Support Raleigh's Sanitation Workers

When Raleigh expanded its curbside recycling program in July, environmentally minded citizens cheered the decision. By collecting seven new items -- from milk cartons to cardboard to aluminum foil -- the city would help divert material from landfills while conserving natural resources.

But the change has brought to a boil simmering conflicts over the city's misuse of human resources: its hard-working sanitation employees. Last week, those employees staged two work stoppages in an effort to draw attention to abusive working conditions.

After launching the expanded recycling program, the city reduced its sanitation workforce by 10 percent under the mistaken notion that the new system would save time. Since then, the sanitation workers say, they have been expected to work 14-hour shifts -- and aren't being paid the time-and-a-half rate that federal law requires for employees who work more than 40 hours in a given week.

The workers complained to their supervisors and management about the illegal conditions, but the city took no action to address their grievances. Consequently, the workers took action on Sept. 13 and 14 by staging temporary work stoppages.

The workers have formed a chapter of N.C. Public Service Workers Union-UE 150 to help unite them in calling on the city to fix the flawed system. But according to a statement on the union's Web site, city management is taking a "divide and conquer" approach by holding meetings with select workers and separating drivers from loaders in an effort to weaken the collective voice.

The sanitation workers are fighting back, however. They have given the city until this Friday, Sept. 22 to meet the following demands: an immediate end to forced overtime; overtime pay after 40 hours worked and no comp time unless requested by workers; make temporary employees permanent and hire more workers to reduce workloads; no harassment or retaliation against workers for speaking out against these problems; and city to meet and confer with elected UE150 representatives employed in sanitation.

They are asking we the residents of Raleigh to support them by taking the following actions:

* Put out yard signs supporting the workers' demands;

* Contact the mayor and our city council representatives and ask them to initiate and support concrete changes;

* Ask our religious leaders to speak publicly in support of the workers' demands;

* Get civic and community organizations to issue statements to the media and city council supporting their demands; and

* Come to the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. and speak in support of their demands.

For a yard sign or to have a worker speak at a meeting, call 919-637-6949 or e-mail organize@us150.org.

The union is also seeking volunteers to travel the city in a truck with a public address system, passing out information about the sanitation workers' fight for justice and asking for the community's support. If you're interested in taking a shift (mornings from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., early evenings from 4 to 6 p.m. and late evenings from 6 to 8 p.m.), call Peter at 919-264-0201 or e-mail vandura@riseup.net and include your availability and contact information. Volunteers will receive an orientation to effectively represent the workers' interests and use the sound equipment.