Union trash haulers to return to work

Union garbage haulers agreed to end their two-day strike Thursday after Waste Management said it would return to the bargaining table. Stalled contract negotiations will resume Monday.

Trash, recycling and yard-waste collection for 1 million customers in King and Snohomish counties will start up again on regularly scheduled days.

The strike ended as abruptly as it started, with Teamsters Local 174 announcing Thursday afternoon that its 450 members were unconditionally returning to work Friday.

"We're happy. Our workers got a great victory today," said Michael Gonzales, spokesman for Teamsters Local 174, referring to the return to the negotiating table. Waste Management collection in both counties came to a standstill after the garbage drivers walked off the job Wednesday morning.

The company said it was pleased that drivers would be returning to work but blamed the union for not agreeing to contract talks this week.

"This unfortunate situation could have been avoided entirely if the union had responded to our earlier request to meet," said Jackie Lang, Waste Management spokeswoman.

The company had previously agreed to clarify its final offer of April 2, but the union said it wasn't willing to reopen substantive negotiations.

Waste Management was facing penalties of up to $1.5 million a week in Seattle if no garbage was collected, according to the city. The company had brought in replacement workers on the eve of the Teamster contract expiration March 31, but sent them home again when no strike happened.

The company scrambled the past two days to recall its "Green Team," managers from around the country who fill in during a labor stoppage or natural disaster. It had notified Seattle officials earlier on Thursday that it expected replacement workers to be on the job Monday, said Andy Ryan, spokesman for Seattle Public Utilities.

The company's final offer would bring top Teamster wages to $29.09 an hour in the fifth year of the contract, or $60,500, an increase of about $1,000 per year. The company says that with six hours of overtime per week, employees could earn $74,121 in 2015.

The company also is asking union members to increase their monthly medical payments from $30 to $50. The level of medical benefits has been an issue in the dispute.

The arrival of replacement workers carried risks for the union. Under federal labor laws, employers may permanently replace striking workers, although the union workers get priority for job openings once the labor dispute is settled, said Seattle labor attorney Joe Marra.

"If this strike went on, there might not have been jobs open for the union workers," he said.

Marra said the union could go out on strike again if progress isn't made in bargaining.

On the picket line earlier Thursday, two dozen union drivers in fluorescent-lime safety jackets walked the sidewalks outside Waste Management's South Park headquarters. Only a few trucks, driven by managers, entered or exited the truck yard, where about 150 garbage trucks sat parked.

Pickets stopped several delivery trucks trying to enter the yard, but only for two minutes, the maximum delay allowed under labor rules. As their roadblock approached the legal time limit, the strikers loudly counted down the final 10 seconds then parted to let the trucks in.

Carson Milbradt, an eight-year Waste Management driver, said that the company, in refusing to negotiate after making its final offer earlier this month, wasn't showing the union respect.

"I don't want to stand here and intimidate," he said on the picket line. "We want the company to negotiate."

Teamster leaders said they were concerned that the company might lock out workers if the strike continued. 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. That strike lasted 28 days.

Union garbage driver Ewart Grove Jr. said Thursday night that he was relieved to have the strike end and the company promise to resume negotiations.

"We really want to get back and service our customers and not let trash pile up," he said. "Hopefully, everybody will stay true to their word and bargain in good faith."

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and King County Executive Dow Constantine issued a statement praising the return to talks and urging both sides to "negotiate in earnest."

Seattle Times reporters Erik Lacitis and Carol Ostrom contributed to this report.

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