spacetoday.net: Strike ends at ALMA Observatory

Strike ends at ALMA Observatory

Posted: Tue, Sep 10, 2013, 9:21 AM ET (1321 GMT)
ALMA radio observatory (ESA)

A radio telescope in Chile restarted normal operations on Monday after the telescope's operator reached an agreement with striking workers. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) had been offline since August 22, when workers at the telescope in Chile started a strike, seeking better pay and shorter hours. The agreement between workers and Associated Universities, Inc., which runs ALMA, includes a reduction in the work schedule and a "small increment" in pay for those in lower positions, as well as an increase in the allowance for those who work at altitude. ALMA, located 5,000 meters above sea level, consists of an an array of telescopes that observe at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths.