Highlights:
- After contract negotiations broke down late last week, many observers anticipated a strike or lockout between Waste Management and the Teamsters. For now, it appears that it is business as usual.
- The previous labor contract expired May 31st. Waste Management has offered the drivers a 4% annual raise each of the next six years plus a $2,000 bonus per person to ratify the contract. Union wants wages to more closely match waste haulers in the region.
- Union has authorized a strike and refuses to vote on Waste Management's "final" offer.
- Waste Management has brought in non-union drivers over the last week to prepare for a work stoppage of some kind.
- See previous Waste Management Dive coverage for more details.
From the article:
SEATTLE – With threats of strikes and lockouts, Puget Sound garbage customers were wondering Monday if their trash was going to be picked up. But there were indications Monday that work was going to happen as normal.
Over the weekend, Waste Management union drivers refused to look at the company’s latest contract offer, but said they would still come to work Monday.
Contract negotiations have been going on for the past five months between Waste Management and Teamsters Local 117, the union representing drivers who haul away recyclables.
Teamsters 117 says its workers do the same job as garbage collectors, but get paid much less.
