” Sandia spokeswoman Heather Clark said in an emailed statement. “This new agreement, which is effective today (Oct. 10, 2017) through Sept. 30, 2020, is fair and competitive. The agreement enables Sandia to continue meeting its important national security mission.”

Carroll said the negotiated contract included changes to work hours and conditions and base wages.

Work hours by council officials investigating employee grievances were negotiated to now be 50 hours a week, Carroll said.

The contract with the previous contractor had allowed for 90 hours, he said.

The agreement stipulates that the union drop unfair labor practice complaints it filed soon after it rejected a proposed agreement in September.

The contract is with National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, the Honeywell International subsidiary that took over management of the lab in May in partnership with Northrop Grumman Corp.