TEAMSTERS RESPOND TO PUBLIC OFFERS OF HELP
IN GARBAGE STRIKE


WIDESPREAD SAFETY VIOLATIONS ALLEGED

RENO, NV (May 12, 2004) — The Teamsters Union today responded to public offers of support for striking Waste Management employees in northwestern Nevada.

"A lot of people have asked us what they may do," stated Local 533 Secretary-Treasurer Lou Martino.

"The company has announced that their imported strikebreakers will not pick up recycling, something customers pay for in every bill. People have volunteered to protest by bringing their recycled cans, plastics and newspapers directly to Waste Management's Reno corporate offices," Martino said. The WM building is located at 100 Vassar, just east of S. Virginia Street in Reno.

"Union members thoughout the region have offered assistance. Because many of them have picket signs in their possession, we've asked them to picket Waste Management trucks during pickup in theirneighborhoods and to report unsafe activities," Martino stated.

PUBLIC SAFETY AT SERIOUS RISK         


"Citizens should contact Washoe County Commission Chair Jim Shaw, Sparks Mayor Tony Armstrong and Reno Mayor Bob Cashell and ask them to intercede because public safety is now at serious risk. Safety requirements under which we normally work have apparently been thrown out. We have seen improperly trained drivers not wearing seatbelts, speeding and working more hours than department of transportation regulations allow. Local government must enforce the law and review pre- and post-trip inspection forms to keep drowsy drivers off the road," Martino stated.

FASTEN YOUR FACE
...to the windshield

BREAKTIME — THE ABOVE STRIKEBREAKER prepares to break his face by operating
without a safety belt.
(Photo © 2004 Tim Harville/IBT 533)

OBSERVED VIOLATIONS
Unionbuster busts power company HQ

  *Failure to secure trucks to keep them from rolling during pickup
  * Failure to secure hydraulics, putting workers in danger of entanglement with crushing equipment
  * Workers crossing busy streets with trash containers, normally a firing offense
  * Frontloader trucks being driven with blades not fully retracted
  * Not utilizing drop box safety chains which are left to dangle from trucks
  * Trucks entering residential areas without engaging strobe warning lights
  * Reduction in routes and number of trucks
  * Temp workers without safety vests
  * Lack of tarps

"Trash collection is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country which is why safety is a principal cause of this strike,"Martino said. "The company constantly cuts costs by not hiring after someone quits, putting more stress on remaining employees," Martino added.

"Our people have observed a wide range of safety violations, " Martino asserted.

COMPANY DELAYS GETTING BACK
TO THE BARGAINING TABLE

"We did not resume negotiations until Wednesday because Waste Management's lawyers from a national union-busting firm could not fit Reno into their schedule," Martino stated.

In Washoe County, picket lines have been set up in front of Waste Management's main transfer station on Commercial Row, just across the river from the Reno Gazette-Journal; at the Stead transfer station; in Incline Village at north Lake Tahoe and at the recycling center on Greg St. in Sparks. In sprawling Lyon County, pickets are on duty in widely separated Dayton and Fernley. Demonstrators will also patrol the Lockwood/Mustang landfill in Storey County during hours of operation.

The strike began on Friday, May 7, and is the first for the area since 1967. That dispute lasted 12 days. About 350 employees have been working without a contract since the previous agreement expired April 18. Of the 350, about 280 are Teamsters members. Local 533 has represented disposal workers for decades.

The Northern Nevada Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO voted to grant strike sanction against Waste Management last month. The council is made up of 25 area trade unions.

Earlier this month, Waste Management workers in Fallon, a farming and naval air base community 60 miles east of Reno, voted unanimously for Teamsters representation.



