Argonne Firefighters Face Difficulties in their Negotiations

Representatives for Argonne National Laboratory have taken a “hard line stance” in negotiations with our Argonne National Laboratory Firefighters. The Lab is seeking to reduce or otherwise modify countless provisions which have been in place for several years in prior agreements.

Shortly after the election certifying our status as representative, the Lab gave notice that there would be no more ability to exchange duty shifts of regular shift personal. They also denied a member’s request to drop paramedic certification even though the Lab had set terms for doing so in both the previous agreement and “pre-employment agreements each person had to agree to in order to be hired.

Charges were filed at the National Labor Relations Board for these issues, regrettably the Board sided with the employer, and our attempt to overturn the decision on appeal also failed, so these issues must be solidified in the new contract.

Since little progress has been made in seven months of negotiations, though the union had offered to tentatively agree to better than twenty-five of the Labor oratory's proposals; the local decided to bring in Mr. Joel D’Alba from Asher Gittler Greenfield & D’Alba LTD to assist in negotiations.