For Immediate Release
Contact: Fran Smith
fran.smith@ettp.doe.gov
(865) 241-6226
Oak Ridge, Tenn., August 10, 2012 – Members of the United Steel Workers Local #9-288, Oak
Ridge Tennessee, ratified a new four-year agreement last night with URS | CH2M Oak Ridge
LLC (UCOR) for work being performed at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). UCOR
is the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) cleanup contractor for its Oak Ridge Reservation.
The agreement provides for a two percent general wage increase in each of the next four years
and covers changes to the benefits that are consistent with changes in benefits for non-bargaining
unit employees that were announced earlier in the year.
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 union also agreed to
changes to the company matching contributions in the savings plan, short-term disability pay
plan, and prescription drug plans.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with UCOR,” said Dennis Pennington, President
of United Steel Workers Local #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 responsible for deactivation and demolition of the K-25 facility at ETTP, as well as
other specific scopes of work at ETTP, the Y-12 National Security Complex, and the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory.
