The delays in garbage collection in the city of Chula Vista and parts of San Diego County continue due to a strike by workers demanding a better labor contract.
Workers are asking for a new contract with the Republic Services company that primarily serves the city of Chula Vista and some zip codes in southern San Diego County.
Around 300 members of the Local 542 union say they were forced to stop working and show their dissatisfaction with the lack of an acceptable labor contract for them, which has not materialized for several weeks.
According to Dhoney Castillo, an employee of the company dissatisfied with the contract said that part of the strike has to do with working conditions during the pandemic.
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"The whole year of COVID-19, since COVID started, we didn't stop working for a single day, we were here fulfilling our customers, our community and this does not seem to be reflected in the contract that the company is putting on the table."
Castillo describes the contract they were offered as disrespectful, without going into more detail to what he was referring to.
The company Republic Services also did not go into details about the negotiations, but in a statement said they respect the rights of their employees who want to participate in them.
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Republic Services added that the company proceeds in good faith to reach a fair and competitive employment contract while continuing to work to continue the service as soon as possible thanking the patience of its customers.
The company issued the following recommendations for customers affected by the strike:
- Take out the garbage on the assigned day of garbage collection.
- Place excess trash in bags on the side of the trash bin.
- If the bin is not picked up on the scheduled day, customers are asked to leave the bin on the sidewalk and it will be picked up "as soon as possible."
- During this time the yard waste, recycling and collection of large objects will be suspended.
- Commercial garbage collection will be limited, giving priority to businesses affecting public health such as hospitals.
Chula Vista residents and businesses may take their trash to the Otay Landfill at 1700 Maxwell Rd, Chula Vista, 91911 during regular business hours. The city said residents will not be charged but must show proof of city residency. And businesses will need to identify as city businesses.
