Private securityExelon / Clinton nuclear officers ratify their first contract with NUNSO/LEOSU

Illinois' Clinton power plant // Source: commons.wikimedia.org

Clinton nuclear security officers working for Exelon at Clinton Power Station have voted on 8 May 2019, to ratify their first contract with the National Union of Nuclear Security Officers NUNSO / LEOSU.

Exelon is known for giving yearly across-the-board wage increases averaging 2.5 percent at all of its six Illinois nuclear facilities — Braidwood, Byron, Clinton, Dresden, LaSalle, and Quad Cities — but the union NUNSO / LEOSU, in addition to achieving this, also achieved much more after calling for a strike vote in protest of this usual 2.5 percent wage increase. In the end, the Clinton Nuclear officers agreed to accept the companies 2.5 percent across-the-board wage increase plus an additional $500 ratification bonus and retroactive pay going back to 1 March 2019, which amounted to a 4 percent wage increase in the first year of the contract.

“No other Exelon facility in the state of Illinois was able to achieve a 4 percent increase from Exelon,” noted NUNSO/LEOSU lead negotiator Steve Maritas,

In addition to the yearly wage increase, the union was also successful in negotiating paid bonding and primary caregiver leave and adversary engagement language, protecting the officers in the event of use of deadly force as well as other major language changes protecting their rights.