Striking workers to vote

BILLINGS – Union officials are urging striking municipal workers to reject the city’s latest three-year contract offer in a vote planned today.

A “no” vote would be a show of support for two probationary and 11 seasonal workers fired for not crossing the picket lines, said Joe Dwyer, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 190. Dwyer said the workers were within their rights and that the union would likely file litigation if the contract offer is approved with an amnesty clause.

“They are not Teamsters,” City Administrator Kristoff Bauer said of the 13 employees. “Under Montana law, they are at-will employees and if they don’t show up for work, that’s a good reason to terminate their employment.”

Bauer said granting the workers amnesty would be an insult to other probationary employees who crossed picket lines to return to work.

Bauer said up to eight replacement workers are ready to report for work at the city’s solid waste department on Monday if the eight-day strike isn’t settled.