The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service announced Friday that labor negotiations at the Pantex nuclear weapons plant have been recessed for a while to allow the parties — Consolidated Nuclear Security and the Metal Trades Council — some time to “review new information and engage in internal discussions.
The recess was requested by Scot Beckenbaugh, the deputy director of the federal mediation service, who has been acting as mediation in the talks. About 1,100 workers at the plant near Amarillo, Texas, have been on strike since late August.
In a statement, Beckenbaugh said, “The parties met this past week and spent many hours in meaningful talks, focused on their mutual efforts to bridge their differences. This temporary recess is necessary in order to allow the parties to assess the new information provided and explore additional avenues for possible resolution. The parties will reconvene next week at a time and location to be determined.”
The federal agency said both sides have agreed not to comment to the news media “because of the sensitivity and the critical importance of the discussions.”
CNS, a partnership of Bechtel, Lockheed Martin and other companies, is the government’s managing contractor at the Pantex nuclear warhead assembly/disassembly center. The Metal Trades Council represents 10 unions at the federal plant.
Talks at Y-12, the sister plant to Pantex in the nuclear weapons complex, have been put on hold until the strike at Pantex is resolved.
A feature on Atomic City Underground allows readers to sign up for email updates and receive a notice each time new information is posted on the news blog. Just put your email address in the box on the lower right of the blog’s front page and follow instructions. Thanks to all loyal readers.
