A spokeswoman for Waste Management of Alameda County said today that the city of Oakland's lawsuit against it is "unnecessary" because the company has already restored weekly residential garbage, yard waste and commercial waste collection services. Oakland City Attorney John Russo and Mayor Ron Dellums announced earlier today that the city filed a lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court seeking a court order to compel Waste Management to collect garbage that has piled up since the lockout.
Company spokeswoman Jennifer Andrews said Waste Management also will resume regular curbside recycling services Monday. "We've increased the number of temporary workers and are back to 100 percent" service levels, Andrews said. Waste Management locked out more than 500 employees July 2 after four months of contract negotiations were unproductive.
It then brought in temporary workers to collect garbage at the East Bay communities it serves, which are Albany, Emeryville, Oakland, Hayward, Newark, Livermore, the Castro Valley Sanitary District, Oro Loma Sanitary District in parts of San Leandro and San Lorenzo, San Ramon and unincorporated Alameda County.
Dellums said the uncollected garbage "poses a clear and compelling health and safety issue" and breaches the company's contract with the city. A hearing on the lawsuit has been scheduled for Monday.
Andrews said no further talks have been scheduled between Waste Management and the three unions that represent its employees.
(cbs5.com)
