Teamsters strike against Washington-based truck firm

Teamsters strike against Washington-based truck firm More than 500 International Brotherhood of Teamsters workers walked off the job in three western states Monday, after the contract talks between the union and Auburn, Wash,-based trucking firm Oak Harbor Freight Lines broke down, according to the Tri-City Herald newspaper.
   The workers walked off the job at Oak Harbor facilities in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, the paper said.
   This is the first strike at the 92-year old trucking firm, which employs about 1,300 and also has facilities in California and Nevada, the Herald said.
   Contract talks broke down over demand by the trucking firm that union employees enroll in a company provided medical plan and forego the Teamsters-provided plan, the paper said.
   According to the paper, the current contract with Oak Harbor expired in October.
   Oak Harbor spokesman Mike Hobby told the Herald that the strike is causing congestion at the firm's facilities in Washington and Oregon, and Teamster officials said the union will strike 'as long as it takes.'