TTeamster strike could affte junk hauling in Oakland and around Bay Areahe striking sanitation and junk removal workers have found more support on the West Coast, as fellow teamsters upheld the picket line at various Republic Service hauling yards in the Bay Area. The workers are exercising their legal right to in refusing to cross the line due to a string of unfair labor practices.

The strike, which was started in the Memphis area, has now extended the picket line to Republic junk hauling yards and recycling facilities in Fremont, San Jose, and Richmond. The union members feel slighted by several violations of federal labor laws perpetrated by Republic, including the cutting of paychecks, slashing overtime pay, and unfair surcharges in insurance coverage.

This is not uncharted territory for Republic. Over the past year, the company has forced several major lockouts and strikes, disrupting junk removal and trash hauling for hundreds of thousands of people. With reported profits of $572 million dollars in 2012, Union representatives feel they are owed fair compensation for their efforts.

Ken Hall, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer, said, “Sanitation work is the fourth most dangerous job in the country. These workers are two times more likely to be killed on the job than police officers, and seven times more likely to be killed on the job than firefighters. But Republic is locking workers out of their jobs without pay, cheating them in their paychecks and demanding contract concessions even though the company makes hundreds of millions in profits each year.”

Republic has facilities in Daly City, Pleasanton, and Pacheco as well, but there is no word on whether or not the picket line will spread to them. If it does, trash pick-up in other Bay Area cites like Hayward, Castro Valley, San Leandro, Oakland, Milpitas, and Sunnyvale will be impacted as well.

If these strikes have effected trash hauling services in your area, don’t hesitate to call Fast Haul. We will make sure your haul is disposed of in a quick and environmentally friendly manner.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130418-912359.html?mod=googlenews_wsj