Dive Summary:
- The strike between Waste Management and recycling drivers from Seatlle's Teamsters Local 117 continues for a third day
- On Thursday, Waste Management offered to return to the bargaining table if the Teamsters reported to work and stopped picketing. The union responded by saying it would take down picket lines on Monday if there were meaningful negotiations over the weekend. Meanwhile, service interruptions are wide spread in the Seattle area.
- Waste Management's contract with Seattle calls for a minimum $4,500 per day fines for service disruptions. The fines can reportedly jump to $250,000 per day after a week.
- The key point of contention in labor negotiations has been the disparity between waste and recycling haulers. Union leaders say new contract offer for recycling haulers leaves them significantly behind wages paid to waste haulers.
- See previous coverage here
From the article:
As garbage sat uncollected for a second day, Waste Management and its recycling and yard-waste drivers argued in competing news releases Thursday about whether picket lines would need to come down before labor negotiations could resume.
Waste Management said in the afternoon it would go back to the bargaining table Saturday if the Teamsters reported to work immediately and stopped picketing the company's truck-parking locations. The company also asked the union to give seven days' notice before it resumes picketing.
Several hours later, the union said it would take down the picket lines Monday if the company would meaningfully bargain Saturday. Brenda Wiest, spokeswoman for Local 117, said the workers don't intend to make concessions before an agreement is reached, but "we're willing to meet without any conditions."