Waste Management strike spreads north; no pickups again Tuesday

The impacts of a strike by Waste Management are spreading
north, as Teamsters have extended their walkout into
Snohomish and Skagit Counties.

Striking workers set up a new picket line at Waste
Management’s Burlington facility early Tuesday morning.
The facility serves north Snohomish and Skagit counties.
Garbage workers are refusing to cross the picket lines
according to a representative of Teamsters Local 117.

Meanwhile, the trash and smells continue to pile up around
the Seattle area as the strike continues, and Waste
Management says there’ll be no residential pickup again
Tuesday as the strike enters day 7.

The strike affects over 200,000 customers in King and
Snohomish counties.

The company has brought in replacement drivers, and says
it will focus on commercial customers such as restaurants
beginning Tuesday.

Waste Management has rebuffed union demands to return to
the bargaining table to settle the strike by recycle and
yard waste drivers. Garbage haulers have refused to cross
the picket lines in solidarity.

“The company has left us with very little options to
persuade them to come back to the table. So the option we
have is to utilize the solidarity of the teamsters that
work at Waste Management,” said Brenda Weist, a
spokeswoman with Teamsters Local 117.

While no new talks are scheduled, Seattle Public Utilities
has warned Waste Management it could begin imposing fines
of up to $1.25 million a day if the strike continues. And
other cities could impose fines of their own.

Union officials say they’re more than willing to resume
talks, but insist the company won’t budge.

“It’s just an ongoing refusal to bargain that prolongs
this strike and prolongs the misery in this community,”
Weist says.