Montana state employee deal was in good faith

BILLINGS — An attorney for the state says Montana fulfilled its obligation to state employee unions when it submitted a pay raise later cut by the Legislature.

Labor Relations chief Paula Stoll said Monday that the canceled raises for 11,000 state workers had been negotiated in good faith.

Unions filed an unfair labor practice claim against the state last month. That came after the Republican-dominated Legislature rejected raises negotiated with Gov. Brian Schweitzer of 1 percent in 2012 and 3 percent in 2013.

MEA-MFT union leader Eric Feaver says the dispute would now go to a state heari...