McNerney helps prevent cuts to lab worker retirement benefits

Responding to a blizzard of impassioned calls and emails from employees at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Congressman Jerry McNerney has helped prevent an estimated 20% cut in lab workers' retirement benefits.

Under the new plan, when the new manager takes over Oct. 1, Livermore workers will be given the same benefits as Los Alamos workers currently have under their new corporate manager, rather than lesser packages as was planned.

One month ago, lab workers deeply concerned about the impending cuts asked Congressman McNerney and other members for assistance. Congressman McNerney responded by signing a letter to Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and hosting a special town hall with lab workers and their families:

In June, Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, co-signed a letter with Tauscher and others to Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman expressing concerns about planned benefits.

McNerney said his office was receiving more than 10 calls and e-mails an hour on this issue, and several hundred people showed up at a meeting he held July 2 to hear employee concerns about their benefits. He said younger employees gave him the impression that they were ready to leave the lab over the issue.

"The real concern is that if they don't offer attractive benefits, they aren't going to be able to attract and retain the caliber of personnel needed to assess national security issues," McNerney said.

In a separate press release, Congressman McNerney said:

"I met with hundreds of Livermore Lab employees last week and heard from hundreds more through emails and phone calls to my offices," Rep. McNerney said.  "Late last week, I took all of those comments and concerns and brought them directly to the NNSA and Energy Secretary Bodman.  Based on feedback the proposed plan received, the Department of Energy will now offer a benefits package on par with benefits received by employees at Los Alamos National Laboratory," Rep. McNerney continued.

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"It is critical that the compensation provided to Livermore Lab employees is good enough to attract the best talent for the laboratory," said Rep. McNerney.  "The original NNSA-proposed package was not in the best interest of the laboratories, the scientific community, or national security."

"This move is a great first step towards providing lab employees with appropriate benefits.  I will continue to work with the NNSA and the Department of Energy to ensure employees receive the benefits they deserve, thus ensuring that Lawrence Livermore can continue the groundbreaking work in the national interest, for which it has a richly deserved reputation," Rep. McNerney said.