?Update! I posted the message below outlining several asks made by my office to improve working conditions for DPW Solid Waste Sanitation Engineers — including a pay increase laborers and drivers. I’m excited to announce that on January 15th the Board of Estimates will be considering that pay increase for some of the hardest working city employees in the city after completing negotiations with AFSCME Maryland!
This is also an important step in improving service to our citizens, as many the agency is frequently losing drivers to the private sector due to the demand for trained CDL drivers. When I worked alongside a sanitation crew last year, they mentioned liking the job but also noted that they could make more money doing the same job elsewhere. So a pay increase will go along way to keeping hard workers in our city!
We still have a lot of work to do and several more steps to take to make the working conditions better, I’m excited to hear that this concern is being addressed.
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few weeks ago I had the opportunity to conduct a ride along with DPW
Solid Waste sanitation engineers to better understand the work that they
do to keep our city clean. It was an eye-opening experience that
exposed myself and my staff to the conditions that they work in daily,
and gave me a better perspective on the issue of trash removal across
our city.
Please see the attached letter sent to DPW Director Rudy Chow detailing what I learned conducting this visit, and concerns that I have about the resources allocated to support our hard working sanitation crews!
