Metal Trades Department

Ron's Rants

Apr 16 - It's too easy to always blame the unions
By Fred Rumsey

Feb 17 - Ain't We Got Fun?
By Ron Ault

Dec 21 - It Finally Has Happened
By Ron Ault

Dec 15 - Americans Need to Rise Up and Tell Congress to Do Its Job, and do it Right
By Ron Ault

Sep 20 - What in the hell is wrong with our so-called “leaders?”
By Ron Ault

What's New at MTD

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY H.R. 4310 – National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013

The Administration appreciates the House Armed Services Committee's continued support of our national defense and supports a number of the provisions in H.R. 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. Read More...

Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO Strongly Opposes Changes in Worker Safety Contained in HR 4310 Defense Authorization Bill

Changes Will Put Nuclear Workers, Public Health and Safety at Risk

Washington, DC—The Metal Trades Department and its affiliated unions strongly oppose HR 4310 House Armed Services Committee’s 2013 National Defense Authorization bill—especially provisions changing the nuclear weapons worker health and safety programs.

The Metal Trades points to objections raised by Dr. Peter Winokur, Ph.D, Chairman, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, that proposed changes are based on a misunderstanding of research into work practices at nuclear laboratories.

Provisions included in the pending bill would shift the entire safety & health program to NNSA and eliminate current DOE worker health and safety standards and enforcement, substituting ineffective standards and “performance-based” oversight.

Contrary to claims that the bill would simply subject NNSA facilities to the same requirements as those under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the bill would eliminate workplace inspections and strip away protection against retaliation for raising safety and health concerns. It would eliminate any requirements for employers to record and report injuries and illnesses.

According to Dr. Peter Winokur the proposed changes to health and safety oversight at the nation’s nuclear facilities are based on a misunderstanding by the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee’s of the research and testimony of Dr. Shank, Co-Chair of the Committee to Review the Quality of the Management and of the Science and Engineering Research at the DOE’s National Security Laboratories. Dr. Winokur maintains that Dr. Shank focused his review on the need for laboratories to do research more efficiently and effectively, and how to improve morale at the laboratories. His committee did not review the high-hazard complex nuclear operations or any associated consequences of operations.

“[T]his testimony should not be used as the basis to argue against the need for independent oversight or eliminate transactional oversight at defense nuclear facilities,” Dr. Winokur asserted in a May 7, 2012 letter to Hon. Loretta Sanchez, Ranking Member Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Committee on Armed Services, Dr. Winokur is opposed to the proposed switch from “transitional oversight” to “performance-based oversight”.

High-Hazard Nuclear Facilities Risk Losing Thousands of Work Years of Institutional Knowledge

Health and Safety of Nation’s Nuclear Workers and the Public in Jeopardy

Washington, DC—If the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) successfully consolidates its operational contracts at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas thousands of work years of institutional knowledge could being lost, putting the nation’s national security at risk.

The NNSA plans to issue just one contract that will cover both facilities. This Request for Proposal (RFP) does not require the successor contractor to employ the existing workforce. Failing to include this provision in the RFP could prove dire at high-hazard nuclear operations such as these. “Without this provision contractors could employ unskilled labor putting the health and safety of the public and these skilled workers in jeopardy,” said Ron Ault, President of the Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO that represents workers at both facilities.

It has been a requirement since these facilities began operations that the workforce carries over. The MTD and its affiliated unions have asked DOE Secretary Dr. Stephen Chu to step in on the worker’s behalf and direct the NNSA to amend their current RFP so that it specifically requires the successor contractor to maintain the current workforce and the rates of pay and levels of benefits; a practice that has been followed for these facilities for more than sixty years.

The Metal Trades Councils—the Atomic Trades & Labor Council at Y-12 and the Metal Trades Council of Amarillo, Texas and Vicinity at Pantex—represent employees who work under five year contracts between the NNSA and private contractors. Although contractors change every five years most of the employees do not, some having been at the facilities for decades. Most hold the highest security clearance levels.

Workers at these facilities are also facing separate attacks to their health and safety in the form of HR 4310 House Armed Services Committee’s 2013 National Defense Authorization bill. Legislation pending in Congress would shift the entire safety & health program to NNSA and eliminate current DOE worker health and safety standards and enforcement, substituting ineffective standards and “performance-based” oversight.

The MTD and its affiliated unions strongly oppose changes in worker safety and health contained in HR4310, and believe it will put nuclear workers and the public’s health and safety at risk.

MTD Exec. Council Reaches Out to US DOE Secretary Chu on Behalf of Employees at Y-12 and Pantex Nuclear Facilities

The Metal Trades Department Executive Council has reached out to Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary, US Department of Energy, asking Dr. Chu to step in on behalf of workers at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. Read More...
Download:

DOEY12PantexConsolidationLtr.pdf

Jones Act has been good for Texas, America

Houston Chronicle By Dean Corgey Updated 08:22 p.m., Tuesday, April 17, 2012 "For nearly 100 years, labor and management, industry and government, and Democrats and Republicans have respected the vision of Andrew Furuseth that seamen are entitled to basic rights - and among the most basic of rights is the right to a job. Read More...

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Rally to Save Avondale Shipyard
October 1, 2011

Save Our Shipyards www.avondalesos.org