Carson City garbage customers not affected by Reno strike

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Carson City trash haulers will not participate in a Waste Management labor dispute that caused Reno and Sparks workers to walk off the job last week.

Capital Sanitation is not yet covered under the labor agreement, though its 40 full-time workers recently voted to enter the union. The vote is still pending certification, said Greg Martinelli, general manager of Waste Management in Reno.

"We're not anticipating any effects to the Carson operation," Martinelli said Tuesday.

Reno area trash collectors walked off the job Friday after negotiations between Teamsters Local 533 and the company failed. Negotiations over pay, job security, health insurance and vacation benefits are still unresolved after a contract expired April 18 for about 350 company employees. Of those, 280 are union members.

Waste Management employees from other Western states covered about 90 percent of the trash pick ups.

Company and union officials are expected to meet at 10 a.m. today to begin negotiations.

"We're hoping to reach an agreement soon, so we can all get back to work," Martinelli said.

The last garbage strike occurred in Reno in 1967 and lasted 12 days.

Contact Jill Lufrano at jlufrano@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217. The Associated Press contributed to this story.