Summary

Elected leaders in the region today urged a quick settlement of the garbage-hauling dispute between Teamsters Local 174 and Waste Management, with King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn sending a joint letter to both sides.

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Elected leaders in the region today urged a quick settlement of the garbage-hauling dispute between Teamsters Local 174 and Waste Management, with King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn sending a joint letter to both sides.

“I strongly encourage both sides to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible to work toward a quick and fair resolution to this strike,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “In the meantime, we are taking steps to minimize impacts for residents and making changes at our waste transfer facilities so our workers will not have to cross a picket line to do their jobs.”

Waste Management’s collection contract with Seattle covers about half of the city’s solid waste customers. Drivers in other parts of Seattle are covered by separate labor agreements and are not part of the current labor action.

”I fully support the collective bargaining process and urge both Waste Management and Teamsters Local 174 to return to the bargaining table quickly to reach a fair contract,” said Mayor Mike McGinn. “While the city of Seattle is not a part of these negotiations, we are holding Waste Management to its contractual obligation to collect and minimize any interruptions of service in Seattle.”

“We recognize that this is a regional issue and it will affect different cities in different ways,” said Mayor Linda Kochmar of Federal Way, one of the largest suburban cities that contracts for collection by Waste Management. “Our hope is for a speedy resolution to this dispute.”

King County and the cities do not collect garbage, nor are the striking drivers public employees.

To accommodate pickets, the Solid Waste Divisions of King County and of Seattle have established designated areas at transfer stations along with “neutral gates” so that their employees can enter and exit and continue their work. Public Health – Seattle & King County has conditionally approved extended hours for garbage disposal at the regional Cedar Hills Landfill if needed.

Waste Management provides collection services for residents and businesses in all or part of Algona, Auburn, Bothell, Burien, Carnation, Duvall, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Maple Valley, Newcastle, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Seattle and Woodinville.

Waste Management also provides collection services for unincorporated area residents and businesses in northeastern and southern King County, including the White Center, Highline and Skyway areas. In the unincorporated areas, garbage is collected by private haulers under franchises from the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC).