Council rejects union's grievance

The Havre City Council on Monday night rejected the police union's grievance over health insurance, but city and union officials said the two sides may still be able to avoid binding arbitration.

"We have tried diligently to work with the police union, and it's almost like it's - we're not making any progress, " Havre Mayor Bob Rice told the council before it voted 8-0 to reject the grievance.

The Montana Public Employees Association, the union representing 17 police officers, filed the grievance on Sept. 5 after the city began taking a 45 percent insurance premium increase out of the offic...