Labor Negotiations

2021 Labor Contract Updates

The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) collective bargaining agreement with Sandia National Laboratories expires Sept. 22. The agreement covers about 490 employees.

Negotiations for a new contract are scheduled to begin Aug. 17. The agreed-upon dates are Aug. 17-19 and 31 and Sept. 1-2 and 14-16. Sandia’s team is prepared and has offered to negotiate every day between Aug. 17 and Sept. 22, including weekends and nights, if additional time is required and the union becomes available.

Please refer to this website for any significant updates on the contract negotiation.

• Nov. 10, 2021, 9:08 p.m.
  Sandia is pleased bargaining between the labs and the OPEIU concluded with union members ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement tonight that is fair to employees and enables the labs to continue meeting its important national security mission. The new contract is effective through Sept. 24, 2024.
• Nov. 2, 2021, 5:06 p.m.
  With the assistance of a mediator, Sandia and OPEIU negotiators have reached a verbal tentative agreement on a new contract that would last through Sept. 24, 2024, which is fair and competitive and supports Sandia’s national security mission. Sandia encourages union members to vote so their voices are heard. Sandia respects the union’s right to present […]
• Oct. 18, 2021, 7:28 p.m.
  Sandia and OPEIU negotiators met today for the first time since the contract expired Sept. 22. Union negotiators passed a comprehensive proposal that revisited several economic and non-economic articles. Because of the limited amount of time reserved for bargaining today, Sandia requested time to review the proposal and to meet again before the weekend. OPEIU […]
• Sept. 30, 2021, 10:32 a.m.
  Sandia was committed and had requested to resume bargaining this week, but union negotiators were unavailable. Scheduling conflicts exist for both teams the next two weeks, and therefore the teams do not plan to return to the table until Oct. 18. Sandia has offered to continue bargaining before then by exchanging proposals electronically in hopes […]
• Sept. 22, 2021, 8:44 p.m.
  Sandia and the OPEIU negotiated into the evening without reaching an agreement. Sandia is waiting for a counterproposal to its most recent offer that included lump sum and wage increases totaling 6.5% over three years. The current contract expires at 11:59 p.m. tonight, and the union has notified Sandia that its members will work without […]
• Sept. 21, 2021, 7:20 p.m.
  OPEIU proposed a comprehensive package this evening in response to Sandia’s second comprehensive proposal. Sandia’s team is working to respond to the union tomorrow. Sandia’s goal remains to reach an agreement that is fair and competitive, and which supports its national security mission before the current contract expires tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. If the contract […]
• Sept. 20, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
  OPEIU negotiators today said, “No,” to Sandia’s comprehensive contract proposal offered Thursday, Sept. 16, and countered on several articles. Sandia is disappointed with the union’s unwillingness to clarify its priorities for a new contract. Sandia negotiators are working this evening to provide another comprehensive proposal in response to articles passed by the union today. Union […]
• Sept. 18, 2021, 7:45 a.m.
  Sandia’s offer of a $900 early ratification bonus ($500 for student interns) expired at 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 17, without a response from OPEIU negotiators. As a result, and as communicated to union negotiators, the early ratification bonus is no longer available. The remainder of Sandia’s comprehensive contract proposal, which was given to the union […]
• Sept. 17, 2021, 1:54 p.m.
  Sandia and OPEIU negotiators plan to meet Monday morning, Sept. 20, to continue bargaining. The current collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22.
• Sept. 16, 2021, 5:42 p.m
  Sandia offered the OPEIU a comprehensive contract proposal that includes a total 3.75% wage increase over three years. The proposal has a $900 early ratification bonus ($500 for student interns) that expires at 11:59 p.m. tomorrow (Sept. 17). It also includes a continued generous health and benefits package. The union has not yet committed to […]
• Sept. 16, 2021, 1:53 p.m.
  Negotiations slowed this morning with the OPEIU saying, “No,” to several Sandia proposals but not offering any new counterproposals, including on wages. Several of the rejected proposals were benefits articles passed to the OPEIU on Aug. 19 with no response from the union until today. Sandia re-emphasized that its offer of an early ratification bonus […]
• Sept. 15, 2021, 7:00 p.m.
  Sandia is encouraged by today’s productive dialogues, which included discussions on many different topics. Sandia and OPEIU negotiators met virtually twice and reached tentative agreements on four articles. Tomorrow is the eighth and final scheduled negotiation day that OPEIU has agreed to. Much work still needs to be done before an agreement can be reached. […]
• Sept. 14, 2021, 3:47 p.m.
  In the first bargaining session since Sept. 2, the OPEIU “walked out” of virtual negotiations this morning after about 15 minutes of discussions and as Sandia was preparing to present a wage proposal. The labs would have preferred to have a dialogue, but instead submitted by email its first wage proposal, which included a ratification […]
• Sept. 10, 2021, 1:08 p.m.
  Sandia sent OPEIU three counteroffers during the off week and is eagerly awaiting productive discussions on the numerous articles that Sandia has provided to the union without receiving a response. These articles cover nearly the entire breadth of day-to-day operations, including hiring, training, leave and benefits. Efficient, two-way dialogue on these issues, which include economic […]
• Sept. 2, 2021, 6:17 p.m.
  Sandia and OPEIU negotiators met three times today to continue discussions on various issues. According to Sandia’s accounting, 22 articles are pending a union response, including 10 articles that form a comprehensive benefits package. Four articles need Sandia’s response. With three previously agreed-to days left to negotiate before the collective bargaining agreement expires, Sandia has […]
• Sept. 1, 2021, 6:55 p.m.
  The bargaining teams met virtually three times today and exchanged counterproposals and questions and answers on several issues. Overall, according to Sandia’s accounting, there are currently proposals on 21 contract articles waiting on responses from OPEIU. Sandia is working on its responses to proposals from the OPEIU on six articles. Currently, the OPEIU negotiators, led by an international […]
• Aug. 31, 2021, 6:18 p.m.
  Negotiations resumed this morning with Sandia’s manager of training and development listening to the OPEIU’s concerns about training for office administrative assistants, followed by a presentation from Sandia’s senior manager of benefits regarding benefits changes for 2022. OPEIU passed two counterproposals and asked the company for clarifying information on a handful of the company’s proposals, […]
• Aug. 26, 2021, 6:48 p.m.
  Sandia has used the week between negotiation sessions to review OPEIU proposals and draft counterproposals. To continue progress and accelerate next week’s discussions, Sandia has returned 10 counteroffers to the union this week. At the request of OPEIU, Sandia has agreed to continue negotiating virtually. We expect to resume Tuesday.
• Aug. 19, 2021, 6:32 p.m.
  Negotiators had another busy day as Sandia and the OPEIU continued virtual discussions on several articles in the bargaining agreement. During the first two days of negotiations, the Labs has offered proposals and counterproposals on more than 30 articles, and OPEIU has offered about 20 proposals and counterproposals, according to Sandia’s accounting. That leaves less […]
• Aug. 18, 2021, 5:40 p.m.
  Sandia and the OPEIU began virtual contract negotiations today. The tone of negotiations was positive and productive as numerous proposals were discussed. The talks today set a good foundation, and Sandia is looking forward to continued discussion planned to resume Thursday.
• Aug. 16, 2021, 5:05 p.m.
  At the request of OPEIU negotiators, Sandia has agreed to delay the start of bargaining until Wednesday. OPEIU negotiators have committed to making up the day at a later date. Sandia looks forward to the beginning of negotiations.