News
Workers at Clean Harbors Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Teamsters
Waste Workers Join Teamsters Local 455, Prepare to Negotiate First Contract
Press Contact: Kara Deniz Phone: (202) 497-6610 Email: kdeniz@teamster.org
(COMMERCE CITY, Colo.) – Drivers, chemists, warehouse workers, and administrators at Clean Harbors have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 455. The workers organized to gain a voice at work, improve safety, secure seniority, and win retirement security.
“My co-workers and I choose to have a say in our future,” said Cassandra Hovet, a driver at Clean Harbors and a new member of Local 455. “We will use our voice to be heard when safety and fairness are in question. With a Teamsters contract, we will hold Clean Harbors accountable to safety standards and demand fair treatment.”
“What began as whispers of unionization grew into a collective desire for change,” said Clint Black, a driver at Clean Harbors and a new member of Local 455. “We discovered that our dissatisfaction was shared by many, and this led us to Local 455. Our victory is a testament to the power of collective action and is a milestone in our fight against corporate abuse and poor management at Clean Harbors.”
Workers at Clean Harbors provide hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal services for refineries and other industrial companies. Members of Local 455 join over 1,000 Teamsters working at the company.
“These workers are the backbone of American industry and play a pivotal role in keeping our environment clean,” said Dean Modecker, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 455. “I look forward to helping them negotiate a strong first contract that provides them with safety, respect, and retirement security.”
“Smaller, specialized waste haulers like Clean Harbors are a crucial part of the waste industry, and these workers deserve union contracts,” said Chuck Stiles, Director of the Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Division. “When dealing with hazardous waste, safety is of paramount importance. A strong union contract guarantees that safety and provides workers with the job security, wages, and benefits they deserve.”
Teamsters Local 455 represents more than 10,000 workers in the Rocky Mountains region. For more information, visit teamsterslocal455.org.