As many of you may have seen in the news, Waste Management is up to their old tricks again: out of state scabs, illegal activity at the bargaining table and in the shops, and holding our community hostage with the threat of a lockout or by provoking a strike.

You can read more about what's happening here.

Because Waste Management is the largest, most profitable corporate waste giant in the country, they believe they can bully workers and communities into de-prioritizing our recycling programs.

We must be prepared in the event of a work stoppage to hold them accountable for the damage they will cause to our community.

To prepare Waste Management customers for a lockout, hundreds of Teamster recycle and yard waste drivers were joined by garbage haulers and community members for a training session on Saturday, June 28.

At the event, the drivers reestablished a Neighborhood Trash Watch (NTW) program that was launched by garbage haulers in 2010, when Waste Management threatened communities with a labor dispute.

The NTW program provided residents and businesses with resources for reporting service disruptions and stopping trash, recycling, and yard waste from piling up in area neighborhoods.

To sign a petition in support of the workers or to start your own Neighborhood Trash Watch, visit www.seattletrashwatch.org.