A Waste Management official said Friday that the company would like to sit down and negotiate with striking Teamsters in an effort to end a four-day trash hauling strike. There was no immediate reaction from Teamsters Local 200. Bill Plunkett, a Waste Management spokesman, said the company offered to meet with union officials on Sept. 4, 5, 9, 16 or 23 in an effort to end the walkout. An estimated 240 members of Local 200 walked off the job on Tuesday, saying the company was coercing and intimidating workers. The workers' previous contract expired April 30. Both sides have accused each other of unfair labor practices, and have asked the National Labor Relations Board to review the charges. The offer to talk came as Waste Management replacement drivers continued to collect and transfer trash from thousands of residential and commercial accounts. Plunkett estimated that the replacement drivers, who have come from all over the country, will have caught up with collection efforts by Saturday. Plunkett also addressed Teamsters claims that the replacement drivers were not adequately trained to handle Waste Management equipment. He said drivers were thoroughly trained and were conducting daily safety and inspection checks. "Our people are top of the line Waste Management employees," Plunkett said. ...
Anytime
