There are two kinds of residential garbage collectors in the city: Municipal employees walking the picket line in the blazing summer sun and the ones who are working today.
The latter are employed by Turtle Island Recycling, the company the City of Toronto pays more than $8.5 million a year to pick up waste in Etobicoke, where collection has been contracted out since before amalgamation.
Turtle Island management did not want to talk to the Toronto Star, but two waste collectors paused briefly to talk about their pay and benefits yesterday.
Their workdays are longer than those of city garbage collector’s, their wages lower, and their sick pay nonexistent. Never mind bankable sick days.
“I’d rather work for the city,” said one, declining to give his name.
The second driver pointed out another difference between him and a city worker.
“Two-and-half years, haven’t had a raise,” he said. Torstar News Service
