Teamsters Local 350 members employed at Garden City
Sanitation and Milpitas Sanitation have recently achieved a significant
milestone by overwhelmingly ratifying their successor contract on June 15,
2023. Both units, operating under one collective bargaining agreement, form a
robust team of over 80 drivers. While Garden City Sanitation provides garbage
collection services to single-family homes in parts of San Jose, Milpitas
Sanitation is the City of Milpitas’ comprehensive service provider for garbage,
food scraps, recyclables, and yard trimmings. The contract ratification comes
after both companies were acquired by Waste Connections in late 2022,
introducing new opportunities and challenges for the unionized workers.

Lead negotiator Sergio Arranaga acknowledged the numerous
challenges that Teamsters Local 350 members at Garden City and Milpitas
Sanitation faced over the past year. The arrival of a new owner, coupled with
the final year of their Collective Bargaining Agreement, heightened tension
among the workforce. However, Arranaga expressed his pride in the dedicated
team’s resilience and commitment amid uncertainty. By embracing change and
working together, the employees found effective solutions while remaining
focused on achieving their goals. Arranaga expressed optimism and confidence,
stating that the union was eager to surmount future obstacles and build upon
this strong foundation.

The bargaining committee played a crucial role in the
negotiation process, representing the interests of Teamsters Local 350 members.
The committee comprised three elected rank-and-file members: Mike Broderick,
Mike Renshaw, and Duane Sauer. Together with the negotiating team, they worked
tirelessly to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

“I am 100% in support of this recently ratified
collective bargaining agreement. As a negotiating committee, we were able to
come to an agreement on over 95 different items. We received 99% of the items
proposed by our members, providing us with well-deserved salary and pension
increases, no out-of-pocket insurance costs, and a ton of member protection.

I have great respect for our Local 350 leaders who do this
day in and day out! All in all, a GREAT contract."

With the support of the negotiating committee, the membership
secured a contract that addresses their key concerns and provides them with
improved wages, pensions, and worker protections.