Worker hours could be cut at Y-12 in response to sequestration

Note: This story was updated at 8:05 p.m.

The work week at the Y-12 National Security Complex could occasionally be reduced to 30 hours for many employees between April and October as part of a budget-cutting plan announced Thursday.

Under the proposal, nonessential personnel could work three 10-hour days rather than four 10-hour days every third week. The plan has been proposed in response to the automatic federal spending cuts scheduled to start taking effect at midnight.

B&W Y-12 General Manager Chuck Spencer said the cuts would require furloughs, or temporary layoffs, for most employees.

“Our tentative plan calls for furloughing most employees for some number of working days during the period from April 1 through October 1,” Spencer said in a Thursday message to employees. “We would maintain a 4/10s schedule, but roughly every third week would be a 3/10s schedule for nonessential personnel. The total number of days off will depend on a number of questions still to be answered.”

Spencer said B&W Y-12 has some good options for cutting some non-labor spending and would take advantage of other opportunities if they become available.

“However, in order to achieve the potentially necessary budget cuts, furloughs would be required for most employees,” he said.

The formal plan will be submitted to the National Nuclear Security Administration next week.

“As I’ve said earlier, we all are hopeful that none of these cuts will be necessary so that we can continue our important national security missions as scheduled,” Spencer said. “However, it is essential that we plan for the possibility of the sequester.”

He said B&W Y-12’s first priority is to continue operating the site safely and security, and the second priority will be to accomplish as much work as possible under a reduced schedule. Spencer said some work that can be moved into next year will be rescheduled, and some discretionary activities will be eliminated.

If the spending cuts take effect, B&W Y-12’s Human Resources will work to answer questions about effects and schedule changes, Spencer said. The company will also “continue to work closely with union leadership throughout the entire process,” he said.

The federal spending cuts are also known as sequestration. They were approved in the Budget Control Act of 2011 and meant to encourage compromise between Democrats and Republicans on deficit-cutting measures. The cuts, which include $85 billion in reductions on defense and domestic spending in the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30, were delayed at the beginning of the year.

President Barack Obama and top congressional leaders will meet tomorrow to discuss ways to avoid the fallout of the cuts, which could affect discretionary spending on everything from military readiness and international affairs to schools and the economy.