So the problem is that garbage truck drivers for Waste Management went on strike in the Pacific Northwest yesterday at 10:30 am (Great timing - my garbage gets picked up at 10:30am). I wanted to understand more so I read further. Here are a few of the reasons I found for the strike:
- The company refused to bargain, this is now the third attempt they've had in trying to bargain a fair contract
- Sanitation worker is the fifth most dangerous job
- Waste Management is on a public relations campaign to create labor disputes so that King County and the public perceive the union as being a difficult player.
After this strike is over and the union workers get what they want, drivers will be making close to $110,000 a year (salary +pension+health benefits).
I've been trying to figure out why I'm so mad over this whole deal and it comes down to these guys being so freakin' selfish.
First, it is a down economy. I was out of work for more than a year and would love to have been pulling in these kind of wages. I can't believe they are so ungrateful that they would really risk a strike. The sheer audacity makes me furious.
Second, the union workers are affecting the general public. Not only is my garbage not being picked up but who in the hell do you think is going to pay for this pay raise they are going to get? I already pay too much for my garbage pick up as it is. And for what? I don't get special treatment, my cans are still all screwed up when I come home. I even found my can turned over in the street (can't officially blame this on WM drivers but I think he was mad when he didn't get a Christmas present).
Third, over a $100K a year for what? The truck does all the work. It is a rare occassion when I see the dude get out. Maybe when cans are too close together or there is extra garbage to throw in the bin. Maybe it's too hard to push a button and make the big arms lift the bucket into the back of the truck. Ohhh, while still sitting on my ass, I push another button and the garbage gets compacted. Ok, I drive to the dump and wait for it...I lift my pinky and hit another button to dump the garbage out. Seriously? Seriously? I am going to raise Tucker to be a Sanitation Engineer. He'd make a great living and wouldn't need to go to college.
I understand that they feel overworked and underpaid but they are not doing anyone any good by being selfish during this economic downturn. There are still thousands of people out of work and people losing their homes every day and they are concerned about making more. Give it up, guys. This just isn't right. Waste Management - fire them all and start over.
Let me know what you think.
Tales from the Tapletts
I've been trying to figure out why I'm so mad over this whole deal and it comes down to these guys being so freakin' selfish.
First, it is a down economy. I was out of work for more than a year and would love to have been pulling in these kind of wages. I can't believe they are so ungrateful that they would really risk a strike. The sheer audacity makes me furious.
Second, the union workers are affecting the general public. Not only is my garbage not being picked up but who in the hell do you think is going to pay for this pay raise they are going to get? I already pay too much for my garbage pick up as it is. And for what? I don't get special treatment, my cans are still all screwed up when I come home. I even found my can turned over in the street (can't officially blame this on WM drivers but I think he was mad when he didn't get a Christmas present).
Third, over a $100K a year for what? The truck does all the work. It is a rare occassion when I see the dude get out. Maybe when cans are too close together or there is extra garbage to throw in the bin. Maybe it's too hard to push a button and make the big arms lift the bucket into the back of the truck. Ohhh, while still sitting on my ass, I push another button and the garbage gets compacted. Ok, I drive to the dump and wait for it...I lift my pinky and hit another button to dump the garbage out. Seriously? Seriously? I am going to raise Tucker to be a Sanitation Engineer. He'd make a great living and wouldn't need to go to college.
I understand that they feel overworked and underpaid but they are not doing anyone any good by being selfish during this economic downturn. There are still thousands of people out of work and people losing their homes every day and they are concerned about making more. Give it up, guys. This just isn't right. Waste Management - fire them all and start over.
Let me know what you think.
Tales from the Tapletts
Posts
Yeah, unfortunately, as is often times with unions, they are being led down a path by the union leaders to justify the high payments they make to the union. The fact that they didn't let the union vote on Saturday, April 2nd on WM's "final offer" and receive the bonus if ratified was wrong. The leaders now realize they screwed up so they can only do one thing and tell the members to strike. It's an unfortunate game that I don't think most union members wanted to play. The union leaders still get paid their salary.
ReplyDeleteIf this is a free country like I was told, why there is only one company taking care of our garbage? Why don't we have a choice?
ReplyDelete