California WM drivers vote to strike over collective bargaining standstill

Sanitation workers serving the cities of Corona, Eastvale and Narco, California, as well as the surrounding Inland Empire, have threatened a walkout if their employer, Houston-based WM, does not come to terms with a new collective bargaining agreement.

As reported by MyNewsLA.com, nearly 200 WM workers affiliated with Teamsters Local 396 voted in favor of a strike due to an ongoing stalemate in contract negotiations.

According to the Teamsters, the most recent collective bargaining contract expired in April, and little has been done since to achieve a new agreement with unionized employees seeking increased wages and benefits.

The impacted WM workers operate sanitation trucks in multiple cities throughout Riverside County and San Bernardino County. However, most unincorporated areas of Riverside County are not covered by Teamsters Local 396, nor are the municipalities in the eastern half of the county.

The Teamsters complain that while the company’s CEO, Jim Fish, has received higher compensation in 2021, frontline personnel “have not received commensurate salary adjustments.”

“Teamsters at Waste Management across San Bernardino and Riverside Counties are sending a strong message that they are ready to do whatever it takes to secure a fair contract,” Local 396 Secretary and Treasurer Ron Herrera told MyNewsLA.com. “Waste Management needs to take negotiations seriously to ensure that these essential heroes, who work hard to keep our cities clean and protect our environment, get a fair contract.”

Waste Today has reached out to WM for comment regarding the potential strike.