Group joins many other Waste Management job classifications as Teamster members after spirited organizing drive

On the heels of a historic contract victory for Waste Management Teamsters at Locals 174, 117, and 231, a new group of Waste Management workers has voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Locals 174 and 231. The vote came after a rigorous anti-union campaign from the company which included a barrage of captive-audience meetings. However, once the votes were counted, it was clear that the almost 30 Scale Operators and Operations Specialists at eight different Waste Management facilities in the Puget Sound area would be the first of their work classification nationwide to successfully join the Teamsters Union.

“We are proud of these workers for standing up to management and making the decision to become Teamsters like so many of their coworkers,” said Teamsters Joint Council 28 President and Local 174 Secretary Treasurer Rick Hicks. “They were tired of being treated as second class workers while Teamster members were achieving the recognition of their contributions to the Company’s bottom line. This major decision to become Teamsters is going to be a life-changing experience for them. We look forward to welcoming them into our family.”

Teamsters Joint Council 28 represents approximately 650 Waste Management Teamsters covered under a Common Clauses Agreement across three Local Unions: Local 231 in Skagit County, and Locals 117 and 174 in King County. The new group will begin negotiations shortly to achieve a first contract.