Residents can still drop off their garbage, but should keep their recycling at home as a strike by garbage truck drivers and mechanics heads into its second week.
"We can’t do all the recycling but we’re doing the garbage and the critical things that make it safe for the health of humans and bears," said Carney’s Waste Systems owner Owen Carney while taking a break from driving a garbage truck Wednesday.
Strike action began last week and, despite all-day mediation in Vancouver Tuesday, Carney’s and their striking employees are still at odds.
"We did not find a deal at the end of the day," said Don Swerdan, the members’ representative for the Operating Engineers Local 115.
He said roughly 70 per cent of the 30 employees voted against Carney’s offer.
"(The latest offer) still has not addressed the integral issues that we say have to be addressed and the guys are resolute in their ideals," said Swerdan.
Rotating strike action began last Thursday (Oct. 27) in the Whistler area. When approached that day none of the dozen or so workers standing outside the Whistler landfill would comment.
However, employees were at work in Squamish and Pemberton.
The following day the job action escalated to include all operations in the corridor. That’s when the union was given 72-hour lock out notice. Swerdan said employees have been locked out since 11:30 a.m. Monday.
Carney’s spokesperson Denise Imbeau said: "We have not locked out our employees."
Management is picking up the slack in the meantime, working 14-hour days, seven days a week.
"Everybody’s pitching in," said Carney.
The strike is affecting more than just the workers and Carney’s. Municipal officials and the RCMP are worried that overflowing recycling containers may attract wandering bears.
"We really (want) to encourage people to be extra diligent at this time of the year with the bears," said Brian Barnett, general manager of engineering and public works.
On Wednesday RCMP spokesperson Devon Jones said officers were staying vigilant for any extra bears due to the strike action.
"Police and bylaw are certainly keeping an eye open," he said. "We’re just making sure there isn’t a problem that does arise from this strike."
He has reviewed the police files and at this point there doesn’t appear to be any increase in bear activity due to the garbage strike.
"I haven’t seen an increase in bear calls coming in so I think things are running as smoothly as they can," he said.
The employees have been without a contract since May.
According to the union, one of the main sticking points is the cost of living increase to their wages. The current hourly wage for drivers is $22.09. The union wants 3 per cent cost of living increases each year for two years. The company has offered a 2.75 per cent increase each year for three years.
The union is also looking to modify language in the current contract that allows one of the assistant managers to drive the trucks.
"The manager driving is a huge irritation to this group," said Swerdan.
There are other issues too, he said, and even though they are getting close on some points, when all the things are added together the deals to date just haven’t been good enough.
"There’s no doubt that the company yesterday (during Tuesday’s mediation) came up with a better offer than they did before," said Swerdan. "We’re so… close. It really is sad."
Carney said he is trying hard to come to a resolution.
"I’ve upped the ante every time and they still refuse to go, so I don’t know what to do," he said,
When asked if the strike was timed to coincide with the planned closure of the landfill Swerdan replied, "absolutely."
The Whistler landfill was set to begin closure on Tuesday, Nov. 1. That was the date Whistler was to begin exporting its waste to the Rabanco landfill in Washington state.
"We’ve suspended that start date for waste export and the reason is that a new program like that will undoubtedly take considerable amount of co-ordination and management of resources to start and a significant amount of management time is now being spent on the strike situation," said Barnett.
The landfill is closing to make room for the Olympic athletes village. Even though there are very tight timelines associated with the development of the athletes village, Barnett is not worried the strike delay will affect the project.
Most of the work being done right now, he said, is planning, survey and geotechnical work, all of which can proceed despite the strike.
Still, the union strategically picked this time to strike because of the added pressure it puts on the employer.
"The position and ultimately the tactic is it adds pressure to the employer to say, ‘you know what, why don’t you just get to the table and start talking in real terms?’" said Swerdan.
As of press time Wednesday no further meetings between the company and the union were scheduled.
In a show of good faith, Carney said he would not be suspending benefits during the strike action.
"During a strike situation benefits are generally suspended or the premium is paid by the union," he said. "The union has not responded in this regard. I value my employees and their families, so I will continue to pay the work benefit premiums during this labour dispute."
