In case you’re wondering too: No, the garbage strike does NOT include West Seattle

| Utilities | West Seattle news

Several people have asked us today whether our area’s residential solid-waste collection is affected by the strike against Republic Services. So in case you’re wondering too, the short answer: No. Long answer: In West Seattle and elsewhere, Seattle Public Utilities contracts with other companies for pickup – Waste Management and Recology. Their drivers are NOT on strike – the strike is against Republic only. The walkout started a month ago in San Diego and has since spread to Republic facilities in King County. While the city does work with a Republic-operated recycling facility, an SPU spokesperson is quoted in The Seattle Times as saying that will not affect service.

P.S. Separate from the strike situation, tomorrow’s MLK Day holiday also will NOT affect service in West Seattle, though some other areas of the city are on a one-day delay, as explained here. (Monday note: Some commenters say they’ve received notifications to the contrary – please let us know if you did too, as we will be asking SPU tomorrow about their apparently erroneous/incomplete announcement.)

Confused January 16, 2022 (6:47 pm)

I’m confused then because no one’s garbage on 26th Ave SW was picked up last Friday per usual although the recycling was finally picked up. Are they just trying to catch up from the delays in service due to snow? Or are the unincorporated areas of King County, who are serviced by Waste Management, affected by the strike or something else?

WSB January 16, 2022 (6:56 pm)

WM was still finishing catching up last week but there was no indication of a widespread problem. Hopefully you called it in?
https://atyourservice.seattle.gov/2022/01/10/solid-waste-collection-updates-week-of-jan-10/
- Confused January 16, 2022 (7:21 pm)
  
  I did report it. Thank you!

Reality Chick January 16, 2022 (6:50 pm)

WSB on the job with essential information–endless thanks for everything you do for our community!

JB January 16, 2022 (11:02 pm)

I also called WM on Saturday morning and their representative told me the garbage wasn’t picked up on Friday because of a shortage of drivers and would be picked up the following Friday of course with the usual caveat that you could double amount of garbage at no extra cost. When asked why the drivers who picked up the recycle on Friday couldn’t be paid overtime to honor WM contractual obligations to their customers, well he didn’t have an answer for that except to reiterate garbage would be picked up next Friday.

Derek January 17, 2022 (10:18 am)

Can’t force workers to work because it inconveniences you. This is why workers generally need higher wages and not CEOs, etc.
Sunrise Heights January 17, 2022 (11:26 am)

Two seperate companies do the garbage & recycling pickup for us.
Handsome Jack January 25, 2022 (8:45 am)

it’s always interesting to see the demands of people to make other people pay other people overtime to work in icy conditions, why don’t you pay an entire driver’s salary up front, maybe they’ll treat you with special care.. but then, that would be ‘unequitable’ to everyone else, wouldn’t it?

Meg January 16, 2022 (11:43 pm)

We received a text from SPU telling us our garbage, etc. will not be picked up Monday. It’s pushed til Tuesday due to the holiday. We’re in the Alki area.

WSB January 17, 2022 (12:12 am)

That would be entirely counter to what SPU says in the linked post (see the last paragraph and the final graphic):
https://atyourservice.seattle.gov/2022/01/12/mlk-collections-schedule-impacting-some-customers/

Are you collected by Recology?
- Meg January 17, 2022 (2:05 pm)
  
  Have no idea. The link in the message sent us to a site that referred to Recology but our garbage was picked up. Glad we didn’t pay attention to the text and put out everything.

Eric January 17, 2022 (9:22 am)

This is the voicemail I received yesterday afternoon from Recology:

“This is Recology King County. Your waste service provider, Recology King County will be honoring the vision and legacy of Martin Luther King Junior on Monday January 17th 2022. All collection service will be delayed by one day this week with no service occurring on Monday . Monday services will occur on Tuesday January 18th. Tuesday service on Wednesday. January 19th, Wednesday service on Thursday January 20th, Thursday service on Friday January 21st. And Friday service on saturday january 22nd. Thank you.”I assume I’m a Recology customer since they called me.

John January 17, 2022 (9:37 am)

I received a text and e-mail stating our collections would be delayed as well, but I am pretty sure we’re serviced by Waste Management in South Delridge.

WSB January 17, 2022 (10:06 am)

Thanks for the notes. If anyone else got a notification like that in West Seattle, we appreciate hearing about it so we can ask SPU about their incorrect/incomplete post … TR

Tanej January 17, 2022 (8:02 pm)

No snow. No ice. NO rain either. And NO garbage pickup. What on earth is going on with SPU? This is tiresome. At the very least.Yes, there was a LATE-afternoon text that pick-up was delayed. What excuse is there now?They ALWAYS tell us that a holiday does NOT delay garbage pick-up. We face 35th Ave., just north of Fauntleroy – not exactly in the boonies.

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