Now that Rocky Flats will no longer produce nuclear weapons, officials anticipate there will be great pressure from Congress to slash its budget and cash in on the peace dividend.
Rocky Flats spent $800 million in 1990 and 1991 to answer the call that never came: to make nuclear weapons again.Spokesman Jeff Schwartz said Rocky Flats managers have already begun to tighten their belts.
The plant no longer recruits new employees; instead they are training current workers for new roles. Travel and purchases of supplies and personal computers will be reduced. And contracts with companies that provide technical writing or develop procedures will be reviewed.
Overtime expenses will be reduced immediately. Rocky Flats racked up $26 million in overtime costs in fiscal 1990 and $27 million in 1991. Overtime now represents up to 10 percent of the payroll. The goal is to trim that expense by half.
Rocky Flats increased its work force by 2,000 between early 1990 and late 1991 - the years when the plant's focus was on safety and getting ready to make weapons again.
Taxpayer-supported overtime wages averaged $35 an hour, at about three hours per week per worker.