Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

More than 300 Montana state workers are considering going on strike.

The Teamsters Union is made up of maintenance workers, machinists, and laborers, and Union Secretary Dan Doogan says about 330 Teamsters work at the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT).

Doogan said, "In the winter time they keep these highways open in these major snow storms, just about anywhere in the United States if a snow storm like what we've had, you'd have governor's declaring disaster areas and shutting down the state. But it doesn't happen in Montana because the state employees here are just very professional and they work really efficiently and they are used to these types of conditions."

Doogan says the Teamsters have been in negotiations with the State of Montana for about a year trying to get a raise. He says they haven't received a pay increase in four years.

So he says in December, union members voted to reject the state's final offer and approved an option of striking.

Doogan says they've requested a mediator but the state hasn't shown urgency in negotiating.

The State's chief labor negotiator, Paula Stoll, says this issue is very important to the state, noting, "We'll go to the table. We'll got to mediation."

Doogan said, "When we go to those meetings I would expect them to have some sort of a offer that is acceptable to the unions."

However, it appears there aren't a lot of options for the state.

The Legislature didn't approve a pay increase for state workers. Therefore, MDT would have to find money within its existing budget to pay for the raises.

Doogan said, "It's the last thing that our members want to do, it's the last thing in the world that I want to do. I don't want to hurt the economy of the state. I don't want to inconvenience people or make it difficult for them to go to work. On the other hand we feel our membership isn't being properly acknowledged."

Stoll says the state received the request for mediation late last week and are hurrying to get a meeting scheduled.

Doogan says if it doesn't happen soon, Montanans may be without snow plows until the issue gets resolved.