City of Hamilton, waste collectors find common ground

While more and more people practise social distancing, garbage trucks are back out on the streets of Hamilton, Ont.

The city and the outside workers unit of CUPE 5167 have resolved the health and safety concerns that prompted waste collectors to participate in a one-day work refusal on Monday.

CUPE’s Barry Conway says access to wipes, sanitizer and other personal protective equipment has been assured, as well as access to washrooms in road’s department work yards along their routes.

Conway says that washroom access had become an issue due to the growing number of businesses forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city has also suspended leaf and yard waste collection until further notice, and is urging residents to put tissues in the garbage instead of the green bin, which will limit exposures for the workers.

Conway notes that one of their concerns was “what do we have to be doing, why are we out there longer, why are we interacting with more folks or touching more things” during a period of social distancing. He adds that suspending leaf and yard waste will also help the city with “consistent scheduling, with putting workers together” in light of potential staffing shortages.

Conway also stresses that the workers take “great pride in being out there in the community,” but simply want assurances they can do it safely.

Paul Johnson, director of Hamilton’s emergency operations, says he’s “really, really thankful for the work that our waste collectors are putting in, our transit operators, our first responders”, adding that “everybody is doing what they need to do.”

He adds that the city will be “catching up with the stuff that didn’t get collected yesterday (Monday) while obviously doing the Tuesday work.”

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