Illinois 4/18/24 - After months of intense negotiations between the National Union of Nuclear Security Officers NUNSO and the International Union, United Federation LEOS-PBA Law Enforcement Officers Security and Police Benevolent Association, and despite the Union-Busting activities from our rival Union out of Roseville, Michigan, our Union was successful in negotiating the highest wage increases these Constellation Energy at Braidwood and LaSalle nuclear security officers have ever seen in the Midwest.
The final LaSalle Nuclear Security package and similar Braidwood package which was overwhelmingly ratified by the membership of both Braidwood Nuclear and LaSalle Nuclear included:
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• A Three (3) year agreement.
• Economics - $1,250 Ratification Bonus.
• Wage adjustment to reflect Dresden wages for all senior officers making less than Dresden.
• Sr. Officer Rate will be adjusted to $31.88/hr prior to GWI increase below.
• 3% annual increase retroactive to 9/29/23.
• 2.5% annual increase on 9/29/24, 9/29/25.
• Year 2 & 3 Retention Bonus: $300 Trainee, Security Officer I through Senior Officer $600.
• Retention Bonus to be paid to active employees no later than the first 1st pay period in December.
• AIP Bonus: Security Officers will be eligible for the Exelon Annual Incentive Plan (AIP). The AIP award has a target payment level of 4% and a range of 0% to 8%.
• Employer agrees that the Ratification Bonus will be paid no later than forty-five (45) days after the ratification vote is held; per Constellation past practice.
• All language changes as previously agreed to and TA by the parties shall be included and incorporated into the the final collective bargaining agreement.
"The company Constellation is known for its tough bargaining stance of not paying more than 2.5% each year of the contract with a onetime ratification bonus of more than $750.00 finally caved in to our demands after we notified the company of a potential Strike at both Braidwood and LaSalle nuclear facilities. This is a historic contract that no other Constellation Nuclear facility has seen in the Midwest." noted lead negotiator Steve Maritas.
While we were attempting to negotiate the highest wage increases these Constellation Nuclear security officers at both Braidwood and LaSalle have ever seen, our rival Union SPiT-FA headed by its President David Hickey began his Union-Busting propaganda by taking to the YouTube airwaves in one of his many podcast video's trying to scare our members into abandoning our Union. Our members reported that Hickey / SPiT-FA was sending this video below by way of emails and text messages to not only our members at Braidwood and LaSalle, but to Dresden nuclear officers out of Illinois who were also negotiating their CBA and working very closely with NUNSO and its members as part of a joint effort to negotiate the highest wage increases ever.
In the end, Hickey's / SPiT-FA's Union Busting Tactic campaign was a FAILURE!
Not only did Hickey / SPiT-FA FAIL to convince our members at both Braidwood and LaSalle NOT to leave our Union NUNSO but he FAILED to negotiate a similar wage rate at Quad Cities another Constellation facility in Illinois who was also negotiating during this same time period we were.
Based on Quad Cities member reports all Hickey / SPiT-FA ended up with was a typical 2.5% yearly wage increase and a onetime ratification bonus of just $750 dollars. The only good thing that resulted from our negotiations on behalf of Hickey's / SPiT-FA's members was that his members received a 3% raise in the first year of the contract vs the typical 2.5% all other Constellation nuclear receive in the Midwest based on a me too clause the company puts in their contracts. Unfortunately, Quad Cities also did NOT receive the retention bonuses in year 2 & 3 that both Braidwood and LaSalle received since that was not part of the me too clause.
Please read the comments below from Quad Cities SPiT-FA members.
If you are a Nuclear Security officer seeking Union representation please contact the National Union of Nuclear Security Officers NUNSO @ 1-800-516-0094 and we will be more that happy to assist you in organizing a Nuclear Security Union at your Nuclear facility.