Seattle trash collectors making nearly $110K, but want more (wages, high school, economic)

[summers73]

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis: Seattle Trash Collectors Make Average of $109,553 But Want More; 1,600 Apply to Haul Trash if Teamsters Strike

[lifelongMOgal]

But, but... its OK if union members make six figure income, just no one else.

[summers73]

Originally Posted by lifelongMOgal

But, but... its OK if union members make six figure income, just no one else.

Hopefully Seattle takes after Rhode Island's bold initiative when they fired all the teachers in a school.

[thecoalman]

I picked wrong career.

[North Beach Person]

Think what you do for a living. Then imagine what happens if it doesn't get done for a month.
Think what garbage collectors do. Then imagine what happens if they don't do their jobs for a month.

I stole that years ago and posted it on my wall to add perspective to smart ass high schoolers who looked down on manual labor and trash collectors.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by summers73

Hopefully Seattle takes after Rhode Island's bold initiative when they fired all the teachers in a school.

They work for Waste Management which I believe is largest garbage collection company in US.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

I stole that years ago and posted it on my wall to add perspective to smart ass high schoolers who looked down on manual labor and trash collectors.

I certainly don't look down on what they do but $109K per year is bit of stretch for a job practically anyone can do and then to reject it as not enough is absurd. The only requirement I can think of would be for the driver which would require CDL, basic CDL at least when I took the test is nothing to get. They might even require hazmat license which is little more and also require retesting every year or two but overall no big deal.

[Boompa]

Originally Posted by summers73

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis: Seattle Trash Collectors Make Average of $109,553 But Want More; 1,600 Apply to Haul Trash if Teamsters Strike

Why does this worry me less than hundreds of millions in bonuses to CEOs, trashmen at least work for a living

[WalterK]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Think what you do for a living. Then imagine what happens if it doesn't get done for a month.
Think what garbage collectors do. Then imagine what happens if they don't do their jobs for a month.

I stole that years ago and posted it on my wall to add perspective to smart ass high schoolers who looked down on manual labor and trash collectors.

I agree we need them, but market wages are based on the senario of losing all the employees you currently have, how hard will it be to get new ones.

So they strike, fire the lot. Is it hard to find new people with the same skill? Not really, which is why that job usually doesn't pay that much, which is why this lot is going to get themselves in trouble eventually. Ask GM about it.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

They work for Waste Management which I believe is largest garbage collection company in US.

Same response to some of this when people criticized the UAW. Blame the worker and not the businessman when it takes two to tango when negotiating a contract.

Having said that, Waste Management has always had a pretty cozy relationship with the Teamsters.