UCOR and steel workers union approve four-year contract

A steel workers union has approved a new four-year contract with UCOR, the U.S. Department of Energy’s cleanup contractor in Oak Ridge, for work at the former K-25 site.

The agreement between UCOR and the United Steel Workers Local No. 9-288 of Oak Ridge includes a 2 percent wage increase in each of the next four years and benefit changes similar to those announced for non-union employees earlier this year, a press release said.

“In an effort to control the ever-increasing benefits costs, the union agreed to increased costs of co-pays for office visits, specialists, and emergency room visits,” the UCOR release said. “The union also agreed to changes to the company matching contributions in the savings plan, short-term disability pay plan, and prescription drug plans.”

Ratified by union members on Thursday night, the agreement covers work being performed at the K-25 site, which is on the west end of town and renamed the East Tennessee Technology Park.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with UCOR,” said Dennis Pennington, president of United Steel Workers Local No. 9-288. “This settlement provides stability in wages over the next four years in our contractual relationship with UCOR. The agreement remains consistent with our belief that everyone—the union, company, and the DOE—can benefit when the interests of the workers are successfully addressed in a non-adversarial environment.”

UCOR is a partnership between URS and CH2M Oak Ridge LLC. The company is responsible for deactivating and demolishing the K-25 facility at ETTP, as well as other work at ETTP, the Y-12 National Security Complex, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.