Striking water workers suspended without pay

DETROIT (AP) - Three dozen Detroit Water and Sewerage workers will be suspended without pay for walking off the job in protest of the city's plans to downsize the department and eliminate most of the jobs over several years.

Water department director Sue F. McCormick says Monday in a release that 33 workers will get 5-day suspensions, while three union leaders each will be suspended for 10 days.

The suspensions follow 10 hours of disciplinary hearings Friday. They come with agreements that the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 207 workers may be fired for any future action that can be punished by suspension. The 36 workers walked off the job Sept. 31 at a wastewater treatment plant in southwest Detroit. Their union local announced the strike over on Thursday.