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Baltimore City DPW will not resume curbside recycling collections next week

Posted at 4:31 PM, Oct 27, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-29 07:27:52-04

BALTIMORE — Baltimore City Department of Public Works will not resume curbside recycling collections as was originally scheduled for next week, citing an ongoing staffing shortage.

"It is unacceptable," said Councilman Zeke Cohen.

Cohen and Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer are fed up, holding a press conference Wednesday calling on Mayor Jack Young to act and raise wages for the city’s sanitation workers so they can be fully staffed and restart curbside pick up.

"Not having twice-a-week curbside collection leads to major issues across the city, leads to pollution issues, health issues," said Schleifer.

Back in August, DPW reassigned recycling employees to trash crews to ensure trash pick up is timely and consistent. DPW had hoped to restart curbside recycling pick-up November 1, but with the continued staffing shortage because of the pandemic, it’s not possible yet.

"We do not currently have enough employees reporting to work to sufficiently manage both trash and recycling collection routes. We need to make sure that we are fully staffed, equipped and prepared before resuming recycling collection," said DPW in a statement.

In the meantime, residents will have to continue to use the Community Collection Centers, which are located in each of the 14 City Council Districts.

"Not everyone has a car and can just schlep their recycling into the back of their car and take it to Sisson Street or somewhere else. It sends a profoundly unfair, negative message to the people that live here, that pay taxes, that contribute to this city," said Cohen.

These councilmen said they’ve been working since before the pandemic to address staffing shortages; that the solution is increase wages for sanitation workers.

"We could end this tomorrow. We could pay people a living wage and start recruiting and start getting our recycling back online," said Cohen.

They would like to see CARES Act money used to increase all positions by a minimum of $4 an hour. Now it’s up to Mayor Young to make that call.

"Why would you work on the back of one of these trucks doing life risking labor, where literally folks have died, where people can get sick, where people are constantly getting hurt... why would you do that for 11 bucks an hour when you could go to Amazon and make 15 bucks an hour starting salary? We have undercut our own labor market," said Cohen.

When asked about the raises, Young responded that the city conducted a market salary study that resulted in a 5 % wage increase for laborers and an almost 4% wage increase for solid waste workers.

"Baltimore City has the highest starting salary among our neighbors for employees performing this scope of work. We also continue to pay our solid waste employees the COVID-19 Mission Critical Stipend of $200 per pay," said Young. “My Administration has worked tirelessly to examine how DPW utilizes temporary employees. To that end, we have developed a plan to reduce the number of temporary, minimum wage positions which are also unbenefited and replace them with full-time positions that are benefited positions with a higher salary. This will undoubtedly reduce attrition within the Bureau of Solid Waste and provide for more efficient service delivery. The Agency has also invested in technology that will create greater efficiency in the deployment of our human capital. If the Councilmembers of the 1st and 5th Districts would seek out information as readily as they seek out news cameras and if they would fight to identify real solutions to the City’s ills as vigorously as they fight for photo ops, we could collaboratively work to solve many more problems for the residents of Baltimore.”

DPW expects to provide an update on plans to restart curbside recycling collections on Tuesday, Dec. 15.

Effective Oct. 31, all Community Collection Centers will be open on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. for recycling. Since the start of the community drop off program, 916 tons have been collected and there have been approximately 26,300 visitors.

In addition, residents can bring recycling to five Citizens’ Convenience Drop-off Centers located throughout the City.

When visiting a Community Collection Center or Convenience Drop-off Center, residents are reminded to wear masks and to practice social distancing.

Mayor Jack Young released a statement on the matter:

Last year, at my request a comprehensive market salary study was conducted for a number of AFSCME Local 44 classifications. In short, the study looked at many of our blue-collar workers including laborers and solid waste workers.

“The study resulted in a 5 % wage increase for laborers and an almost 4% wage increase for solid waste workers. We also increased salaries for our solid waste drivers by 4%. These wage increases were in addition to the negotiated COLA with AFSCME Local 44. Consequently, Baltimore City has the highest starting salary among our neighbors for employees performing this scope of work. We also continue to pay our solid waste employees the COVID-19 Mission Critical Stipend of $200 per pay.

“In addition to the aforementioned steps, my Administration has worked tirelessly to examine how DPW utilizes temporary employees. To that end, we have developed a plan to reduce the number of temporary, minimum wage positions which are also unbenefited and replace them with full-time positions that are benefitted positions with a higher salary. This will undoubtedly reduce attrition within the Bureau of Solid Waste and provide for more efficient service delivery. The Agency has also invested in technology that will create greater efficiency in the deployment of our human capital.

“If the Councilmembers of the 1st and 5th Districts would seek out information as readily as they seek out news cameras and if they would fight to identify real solutions to the City’s ills as vigorously as they fight for photo ops, we could collaboratively work to solve many more problems for the residents of Baltimore.”