Teamsters One Vote Away from Garbage Strike

"green city, blue cans" courtesy of Flickr pool member zenobia_joy

Teamsters Local #174 represents, among other truck-driving groups, the sanitation collection workers who drive for Waste Management and Allied Waste (aka Rabanco). The Teamsters have been negotiating with both companies since February--reporting more progress with Allied Waste--but economics has proven to be a sticking point.

On Sunday, in a "near unanimous vote," Local #174 voted to authorize a strike. A second vote is needed to begin the strike, if the current contract expires on Wednesday without a new agreement. In a show of brotherhood, Local #117, whose members also provide sanitation services, voted to authorize a strike as well. ("Generally speaking," reports the Seattle Times, "Local 174 drivers pick up garbage, while Local 117 drivers haul yard waste and recycling.")

Waste Management provides garbage pick-up for about half the homes in Seattle. Customers served by CleanScapes should not see interruption of service, because CleanScapes' contract with Local #174 does not expire until March 2011, said spokesman John Taylor.

That said the company has also released a statement that reads, "CleanScapes’ operations may be affected due to picket lines at transfer stations and other related facilities. Our management team has contingency plans and is monitoring the situation. We will do everything we can to minimize any impact or disruption to our customers."

In an earlier newsletter, Local #174 laid out their requirements:

No surprise, along with numerous other items, our members want to have the cost increases in their medical plans covered, they want and deserve wage increases commensurate with their skills, and they want pensions that will provide a decent standard of living when they retire.

Picketing of Waste Management began last week, with workers telling KIRO TV they "were asked to cover up public safety hazards and possibly take a pay cut." Overweight trucks was one concern, as were "safety practices that push workers to cover up public safety hazards and workplace accidents."

Note the Teamsters: "Waste collection and disposal ranks as the fifth most dangerous job in the U.S. and sanitation workers are more likely to die on the job than firefighters or police officers."