Norwalk Public Works Union Urges Common Council To Do the Right Thing and Reject Rushed Privatization Deal

July 20, 2012 - Members of AFSMCE Local 2405, representing Norwalk Department of Public Works, urged the Common Council to avoid “making a grave mistake Norwalk will suffer from for a long time” by rejecting or at least tabling a proposal to privatize public trash collection.

The Council will vote July 24 on entering into a contract with City Carting to handle Norwalk’s garbage pick-up.

“Experience has shown us that over a relatively short period of time, once a service is privatized, costs rise and service diminishes,” Local 2405 leaders Milt Giddiens, Hector DeJesus and Eric Montgomery wrote in a letter delivered to the Common Council today. “But if the Council approves this contract, given its foolishly long duration of 10 years, it will hamstring mayors for a long time.”

Union members also urged Council members who publicly opposed privatization to reconsider their position:

“We hope Council members will remember their misgivings against this questionable scheme, which might save less than a half percent of the budget and may result in a decline in work quality and an increase in costs. A 10-year contract dramatically shifts power from the service recipient to the vendor.”

Local 2405 members plan to turn out for the July 24 Council meeting. The local’s parent union, Council 4, has also mailed out postcards and flyers, both to registered voters in Norwalk and to the more than 400 AFSCME members who reside in the city.

A copy of Local 2405’s letter to the Common Council is attached to this press release.