Garbage pickup delays to hit large part of Peel Region after collectors go on strike

Recycling and bulky items will not be picked up at this time, Peel says

Cbc.ca
Dec. 7, 2021

Peel Region says some residents should anticipate garbage pickup delays after 200 workers at a waste management firm walked off the job on Monday morning.

A municipal news release advising residents of a service disruption said that employees of Emterra Environmental, one of Peel's waste collection contractors, had gone on strike.

The work stoppage affects up to 250,000 homes in the southwest portion of Mississauga and  the western half of Brampton and Caledon. The strike also means the suspension of recycling collection.

The union's spokesperson said workers have resorted to a strike largely because of wages.

"There's another provider in the area doing the exact same work, that's being paid substantially more," said Jason Ottey, director of communications for Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 183.

"For our members, they felt that was really unfair. They're doing the exact same work in two thirds of the region."

Workers walked off the job on Monday morning after a deal presented by management was voted down by roughly 70 per cent of union members.

Ottey said bargaining has been ongoing since early 2021. He said the union is "sympathetic" to the disruptions affecting residents but feels the strike is necessary to achieve pay equity.

"We ask for your patience during this time as we work to address expected collection delays and service disruption," the municipal release said.

In a separate statement, a spokesperson for Emterra Environmental said the company remains "committed to our customers and business partners and are doing our best to minimize the impact during this labour disruption."

"A fair and competitive, fully recommended deal was presented and we ask that the union reconsider its actions given the impact this disruption could have on residents in the community, the environment, as well as our employees and their families," said Emterra CEO Brad Muter in the statement.

Garbage and organic waste will continue to be picked up, but on a delayed schedule, while recycling and bulky items will not be picked up "at this time," it added.

But Norman Lee, director of waste management with Peel region, said he's hopeful the situation will be resolved before the holidays are in full swing.

"It's a lot easier to hold on to a bag of recycling than it is to hold on to a bin of organics, if you have to keep it for a longer period of time."