Ibew Local 44 (Butte, MT) votes to strike to protect health care

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/06/10/build/state/75-nwe-strike.inc



NWE union authorizes strike
Associated Press

BUTTE (AP) - NorthWestern Energy's largest union on Wednesday turned down the company's final contract offer and authorized a strike, although a strike was not imminent, a union official said.

"We want to give them every opportunity to visit with us and work it out," said Don Hendrickson, business manager of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 44 in Butte. The union represents more than 300 NorthWestern workers, who have been without a contract since April.

"We're going to take some time and let things settle down. There's a lot of emotion right now," Hendrickson said.

Hendrickson would not disclose the vote results in Wednesday's tabulation but said the turnout was excellent.

NorthWestern officials said they were surprised by the rejection of what the company labeled its final offer.

"We are willing to listen to what the union has to say, but at the same time we had reached a tentative agreement on all the issues except for wages," said spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch.

The union said the three-year contract offer failed in areas of crew makeup, vacation issues and benefits.

The company offered a 10 percent general wage increase over the next three years, and Hendrickson said "this is not about money.

"It's about benefits and selling benefits back … we just don't want a benefit taken away."

He said some of the concerns involve years when the utility was owned by the former Montana Power Co.

Union members do various tasks for the utility, including running the system's operating and control center, conducting high-voltage switching, working on power lines and reading meters.

Union officials said the other three unions would likely honor the IBEW's pickets if a strike occurs. However, NorthWestern people said specific contract language with all the unions prevents them from walking out in a sympathy strike.

NorthWestern Energy's parent company, based in Sioux Falls, S.D., is in the midst of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan.

"For a company that's reorganizing and will emerge as a slow-growth utility, we believed that this was an attractive offer," Rapkoch said.

NorthWestern has said it has contingency plans to deal with a strike, if necessary.

"The company certainly does not want this; we'd much rather have an agreement. It's best for all involved, best for the employees and the customers," Rapkoch said.