The 2020 New Orleans sanitation workers' strike is an ongoing strike by sanitation workers employed through PeopleReady and Metro Disposal contracted by the City of New Orleans, Louisiana. The strike began on May 5, 2020.
Background
The strike came in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Louisiana, which began spreading across the state in March 2020. Louisiana, and the city of New Orleans were among the worst hit states in the United States in terms of total COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 cases per capita. While employees of the City of New Orleans are entitled to job benefits, sick leave, and paid time off, the sanitation workers for New Orleans are not, as they are not technically employed through the City. The city contracts out the sanitation contract with a private firm, known as Metro Disposal. Metro Disposal contracts their employees through PeopleReady, a maneuver many critics have said, is utilized to minimize pay, avoid employee benefits, and maximum revenue. The organized workers called themselves the "City Waste Union".
History
According to the union, they originally brought their concerns forward in April 2020, but Metro Disposal did not respond to concerns. On May 5, 2020 the first strikes occurred after the Metro Disposal continuously refused to negotiate with the union. Per Gregory Woods, a member of the sanitation union, Metro Disposal refused to admit the sanitation workers on their property to avoid contact with union members. According to the union, after three days of striking, Metro Disposal terminated the contracts of the striking workers, and replaced them with prison labor and labor from halfway houses, As of June 20, strikes have been ongoing.
Demands
In an open letter to Metro Disposal and the City of New Orleans, and the New Orleans Sanitation Department, the City Waste Union outlined their demands or else they would go on strike. This included hazard and safety equipment provided to them by Metro Disposal, an increase of the standard day rate to $135 per day, a $150 per day rate of hazard pay until the end of the pandemic, seven paid days of sick leave, and the right to form a union. The union further outlined the Living Wage Ordinance, which covers workers that work for companies that are contracted by the City of New Orleans. Additionally, per pamphlets passed out by the City Waste Union, the hoppers were seeking an floor payment of $15 per hour, up from $10.25 per hour, as well the sanitation trucks to undergo routine maintenance by Metro Disposal.
Response
City of New Orleans
New Orleans mayor, LaToya Cantrell, issued a statement saying that the striking workers are not city employees and are employees of Metro Disposal, who are responsible for the treatment and protection of their workers. Cantrell said, that given the contract the city has provided with Metro Disposal, the city expects Metro Disposal to provide the workers with the necessary protections to minimize COVID-19 contamination during the pandemic.
Metro Disposal
Per the City Waste Union, Metro Disposal terminated employment to all striking workers and reverted to hiring workers from local penitentiaries and halfway houses. In a statement by Metro Disposal, the company, on hiring prison labor, claimed that they were being good corporate citizens by allowing inmates to return to society. "Metro Services Group has long been an advocate of helping persons who had been incarcerated return to society in a meaningful and productive way. Metro makes no apologies for this policy as a core element of our commitment to being good corporate citizens." The City Workers Union claimed that it was an attempt to outsource slave labor.
PeopleReady
PeopleReady has not commented on the ongoing strike.
The New Orleans chapter of the general union, the Industrial Workers of the World, assisted the City Waste Union in passing out pamphlets, and providing resources regarding the striking workers.
