No resolution is in sight for strikers at Gibbs Plumbing, Heating and Cooling, now in their fourth week of protest.

Keith Brace, a Gibbs employee, and Plumbers and Steamfitters Union Local 33 organizers Erwin Lopez and Rich Miller sat outside Gibbs, 127 S. Bell Ave., Tuesday with signs up, fighting what they claim are unfair labor practices by the business’ owner, Monte Gibbs.

When the strike began, seven employees signed up for the union, but three backed out, Brace said.

“Monte bribed the three, he gave them raises. We know this because of a conversation with one of the workers,” Lopez said.

Gibbs declined to comment on the strike. He said, while the strikers were allowed to speak freely about disagreements with management, he is required to watch his words carefully.

“I am going to talk to my attorney today to see if I can put my side of the story out there, but I don’t know if I can do that,” Gibbs said.

Being out of work for four weeks has raised financial concerns for the strikers, and last Friday they offered to unconditionally come back to work, Brace said. Gibbs, he said, didn’t respond.

“Two hours later he handed us a letter saying they would work through the strike,” Brace said. “He also canceled the health insurance of the strikers. I’m lucky because my wife has insurance through her work, but the other guys aren’t as lucky.”

Brace said he asked Gibbs if he and the other strikers were still employees, but Gibbs didn’t answer.

“If I’m an employee, I should still be able to receive insurance benefits,” Brace said.

Now, signs that bar trespassers from the premises have appeared at both the fraternity and Gibbs’ offices, preventing strikers from talking to workers during the day. This, Brace said, is another labor violation on Gibbs’ part.

Miller said the strike started when employees asked for more help and less overtime to complete renovation at the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, 203 Ash Ave.

“They needed manpower, and they went to the owner and asked ‘Can we hire more people?’ No one was ever hired,” Miller said.

Brace said before the strike there were two employees working on the Lambda Chi Alpha renovation, and now there are five.

“If they are late finishing, there is a large fine,” Brace said.

Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity officers were unavailable for comment for this article.

Another dispute involves calculating overtime.

Much of the animosity between workers and organizers could be settled.

“We wish Monte would be open-minded and sit down and have a meeting with us.” Miller said. “The union would actually save him money.”