Starting tomorrow, contract negotiations begin for Republic Services within Richmond, affecting Teamsters Local 315 members at West County Resource and Recovery (WCRR), Golden Bear Transfer Station (GBTS), and Richmond Sanitary Service (RSS). To kick off the bargaining marathon for four contract proposals, Teamsters and Republic will be commencing with WCRR and GBTS.
The contract proposal discussion points will comprise of wages, benefits, and working conditions. During these negotiations, we want to put much emphasis on working conditions, due to workers’ interests in avoiding serious injuries and retaining a union strong workplace. The key to our success this year will be highlighting two main concerns around working conditions: worker safety and outsourcing work. These are the Union’s main concerns during discussions due to stories from membership that shined light on problematic practices.
Teamsters Local 315 is optimistic about the solutions revolved around these topics, and will be engaging with Republic in order to make headway and accomplish appropriate accountability in the workplace where it’s needed.