Dive Brief:
- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 150 announced Tuesday that 69 drivers, mechanics and welders working for WM in Sacramento, California, voted to join the union. The local said the win was its first with waste workers in the city.
- Separately, Local 350 announced more than 60 California Waste Solutions drivers and mechanics ratified a new five-year labor agreement. The contract includes improved terms, including what the union described as an “industry-leading” ninth week of vacation time.
- The wins come as the union continues to gain ground in California. At the end of the month, more than 3,000 Teamsters-represented waste workers’ contract will expire in southern California.
Dive Insight:
Organized labor and the waste industry have been at odds over several issues in California in recent months.
The state legislature passed a union-backed bill that would void haulers’ ability to claim force majeure through their waste and recycling franchise collection agreements in situations where they are forced to halt service due to a work stoppage. The bill was supported by Teamsters California and the California division of the AFL-CIO but was opposed by the state's largest waste companies, including WM, Recology and Republic Services.
The bill came one year after a series of strikes occurred around the country as labor agreements with Republic Services expired. The conflict reached several California cities, prompting complaints about missed pickups. Republic has previously said it would offer credits to affected municipalities following the strikes.
In recent years, Teamsters negotiators have taken an aggressive approach to labor negotiations, thanks in part to increased backing from the union's top leadership. While last year’s flare up ended with several new contracts, other locals have continued to negotiate their own contracts.
In April, the union received a favorable decision from the National Labor Relations Board that forced a Republic subsidiary into labor negotiations for workers at its Newby Island Recyclery in Milpitas, California. In July, workers at Republic Services' Buckeye Landfill authorized a strike if negotiations broke down. Those talks remain ongoing.
Republic had the highest unionization rate among the five largest public waste companies in the country as of last year. Union officials have said the company is difficult to deal with in negotiations. But in its announcement this week, Local 150 also accused WM of union-busting with captive audience meetings and spending on “union busters.”
"This win was a long time coming, and it did not come easy," Francisco Covarrubias, a WM worker, said in a statement accompanying the Teamsters' release.
WM was not immediately available for comment.
Local 350 celebrated its contract with California Waste Solutions in its Monday release. In addition to the added vacation time, the union chapter also highlighted raises, protections for relief employees and improved work rules in its release.
“Every time we sit down at the bargaining table, we know the expectation of the members is to raise the bar. This contract does exactly that," Robert Sandoval, secretary-treasurer of Local 350, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, negotiations are expected to continue between eight waste companies — including Los Angeles franchise contract holders WM, Republic and Athens Services — and Local 396. The union chapter represents waste workers across 29 facilities in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
In a release last year, the union said it synced up contract expiration dates to put workers in a better bargaining position for the highly populous area. The union is targeting higher wages, safer working conditions, more affordable healthcare, retirement security and stronger job protections, according to the release.
