The ENSTAR operating employees strike is over, but the workers do not have a new contract. After two and a half weeks, they voted to return to work today.
Greg Walker with Local 367 says not all of the employees wanted to go back, but he says they didn’t want the community to suffer.
“There’s a tremendous amount of work that needs to be done in the state. I know that the developers, many of the people who have new construction and are looking for gas service to be put to those homes, are way behind schedule. And we don’t want the community to suffer in this strike.”
Walker says the union is trying new tactics to come to a contract agreement with Canadian-owned ENSTAR over retirement benefits. He says they will continue to picket, and the strike sent the company a strong message.
“Did we make any progress whatsoever? We’ll only know that answer down the road,” he said.
John Sims with ENSTAR said in a statement that the company accepted the employees’ unconditional offer to return to work, and all offices are open for regular business.
The union says the operating employees’ old contract is still in full force while negotiations continue.
Anne Hillman is the healthy communities editor at Alaska Public Media and a host of Hometown, Alaska. Reach her at ahillman@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Anne here.
