Waste Workers In Illinois Ratify First Contract

On April 25, 2011, workers who haul garbage to transfer stations and landfills in Illinois ratified their first contract that provides wage increases and many job protections.

The contract at Midwest Transfer & Logistics covers 43 members. The workers voted to join Local 330 on July 28, 2010. The company operates material transfer stations and recycling services throughout northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

“The workers remained united and strong throughout the negotiations and, as a result, they have won a fair contract,” said Dominic Romanazzi, President of Local 330 based in Elgin, Illinois. “These drivers work hard every day doing a difficult job, and now they have protections and guarantees that only come with a Teamsters contract.”

The three-year contract provides the workers with:

• A 3-percent wage increase across-the-board;
• Seniority protections;
• Progressive discipline process;
• Grievance procedure;
• Strong successor language;
• Guaranteed eight-hour day and 40-hour work week;
• Four-hour guarantee for Saturday, Sunday and holiday work;
• CDL drivers-license renewal reimbursement;
• Strong subcontract language/protections for company drivers; and
• Other gains.