OAKLAND TWP — A labor dispute is blocking Pennsylvania American Water employees from reporting to work at the company’s facility on Oneida Valley Road.

Members of the Utility Workers Union of America Local 537 traveled from Pittsburgh Monday to picket outside the treatment plant. About five members continued the efforts Tuesday.

But the protestors outside the water treatment plant are not workers at the facility.

“They are in Butler to cause a disruption,” said Gary Lobaugh, a spokesman for the company.

The 21 union workers at the facility belong to another bargaining unit. But they are not working at the plant because of the protest outside.

“The union employees are not reporting,” Lobaugh said.

“They are showing up to work and indicating they can’t cross the picket line.”

The Oneida Valley Road treatment plant employees are allowed by their contract to not cross a picketing line, Lobaugh said.

UWUA Local 537 has been in a dispute with the company over a contract that expired in 2011. The two sides met for negotiations in March and May, but were unable to agree on terms.

Lobaugh said at that time the two sides came to an impasse, and the company had the right to implement its last offer to the union.

The company followed through on that option June 9, causing the union workers to strike shortly after, Lobaugh said.

“Contrary to the union’s allegations, this is not a lockout,” Lobaugh said. “The employees involved are Pittsburgh workers attempting to get unemployment benefits by calling this a lockout.”

The company maintains the union is trying to influence the state Department of Labor and Industry to award unemployment benefits to its members.

“It’s not quite a lockout when you’re walking out the door,” Lobaugh said. “There is not a lockout, and employees are urged to report to work.”

Lobaugh said customers in Butler County should not worry about the strike, saying the company is dealing with the absence of its union employees with managers and contracted workers.

“We’ve been prepared for such an act,” he said. “Customers will continue to get the same quality of water service.”

The production and distribution workers at the Oneida Valley Road facility are responsible for overseeing treatment at the facility and managing pipelines and meters in the field.

A UWUA Local 537 member protesting at the facility said the union has sent members to facilities around Pittsburgh, including to New Castle and to Butler County.

The man, who did not want to be identified, said the union is upset with the company for implementing a contract that reduced the amount of work for its members.

“Basically they changed our working conditions,” he said.

“They eliminated work from us by bringing in temporary workers.”

The company said the union members received a $2.20 per hour raise in pay with the new contract, and will receive future wage increases of 65 cents and 70 cents per hour over the next two years.

An average employee working 40 hours per week will receive an additional $4,576 in the first year of the contract, the company said.

Kevin Booth, the president of UWUA Local 537, did not respond for comment.