Teamster, Political Leaders Pledge Support and Solidarity With Locked Out Workers

OAKLAND, Calif., July 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of union members locked out by Waste Management Inc. (WMI) on July 2 turned out at a rally held in front of the company's Davis Street Transfer Station to hear pledges of support from local politicians and labor leaders from across the country.

Workers from Teamsters Local 70, Machinist Local Lodge 1546 and International Longshoreman and Warehouse (ILWU) Local 6 are in their second week of an ill-conceived lockout by WMI that has led to trash piling up across the East Bay area. Replacement workers brought in by the company have proven incapable of handling the workload the locked out union workforce has handled without any issues for over 40 years.

"Everyone here knows you would rather be working on the trucks," said Chuck Mack, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 70. "We are not going to let Waste Management dictate the conditions of a contract to any labor union in the Bay Area."

San Leandro City Council Mayor Tony Santos kicked off a speaking program sending a strong message to WMI management -- get your house in order.

"We have all been following what Waste Management has done and it is absolutely ridiculous," Santos said. "My message to Waste Management is simple -- it is time to end the lockout and get back to the negotiating table."

Fellow members of the San Leandro City Council, Jim Prola and Diane Souza also promised their support with Prola denouncing WMI's duplicity throughout the ordeal.

"Everything the Teamsters have told me has been true," Prola said. "Everything that Waste Management has told me has been a lie."

The energized crowd of more than 500 cheered throughout the rally as every speaker pledged their support. Berkeley Councilmember Kriss Worthington, summed up his position succinctly.

"Waste Management is treating their workers like trash," Worthington said. "Waste Management is treating its customers like compost. And they are developing a reputation of a company that stinks."

In addition to local political support, Teamster labor leaders also promised to help the workers see this through to the end.

"I am here to tell you that you have the full support of the International Solid Waste Division," said Bob Morales, Director of the Teamsters Solid Waste Division. "We will not let this evil company break our union."

The most compelling speakers at the rally were Steve Enrique and Andrea Trujillo. Enrique is a 40-year waste worker for Alameda County who had never had to strike or been locked out while on the job. Trujillo is a family member of a locked out worker and mother of a child with cancer.

"Two months ago the company gave me a pin and letter of congratulations for my 40 years of service," Enrique said. "Next thing you know they lock us out. For all the time I've been here I've never seen a company act so irresponsibly. They need to stop the lies and negotiate in good faith."

"We have a child who is a cancer survivor in remission, but he still sees an oncologist," Trujillo said. "With our health benefits possibly ending in July we will have an additional burden of a huge Cobra payment of $1,298.00 per month. How could a company that says they care so much about their employees put them at such risk? This will certainly put our family in financial ruin."

Local 70 represents 500 workers at Livermore, 98th Ave, Davis St. yards and Altamont and Tri-City landfills.