Sixty members of Unifor Local 4268, employed by Waste Management Canada Corp. (WM), commenced strike action on May 2 over issues including forced overtime and a lack of work-life balance. The workers, who service commercial clients in Stoney Creek, Hamilton, Niagara, Brantford, and the surrounding regions, do not handle residential waste disposal.
Debbie Montgomery, President of Local 4268, emphasized the demanding nature of the workers’ roles, stating, “Our dedicated members handle the tough job of ensuring commercial businesses have their garbage and recycling collected and removed in a safety-sensitive environment. They should be able to go to work without being forced to work extra hours outside their shifts.”
The union has highlighted several grievances, including what it considers excessive invasions of privacy by the employer. According to the union, WM has on occasion demanded employees to provide proof of childcare or eldercare responsibilities, such as child custody agreements, in order to leave at the end of their scheduled shifts.
In addition to concerns about overtime and privacy, the strike also focuses on economic issues, such as benefits and pensions. Montgomery criticized the company’s contributions to pensions, which are currently matched at 50 cents on the dollar, as insufficient, especially “in the midst of an affordability crisis.”
“WM is a company that feels it needs to exercise the iron fist in order to get the job done at whatever cost necessary,” Montgomery said. She described the strike as a critical step for workers expressing their dissatisfaction: “It’s our members who are paying the price – whether it’s losing time with their loved ones or being afraid they will randomly face disciplinary action. Strike action is our members saying, ‘We’re fed up. Show us some respect.'”