King County Recology customers facing possible garbage strike

Recology customers in King County could be facing a smelly and unpleasant problem after six office employees authorized a strike that would shut down garbage collection.

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The vote by the small group office data specialists at Recology, who are Teamsters Local 174 members, came amid stalled contract negotiations.

Because the union is the same one that represents the drivers and dispatchers at Recology’s Seattle location, all members of Local 174 Recology Teamsters have the right to refuse to cross the picket line.

According to a news release from the union, when the small group of specialized workers first voted to join the Teamsters, they expected to get the same terms and conditions as the 230 other members of the union serving communities in Seattle, Shoreline, Bothell, Des Moines, Issaquah, Mercer Island and Maple Valley.

The union said if picket lines were to be extended, even more workers and communities would be affected.

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“This is short-sighted corporate greed, as Recology would rather face a countywide strike than treat these six additional people with the same dignity and respect that has been bargained for the other 230 employees that they work with,” said Teamsters Local 174 Secretary-Treasurer Rick Hicks.

Now that a strike has been authorized, Teamsters Local 174 leaders can call for a work stoppage at any time.

Additionally, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Solid Waste Division has given approval to extend picket lines throughout Recology’s jurisdiction in the Western US, Teamsters Local 174 said.