Garbage strike looms as talks continue; company lines up replacements

Both sides in a looming two-county garbage haulers strike met with a federal mediator Monday and afterward said talks are continuing.

But the union that represents workers in King and Snohomish counties and its largest employer, Waste Management, remain sharply divided over compensation and health benefits.

A spokeswoman for Waste Management said it's offering $1.50 per hour in wage increases over a proposed five-year contract that would bring union members' median salary to almost $71,000 per year.

The company also is offering to increase health benefits by $325 over the life of the contract, a 30 percent increase, the company said. Pension contributions would rise 8 percent over the five years.

"This is a generous overall compensation plan at a time when many companies are reducing their work forces and eliminating pensions altogether," said Jackie Lang, spokeswoman for Waste Management.

But Teamsters Local 174, which represents more than 500 workers, said the company is offering no wage increases the first year while increasing monthly premiums union members would have to pay for health benefits, from $30 to $80.

"What they're offering in wage increases would get eaten up in premiums," said Michael Gonzales, spokesman for Local 174. He also said that Waste Management's current offer still contains language that would allow the company to cut wages to make up for shortages in employee pension funds, something the union opposes.

A second garbage-collection company, Allied Waste, is negotiating separately with the union and is not releasing details of its offer, said spokeswoman Peg Mulloy.

Seattle officials said they hope the labor dispute will be resolved soon. The city's contract requires that the trash be collected, regardless of a strike, said Mark Matassa, spokesman for Mayor Mike McGinn.

On Sunday, garbage haulers at Waste Management and Allied Waste voted to authorize a strike if the contact dispute isn't resolved by Thursday. The current contract expires midnight Wednesday.

A strike would affect more than 1 million homes and businesses.

Waste Management serves about half of Seattle homes, unincorporated King and Snohomish counties, and Auburn, Bothell, Burien, Federal Way, Kent, Newcastle, Maple Valley, Renton, Issaquah, Kirkland, Redmond, Carnation, Duvall, Mill Creek, Monroe, Arlington, Marysville, Granite Falls and Darrington.

Allied Waste serves about 100,000 homes and 8,000 commercial customers in King County.

If Local 174 strikes, so will about 300 members of Teamsters Local 117, who won't cross the picket line. Generally, Local 174 drivers pick up garbage while Local 117 drivers haul yard waste and recycling.

In July 2007, when its contract with Oakland, Calif.-area garbage haulers was about to expire, Waste Management locked out 500 union drivers and brought in 350 replacement workers. Garbage piled up for 26 days, the city sued, and an Alameda County judge ordered the company to fulfill its contract. That dispute affected about 200,000 households and 9,000 businesses, according to news reports.

The following year, Waste Management agreed to pay about $3 million in refunds to customers whose garbage hadn't been collected and to spend $4.86 million to enhance recycling services to settle the city's lawsuit.

Here in Seattle, union representatives say replacement workers are already being brought in by the company.

Lang, the Waste Management spokeswoman, acknowledged that the company is calling in a large number of potential replacement workers as part of its strike contingency plan.

"We have to be responsive to our customers and be prepared," Lang said.

Information from Seattle Times archives was included in this report.

Lynn Thompson: 206-464-8305 or lthompson@seattletimes.com