Sanitation Company's Substandard Wages Threatens the Future of Hundreds of Families LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of workers remain out on strike Monday morning as Waste Management Inc. (WMI) [NYSE: WMI] maintained the position that its employees do not deserve anything more than the substandard wages and benefits offered in its last proposal. The 450 sanitation workers overwhelmingly voted down the last proposal on October 18, and were forced to strike when the company refused to improve upon the offer. "It is a disservice by this company to the 450 workers and their families to negotiate this agreement in the media," said Ron Herrera, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 396. "Our union has made it quite clear to Waste Management that we are prepared to return to formal negotiations at any time." A hugely profitable company, WMI took in $13.36 billion in revenue in 2006, with a gross profit margin of 35.5 percent over the last five years. Last year, WMI took in an average of $278,395 in gross revenue per employee. Despite these figures, WMI continues to short-change the Los Angeles workers at the bargaining table. In comparison, Waste Management pays as much as $9 per hour more to its workers in other large cities across the country. "Waste Management's actions show how little the company respects our members," Herrera said. "These workers are committed to providing this valuable public service despite the inherent danger to their health and safety the job entails. Our members have made their view of the past proposals very clear to Waste Management and it is time for the company to respect that and return to the table to negotiate a more suitable contract." Teamsters Local 396 represents more than 10,000 workers in the LA County area, 3,500 in sanitation and more than 1,000 workers at Waste Management Inc. DATASOURCE: Teamsters Local 396 CONTACT: Galen Munroe of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, +1-202-439-7427,

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