Nuclear workers react in Ohio

Scan page 9

Strikers at the Fernald, Ohio, uranium enrichment plant SOCIALIST ACTIO NOVEMBER 1985 6 CINCINNATI, Ohio-More than 500 pickets joined in a rally at the Fernald, Ohio, uranium enrichment plant on Oct 8. Two days earlier the unions had voted to strike the feed materials production center, which processes low-level uranium into metal ingots for use at other nuclear-weapons production facilities.

The 646-member coalition of the Fernald Atomic Trades and Labor Council voted by a 75-percent majority to walk off the job onto a 24-hour picket line to protest health and safety conditions. The strike committee expects at least a month-long strike.

Negotiations have broken down between National Lead of Ohio, Inc., a private company that currently runs the plant for the U.S. Department of Energy, and the labor council, representing 15 craft and production unions. The old contract expired Sept. 30.

Workers at the plant find themselves in contact with radioactive dust, toxic chemicals and waste, heavy metals, and high voltage. National Lead calls the workers' demands for reduced radiation exposure "unrealistic." The unions want stronger monitoring and inspection plans, and increased worker participation in establishing safety guidelines.

Recent events underscore why workers are more than concerned. On Aug. 21, 1985, 2.4 pounds of depleted uranium and 135 pounds of magnesium fluoride powder, a byproduct from large metallic uranium forms, spilled, causing the evacuation of a plant building. Two days later, 20 gallons of aqueous hydrofluric acid, a very-corrosive fluid, spilled inside the plant.

Uranium dust released

Since the plant opened in 1951, Fernald has released 215,000 pounds of radioactive dust into the atmosphere and 163,000 pounds of uranium into the water, according to Department of Energy reports.

The reports claim that the leaks Socialist Action/Bob Henes present no public health threat. Another 11.3 million pounds of uranium are buried at the plant. From late September to early December 1984, more than 200 pounds of uranium dust were emitted into the atmosphere.

This release brought attention to the plant's out-of-date machinery. A community group has been protesting the leaks, and Senate hearings on the issue were held in the area. National Lead is proceeding with $350 million in improvements or nearly half the plant's replacement value.

A July 25, 1985, Department of Energy report concludes that renovating the 34-year-old system will not be enough to adequately reduce the risk of a catastrophic chemical reaction. Supervision and training must also improve.

National Lead is studying the health impact of uranium on humans in an effort to cheat employees out of workers' compensation benefits. Since 1956 they have used two plans for getting organ and body parts for this study. First employees were asked to make a posthumous donation of their organs or entire bodies for the company's study.

Failing to convince many to volunteer, they went behind the backs of the families and bargained with local coroners and pathologists to provide the company with body parts. The coroners are denying any role in the scheme. The Fernald workers' unions view the clandestine program as an effort to shroud work-related diseases.

The Department of Energy claims that "most major process incidents result from errors or conditions that can be traced to breakdown in management controls." Apparently even they got fed up with the slip-shod management of National Lead, and granted a five-andhalf-year, $900 million to $1 billion management contract to Westinghouse Electric of Pittsburgh. Westinghouse is due to take over operations at Fernald on April 1, 1986.

Westinghouse takes over

The takeover agreement includes layoffs for many of the 1100 workers. Given the upcoming change in management, the unions want to go for a oneyear contract, hoping for a better deal from Westinghouse.

Some are even hoping that Westinghouse will be brought in sooner, since National Lead seems uninterested in seriously discussing the crucial health and safety issues affecting both the workers at the plant and the residents of the Cincinnati area.

But whoever runs the plant, it is certain that the safety of the workers will take a back seat to management's interest in making a profit. And as recent experience shows, corporate takeovers usually signal even further attacks against the unions.

Distributors of Socialist Action in Canada:

Gauche Socialiste C.P. 152, succ. N Montreal H2X 3N4 Socialist Action Collective 96 Maryland Ave.

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 1K8 SFAC P.O. Box 12082 Edmonton, Alta.

Socialist Workers Collective

229 College St., Rm. 208 Toronto, Ontario MST IR4