WM truck in West Oakland (photo by mk30)
Waste Management of Alameda County is the company that contracts with Oakland to pick up Oakland's trash.
Texas-based WM is the nation's largest trash company. Waste Management and its predecessor, the Oakland Scavenger Company, which Waste Management purchased in 1986, has been picking up Oakland's trash for nearly 100 years.
2014 Contract
In 2014, Oakland tried to change its waste contract (which lasts ten years - big contract!) to Oakland-based California Waste Solutions. In response, there was a huge lawsuit from WM. In a partial reversal, city council ended up awarding regular garbage and compost pickup (the majority of the work) to WM and recycling to CWS. In exchange, WM dropped its lawsuit. Learn more:
- http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Oakland-OKs-waste-contract-compromise-5774321.php
- http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Quan-says-she-a-deal-to-avoid-a-legal-battle-over-5765533.php
Labor
WM employees (all or just recycling??) are represented by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Learn more at http://www.ilwu.org/tag/waste-management/
Employees have held strikes in 2007 and briefly in 2013.
(please add more info here!)
Oakland location
Their Oakland facility is at 172 98th Ave. For Residential service: 510-613-8710 For Commercial service: 510-613-8700
Email: [email protected]. Hours are M-F 8AM-5PM. More info is on their site.
Please add to this page:
- info about the 2007 WM strike: http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jul/21/local/me-garbage21
- info about the 2013 WM strike: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/East-Bay-trash-workers-strike-for-5-hours-4357629.php
- info about the various political connections that were a part of the 2014 CWS/WM issue
- info about the paid petititioner issue that was a part of the 2014 CWS/WM issue.
- whatever else you think would be good to know :)
Links and References
Oakland's Scavengers, by Sierra Filucci
