Fiery rhetoric overshadows some progress in concrete strike
Wednesday started with hope for forward movement as Teamsters Local 174 and representatives of four concrete-supply companies met to move toward a settlement of the concrete driver strike now in its fourth month.
But talks lasted for only five minutes, according to the union, before the employers caucused and then left without saying when they would respond to the union's offer to move negotiations to arbitration.
About 90 minutes later, the union issued a statement assailing "Seattle's greedy concrete companies" for delaying an end to the strike. Later, the companies said they need more time to evaluate the offer.
A spokesperson for Cadman, Glacier Northwest, Stoneway Concrete and Salmon Bay Sand & Gravel said the union offered to start "interest-based arbitration," which, according to the companies, would allow a third-party arbitrator to make business decisions regarding negotiations for the companies.
https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2022/03/24/concrete-strike-progress.html