Towamensing Township resident Roy Christman addressed the township board of supervisors last week regarding the current public works employees’ strike, ongoing since February.

Christman distributed a written statement noting the need for more women officials as men and women handle conflicts differently.

“Here we are spending tax dollars, seeing a decline in services, punishing long-term employees, and, I believe it is for one main reason: It is to show who is boss, who are the alpha dogs, who are the silverback gorillas. It is not helping our township,” he told supervisors.

Following another resident stating, “My suggestion is you work with the union,” Chair Guy Seifert replied, “It is an ongoing negotiation with the union. I can’t comment on that and can’t comment on the strike.”

The public works employees went on strike Feb. 6 over what their union calls the alleged illegal firing of a coworker and ongoing labor disputes with township leadership.

The workers filed unfair labor practice charges against the township containing six separate allegations, including coercion, direct bargaining and implementing unilateral changes to employment terms without union negotiation, according to Rob Resnick, a business agent with the Teamsters Local 773.

The strike was triggered by the suspension and termination of a township employee.

“We sent a notification to the township that we were conducting an unfair labor practice strike against the township,” Resnick said.