Plymouth Nuclear Plant Labor Dispute Leads To Lockout

A labor dispute at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth has boiled over, with management locking out unionized workers and both sides accusing the other of compromising public safety.

Dan Hurley, the president of the Utility Workers Union of America Local 369, which represents about 90 percent of the plant's work force, says plant owner Entergy locked out unionized employees after contract negotiations ended late Tuesday.

"We told them that we wanted to keep negotiating and we showed up to work [Wednesday] morning and they wouldn't let us in," Hurley said.

Hurley calls the move "deeply alarming." He says it's "despicable" that management continues "shortchanging" employees a week after getting a 20-year license renewal. He says Louisiana-based Entergy is demanding "major concessions on health care, salary and staffing."

Entergy says the plant has implemented an emergency staffing plan because the union reserved the right to walk off the job at any time.

With reporting from the Associated Press and the WBUR newsroom.