Sanitation Workers Go on Strike in Montgomery County

Workers at two of Montgomery County's three sanitation companies will continue their strikes Thursday, which could affect 90,000 homes in the county.

Workers from Potomac Disposal and Unity Disposal and Recycling say they're striking for better wages, health care and hours.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett called a meeting with the striking workers, their union and the employers to resolve the situation, but Potomac and Unity refused to attend, so the meeting was canceled.

The picket line is not an unfamiliar one for some at Potomac Disposal. More than 50 employees with the company walked off the job last month. The union representing the workers said that strike was prompted by Potomac Disposal's "inappropriate and intimidating immigration enforcement threats." A day after employees made their demands for higher pay and more affordable health care, Latino workers arrived at work to find I-9 forms attached to their time cards, along with a demand that those workers re-verify their immigration statuses, a union rep told News4.

The company denied the union's claims, saying Latino workers were not singled out.

Tuesday, a group of about 70 workers from Laurel-based Unity Disposal also went on strike.

They want the company to reinstate an employee who -- they said -- was fired after speaking up during a meeting last Friday about workers forming a union. The company said the worker was fired for his immigration status, adding that trash will be picked up by other workers on its payroll.

The Unity strike will disrupt trash collection and recycling in parts of Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Bethesda, Wheaton, Aspen Hill and some Howard County neighborhoods while the Potomac Disposal strike will affect the Bradley Boulevard area of Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac, Wheaton and the Georgia Avenue and Dennis Avenue areas of Silver Spring.

That's a total of 90,000 homes, but Montgomery County officials say the effects of the strikes should be negligible.

A preliminary look at the workers' wages did find them lacking. The county is expected to do a full audit in the coming weeks.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett plans to meet with union representatives, workers and representatives for Unity Disposal and Potomac Disposal Wednesday evening.

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