Peel garbage collectors on strike

Private waste collectors in a large part of Peel Region are now on strike after a midnight deadline came and went without a new agreement.

Talks between Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 183 and Emterra Waste Management broke down on the issue of wages and benefits on Wednesday afternoon.

Workers began picketing outside Emterra Environmental, at 1611 Britannia Rd. E. in Mississauga, before 5 a.m. on Thursday.

Residents are still being told to put their garbage out anyway. Emterra is responsible for finding a contingency plan for garbage pickup, Peel Region said, but details of that plan have not been released.

One Emterra truck driver was blocked by a picket line around 7:50 a.m. on Thursday.

The job action affects more than 60 per cent of homes in Peel Region, including large sections of Mississauga, Brampton and all of Caledon. About 150,000 homes are affected. A map of the affected area can be seen below, or click here to view it. A second private company, Progressive Waste Solutions, takes care of the rest of the area.

 

 

Garbage collection in the southern part of Peel is handled by a different company and not affected by the strike.

Residents are asked to put their garbage out according to their regular collection schedule. They can also drop off their garbage at one of the region’s community recycling centres, which will have extended hours for the duration of the strike. Residential disposal fees will not apply for garbage, recycling and yard waste during the strike.

Click here for the list of community recycling centres.