Local 164 Wins Allied Waste Worker $78,000 in Back Pay, Benefits

Thanks to the perseverance of leaders from Local 164 in Jackson, Michigan, Allied Waste has paid a former local member about $78,000 in back pay, pension and health and welfare contributions for wrongfully firing the worker.

“It feels great to win this case—there’s no more wondering what’s going to happen,” said Keith Miller, who worked at Allied Waste for 18 years before the company fired him on April 5, 2005. “Local 164 did a real good job. I was glad they believed in me.”

When Miller was fired, Local 164 took the case to arbitration and won. The company had alleged that Miller improperly drove his truck while picking up garbage. Miller was a swing driver, filling in for his coworkers who were ill or on vacation.

Allied Waste went to federal court to have the arbitration overturned. The federal court ruled that the arbitrator was wrong and sided with the company. Local 164 didn’t give up. The local took the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and won.

“The Sixth Circuit ruling occurred in February 2008 and since that time Local 164 has been in negotiations with the company to provide Miller with the justice he deserves,” said William Bernard Sr., Local 164 Secretary-Treasurer and principal officer. “We will never back down when a company mistreats or wrongfully fires one of our members, even if it takes years to resolve a case.”

On January 9, 2009, after nearly four years, the grievance was settled and Miller received the $78,000 in back pay and benefits.

Bernard, Sr. was Miller’s Business Agent until he became ill and turned the case over to his son, William Bernard, Jr., Vice-President and Business Agent. Bernard Jr. took up the fight for Miller.

“Keith was a member for 18 years and we never lost faith that we would win the case for Keith,” Bernard Sr. said.

“I applaud Local 164 for its leadership and excellent representation in this case,” said Bob Morales, Director of the Teamsters Solid Waste, Recycling and Related Industries Division. “William Bernard Sr. and William Bernard Jr. never gave up and stuck with the case and justice has prevailed.”