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Strike At I-69 Construction Site

Last updated on Sunday, June 3, 2012

(WASHINGTON) - Picketers appeared at the I-69 construction sites east of Washington early Friday morning.

Picketers said that Teamster's Local 135 was conducting the work stoppage due to Gwaltney Drilling, a non-union contractor, being used on the job.

Pickets were located at both the 257 and U.S. 50 overpass construction areas.

Mike Crouch, President of Gwaltney Drilling said his company had been hired to plug some wells in the path of the construction. Crouch said they have tried to work with the Union and have complied with all the union requests. Crouch said he was as surprised as anyone when he heard there were pickets at the job site Friday morning.

When contacted, INDOT's District Office in Vincennes said that the situation is a local labor problem and that the contractor, Walsh Construction, a Chicago based contracting firm with Indiana district office in Crown Point, and the union were working to resolve the problem.

By Friday evening, an agreement was reached and work will resume with Gwaltney Drilling continuing their work plugging old wells for the highway project.

Attempts to contact a Teamster Local 135 offiical who will comment on the situation have been unsuccessful.

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