DAILY GARBAGE STRIKE NEWS LINKS AND UPDATES

NEVADALABOR.COM 2004 STRIKE UPDATE PAGE

MAY 14, 2004, STRIKE UPDATE PAGE

POTENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS STRIKE AGAINST SBC


 

Reno City Council Contact Information

City of Reno
P.O. Box 1900
Reno, NV 89505

City Manager Charles McNeely — Phone (775) 734-2099, Fax 334-6307

Leann McElroy, Chief of Staff, 334-2022, mcelroy@ci.reno.nv.us
Steven Wright, Community Relations Director, 321-8302, wrights@ci.reno.nv.us
City of Reno Citizens Service Center
, 334-2099. renodirect@ci.reno.nv.us

Hizzoner Mayor Bob Cashell, 334-2001, cashellr@cityofreno.com
Ward 1 - Toni Harsh, 334-2011, harsht@cityofreno.com
Ward 2 - Sharon Zadra, 334-2017, zadras@cityofreno.com
Ward 3 - Jessica Sferrazza, 334-2012, sferrazzaj@cityofreno.com
Ward 4 - Dwight Dortch, 334-2015, dortchd@cityofreno.com
Ward 5 - Dave Aiazzi, 334-2016, aiazzi@cityofreno.com
At Large - Pierre Hascheff, 334-2014, hascheff@cityofreno.com

   You may contact the mayor, council and staff individually through the hot links, above, or look below and highlight, copy them as text only, paste them into your e-mail program and send to everyone at once. (Remember to retain the commas.)

<cashellr@cityofreno.com>,
<harsht@cityofreno.com>,
<zadras@cityofreno.com>,
<sferrazzaj@cityofreno.com>,
<dortchd@cityofreno.com>,
<aiazzi@cityofreno.com>,
<hascheff@cityofreno.com>,

Who's your representative? The Mayor and Councilman Hascheff are elected citywide. The remaining five councilmembers represent specific geographic districts. To learn who represents your neighborhood, click here.

Keep in mind that residents of the two incorporated cities also vote for county commissioners. Here are links to maps with which Washoe County, Nev., residents may determine their representatives. If you don't live there but have friends or relatives who do, ask them to make their feelings known. Of course, everyone is welcome to comment.

City of Reno Ward Map
City of Sparks Ward Map
Washoe County Ward Map

Sparks City Council Contact Information

City of Sparks
P.O. Box 587
Sparks, NV 89432-0857

City Manager Shaun Carey— Phone (775) 353-2310
City Hall Fax 353-1510
Mayor and council phone 353-2311

"Mayor Tony Armstrong" <tarmstrong@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"Mike Carrigan" <mcarrigan@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"Geno Martini Martini" <gmartini@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"John Mayer" <jmayer@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"Phil Salerno" <psalerno@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"Ron Schmitt" <rschmitt@ci.sparks.nv.us>,

   You may contact the mayor, council and staff individually through the hot links, above, or look below and highlight, copy them as text only, paste them into your e-mail program and send to everyone at once. (Remember to retain the commas.)

"Mayor Tony Armstrong" <tarmstrong@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"Mike Carrigan" <mcarrigan@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"Geno Martini" <gmartini@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"John Mayer" <jmayer@ci.sparks.nv.us>,
"Phil Salerno" psalerno@ci.sparks.nv.us,
"Ron Schmitt" <rschmitt@ci.sparks.nv.us>,

Washoe County Commission Contact Information

P.O. Box 11130
Reno, NV 89520

Telephone: 328-2000 (County Manager Katy Singlaub)
Singlaub Voice Mail: 328-2000

Fax: 328-2037 (County Commission)

E-mail links and phone numbers
Chairman Jim Shaw, 328-2005
Jim Galloway, 328-2005
David Humke, 328-2067
Pete Sferrazza, 328-2005
Bonnie Weber, 328-2006

   You may contact the commissioners individually through the hot links, above, or look below and highlight, copy them as text only, paste them into your e-mail program and send to everyone at once. (Remember to retain the commas.)

"Chairman Jim Shaw" jshaw@mail.co.washoe.nv.us >,
"Jim Galloway" <jgalloway@mail.co.washoe.nv.us>,
"Bonnie Weber" <bweber@mail.co.washoe.nv.us>,
"Pete Sferrazza" <psferraz@mail.co.washoe.nv.us>,
"David Humke" <dhumke@mail.co.washoe.nv.us>,

Your help is sincerely appreciated by the workers.

 

 

WHY IS GASOLINE SO HIGH? READ THE BARBWIRE OILOGOPOLY INVESTIGATIVE SERIES.

 

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