Aldermen extend embattled trash collector's contract

By George P. Hassett

After weeks of discussion, and despite allegations of labor law violations, aldermen renewed the city's contract with trash collector F.W. Russell Disposal this week for the next year.

The trash collector has been embroiled in controversy in the last month after a labor dispute with Teamsters Local 25 in December ended in arrests for 10 Teamsters and Russell owner Charles Carneglia donning a red sombrero while stomping on union signs in an act of apparent triumph. The video of the melee can be seen on YouTube.

“Was he taunting immigrant workers? I don't know but it appeared offensive and abusive,” said Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz.

“When I saw the video it disgusted me that we were doing business with someone like that,” said Alderman-at-Large Dennis Sullivan.

Sullivan tried to sponsor a Teamster in attendance to address the board but aldermen voted against the proposal.

Ward 1 Alderman William Roche said Carneglia's behavior was unfortunate “but neither side had anything to be proud of that day.” He said F.W. Russell offers one of the lowest rates for municipal trash pick up in the Greater Boston area. He also warned against punishing F.W. Russell based on still unproven allegations made by the Teamsters.

The attorney general's office has opened an investigation into the company after Teamsters accused the company's trucks of lacking proper certification and its drivers of operating without licenses and using drugs on the job. The Teamsters also said in a letter to Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone that employees are regularly threatened and must buy “gifts” for Carneglia if they want to get shifts.

F.W. Russell had been picking up the city's trash without a contract since January 1. Aldermen who voted to extend the contract said rejecting the company could have led to a public health crises and mounds of uncollected trash.

Gewirtz, Sullivan, William A. White and Robert C. Trane voted against the extension while Roche, Maryann Heuston, Bruce Desmond, Walter Pero, Thomas F. Taylor, Sean O'Donovan and John M. Connolly voted in favor of it.

Comments

[tommy boy]

It didn't take the Mayor long to spit in the face of the Greater Boston Labor Council that foolishly endorsed him.

[John]

I thought goverment contracts like roadwork,bridges
etc. are supposed to have union laboreres to begin with im not sure?? anyway why wouldnt they want to join the union that would double or maybe triple some of thier pay they are obviously hiding something like illegals, drivers not being properly liscensed or drug use i know if i worked there and was making 6$ an hour and was offered union and getting paid like 20 with health insurance i would jump on it well whatever its definatly SHADY anyway

[Rich]

John, have you ever considered that maybe Russell's employees don't see the need to join a union? Perhaps they get better salaries and benefits now and don't want to lumped with a group of people that acted so childish in December.

[observer]

Rich,
When a majority of the union cards were signed were the Russell employees speaking up for union representation? By paying cash, is Russell taking it upon themselves to reclassify workers as "at-will employees"? Who is now responsible for paying the FICA, FICA Medicare, Federal Tax, State Tax and health insurance premiums? You are right, the employees and employer benefit when all of these payroll costs are avoided.

Will the AGO find that because the employees and employer colluded together in avoiding paying what is owed to the IRS and social security that a RICO investigation might be in order? I think that standing up for what is right is much less childish than climbing fences and dancing with a sombrero. You decide....

[Reality]

Observer you have evidence of all of this correct? If not, you could have a nasty lawsuit on your hands.

Perhaps you can share your evidence or provide a link to it. Otherwise I'll consider it to be more of the same lies the Teamsters have been trying to push out for the past couple of months.

[Striker57]

While disappointed that the Aldermen went forward with the Russell contract, I don't consider that the Mayor or other candidates supported by the Boston Central Labor Council or my union "spit in the face" of any union. I disagree with the majority vote but we are not one issue organizations either. Aldermen Sullivan, White, Trane and Gewritz deserve all the credit for standing up for the Russel workers who don't have a voice . . . yet. Bill Roche, Sean O'Donovan, Jack Connolly and Tom Taylor have been stand up elected officials on workers issues throughout their careers. I will take them to task for a mistake on this vote and I believe that when the AG and other agencies are done they will regret supporting the Russel contract. I suspect they will have the opportunity to redeem themselves several times over the next couple of years as this city's elected officials have been leaders in pro-worker fights.

[Coincidence or what?]

Is it a coincidence or what?

This story was published today.

US, Italy Arrest Dozens in Mafia Sweep
By Edith Honan,
Reuters
Posted: 2008-02-07 18:46:38

NEW YORK (Feb. 7) - Police in the United States and Italy arrested 77 suspected members of the Mafia on Thursday, including some of its most wanted leaders, for an array of crimes going back more than 30 years.

“The U.S. investigation focused on the Gambino family once run by the late John Gotti. The indictment charges one Gambino family soldier, Charles Cameglia, with at least five murders dating to 1976.”