ANCHORAGE, Alaska — In a 7-4 vote Tuesday night, the Anchorage Assembly did not approve a union contract for AWWU employees.
The contract was arrived at by a mutually-agreed-upon arbitrator, and required an eight-vote super majority on the assembly to pass.
Assemblymen Bill Starr, Adam Trombley, Chris Birch and Assemblywoman Jennifer Johnston voted against the contract.
In his remarks, Trombley said he couldn't support an increase of benefits for AWWU employees that the majority of his own consituents were not receiving.
Greg Walker, with the local Plumbers and Steamfitters Union held an impromptu gathering for the dozens of union members who showed up at assembly chambers in support of the contract. He said he was disappointed with the decision.
It is now up to the city administration to make one final offer to the union. If the union doesn't accept it, it could hold a strike vote at its meeting on Wednesday night.
