With not as much trash to pick up because of many closed businesses, Republic Services, one of the companies responsible for emptying your dumpsters and bins has confirmed it has laid off some of its drivers.
That has led to frustration among some of the workers.
Jeremy Chen reports.
AND NOW...REPUBLIC SERVICESCONFIRMS...IT HAS LAID OFF....SOME OF ITS DRIVERS.THAT HAS LED TO FRUSTRATIONAMONG SOME OF THE WORKERS.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER JEREMYCHEN TALKED TO SOMEONE WHO WASRECENTLY LET GO AND SHARES HERCONCERNS.TRASH PICK-UP OF COURSE IS ANESSENTIAL SERVICE-STILLOPERATING ACROSS THE NATION.A LAID-OFF WORKER TELLS MESHE'SFRUSTRATED SAYING SHE'S GETTINGNO HELP FROM THE COMPANY-WHILETHE COMPANY SAYS IT'S DOING ITSPART TO HELP ITS WORKERS.TRASH IS STILL BEING COLLECTEDAROUND THE VALLEY- BUT THERE'SNOT ENOUGH WORK TO KEEPEVERYONE WORKING--- RESULTINGIN LAYOFFS AT REPUBLICSERVICES.ONE LAID-OFF WORKER SAYS THEYWERE GIVEN THIS LETTER TWOWEEKS BEFORE BEING LET GOINFORMING THEM.SHE SPOKE VIA FACETIME ON THECONDITION WE WOULDN'T REVEALHER FACE OR VOICE."DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS, THAT'SWHY WE WERE BEING LAID OFFBECAUSE THERE WERE NO ROUTES."THE WORKER SAYS THEY WORKED ONTHE COMMERCIAL DISPOSAL SIDE-BUT WITH MANY BUSINESSESCLOSED- THE ROUTES BEGANDISAPPEARING.IN RESPONSE, REPUBLIC SERVICESRECENTLY ANNOUNCED A 20 MILLIONDOLLAR CHARITABLE INITIATIVETHAT THE COMPANY SAYS WILL HELPTHEIR OWN WORKERS AND THECOMMUNITY.THE WORKER WE TALKED WITHCOULDN'T BELIEVE IT."WE WERE JUST MIND BOGGLEDBECAUSE THEY OBVIOUSLY LAID USOFF TO SAVE MONEY?" REPUBLICSERVICES SAY THE 20 MILLIONDOLLARS WILL GO TO PROVIDINGMEALS, GIFT CARDS, ANDADDITIONAL PAID TIME OFF IF AWORKER TESTS POSITIVE FORCORONAVIRUS AND MUST STAY HOME.THE WORKERS UNION--- TEAMSTERSLOCAL 631 SAYS IT WAS GIVEN ATAKE IT OR LEAVE IT PROPOSALWHERE HOURS WOULD BE CUT FOREMPLOYEES WITH NO ROOM TONEGOTIATE.THE UNION--- REJECTED THATSHORT- TERM PROPOSAL."THEIR OFFER WOULD HAVETRIGGERED IN EFFECT; MOREPEOPLE BEING LAID OFF AND MOREPEOPLE HAVING THEIR HOURS CUT."THE UNION ALSO SAYS IT HASN'TSEEN SOME OF THE 20 MILLIONDOLLARS HELP THE WORKERS YET.THE LAID-OFF WORKER SAYSWHATEVER THE COMPANY IS DOING-SHE IS NOT SEEING THE BENEFITS."WE JUST WANT TO BE TREATEDFAIRLY AND WE'RE NOT BEINGTREATED FAIRLY.THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US, ANDTHAT'S JUST HOW WE FEEL."THE UNION SAYS IT'S OPEN TORE-NEGOTIATE WITH REPUBLICSERVICES- IF THE COMPANYDECIDES TO COME TO THE TABLE.JEREMY CHEN 13 ACTION NEWS.RIGHT NOW..
