December 22, 2010: Over 75 waste Teamsters came from across Southern California to discuss their rights and how to enforce them at the TDU Southern California Chapter meeting.

“We have a lot of new members at Waste Management,” said Rodrigo Hermudes, a Local 396 member at Waste Management in Chino. “I want to help show the new members how to protect their rights. If we don’t, the company will walk all over us.”

Members came from Local 396 bargaining units in the Inland Empire, L.A. County, Orange County, Northern L.A. County, plus members in Local 495.

Their contracts expire in 2012—but members at Waste Management in Corona have already formed a rank-and-file committee to have a voice in bargaining.

Members also talked about a wage-and-hour lawsuit filed by members at Waste Management.

The Southern California TDU Chapter plans to sponsor educational workshops about legal rights on the job and effective grievance handling.