Members of Teamsters Local 731 at Waste Management, Inc. (WM) in Chicago have voted by an overwhelming 2-1 margin for a strong new contract. The five-year agreement is being hailed as the richest ever negotiated by the 450-worker group and contains numerous improvements to benefits, contract language and working conditions.
“We were successful in these negotiations because we were united and determined at the table. I’ve been a proud union member for over 30 years, and the future has never been brighter,” said Glenda Schaller, a WMI driver. “We worked together and made a good contract better. As Teamsters, we’re always building, always gaining.”
Local 731 is currently negotiating agreements for more than 2,500 waste workers at several other employers, including Republic Services, Waste Connections, Lakeshore Recycling Systems, and several other private commercial waste companies for the city. At each employer, the Teamsters are fighting for higher wages, improved working conditions, and language guaranteeing workers the right to honor picket lines in the new contracts. The WMI contract victory marks the first group of workers to reach a deal in the Chicagoland area.