Garbage-strike update: Drivers returning to work

| Utilities | West Seattle news

4:41 PM: The Waste Management truck drivers who went on strike yesterday are reported to be offering to return – here’s the latest from our regional-news partners at the Seattle Times. That’s led Seattle Public Utilities to issue this update:

Based on reports that striking Teamsters will return to work, Seattle Public Utilities is advising its Friday customers to put out their garbage, yard waste and recycling before 7 tomorrow morning.

Customers whose collections were missed due to the strike on Wednesday and Thursday may set out up to twice their garbage, yard waste and recycling on their next regular collection day, at no additional cost. Missed recycling should be set out on customers’ next recycling day, which would be in two weeks.

SPU will provide updates as needed. Customers with solid waste service problems may call the Call Center at (206) 684-3000.

6:12 PM: The Times story is updated now, and Waste Management is saying it welcomes the workers back. In addition, the two sides will resume talks on Monday.

Jacob April 22, 2010 (4:59 pm)

This amuses me. Sweet strike fellas, welcome back to reality.

ivan April 22, 2010 (9:42 pm)

The strike accomplished its purpose. It got Waste Management back to the table. THAT’s reality. Now we’ll see if they bargain in good faith. Demanding unilateral wage and benefit cuts at any time during a contract, without the ability to bargain them, is not serious negotiation, and is a long way from good-faith bargaining.

Know the facts April 22, 2010 (10:09 pm)

The reason for the strike was always to get Waste Management back to the tables. They had turned down the repeated attempts by the Union to meet. Drivers were always willing to work WHILE talks were happening but not continue to work without the hopes of talks and a contract!!

Jacob April 22, 2010 (10:49 pm)

LOL, ok fellas.

JD April 23, 2010 (6:58 am)

Sounds more like the union got scared w/ the support Waste Management had. WM now has the upper hand in these negotiations and I hope they use it.

ivan April 23, 2010 (9:37 am)

Some of you people just make me laugh. Support for Waste Management, my a**! WM has the upper hand? LOL! Union got scared? Don’t you wish?
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It has been widely reported that Dow Constantine and Mike McGinn had been telling Waste Management that if they want to do business in King County again, that they had better get back to the table.
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The scabs were in the air, now WM has to send them home. Slick move by the Teamsters, cheers for Dow and Mike!
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If WM won’t bargain in good faith this time, 174 will file Unfair Labor Practice charges. Obama has filled the two NLRB vacancies with recess appointments, and the Board isn’t likely to look kindly on clear violations.
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WM has blinked. Read it and weep, losers! They don’t want to risk losing this entire market, with competitors already on the ground here. Nice try, anti-union gomers, but FAIL!

KBear April 23, 2010 (1:27 pm)

I think it would be fun to watch all these union-bashers who say they’d be grateful to work for a trash collector’s wages GIVE IT A TRY. I’ll bet a single day on the job would shut most of them up for good.

Hippie9 April 23, 2010 (2:20 pm)

Wow! I lived in Toronto during the second-last garbage strike they had there (I think there was one last summer or so) and it dragged on for a very long time.

I had to buy a large Rubbermaid garbage can on wheels and put it out on my fire escape (apartment dweller here) to store my garbage. I also had to get bungee cords to keep the lid closed from the racoons.

The only thing that ended the strike was the impending visit by pope John Paul II.

The Seattle garbage strike was very easy to get through, by comparison!

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