Stevenson Ranch, Castaic could not receive trash pickup
Early Friday morning, Waste Management drivers went on strike as directed by their union, Teamsters Local 396.
The drivers service many areas of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, but they also serve the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Areas falling into that category include Stevenson Ranch, Westridge and Castaic.
As a direct result of the strike, residents and businesses in Stevenson Ranch, Castaic and Westridge may experience delays in their trash service.
Businesses and homes inside the City of Santa Clarita who have regular trash service will not be effected by this strike.
However those businesses or construction sites that have roll-off service from Waste Management may also be effected regardless of their location in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Waste Management has enacted a contingency plan, and they will bring in other drivers to help ease the impact of the strike. However, they will give the highest priority to places such as hospitals, restaurants and childcare facilities, where a lack of garbage collection can pose a health risk.
Waste Management has set up a number to call if you would like to see if your area has been impacted by the strike. That number is 1-800-926-9693.
UPDATE: Some listeners have reported that the phone number listed above is providing false information. Please note that KHTS AM 1220 has confirmed with Waste Management officials that the strike will have impacts in unicorporated areas of LA County including Castaic and Stevenson Ranch. Waste Management tells KHTS that the strike will not fully stop service, but it will delay it.
Also, KHTS has learned some possible effects that could occur. Waste Management would most likely pull in their route managers from locations outside of the area. In this case, personnel could come from as far as out of state. Either way, the route managers will be operating on foreign routes and that could make it very possible that mistakes could be made. These mistakes could amount to a missed home or a missed street.
Delays will be observed by nearly everyone in the effected areas. KHTS has been told by a source that the best thing to do is simply keep your trash bins out on the curb until they are picked up.
If your street is missed by the replacement drivers, or if you do not receive service within a week, you should call Waste Management and tell them. Trash should be picked up once a week for health reasons.
The Teamsters union that is on strike covers trash pickup for a quarter of a million residential accounts and nearly thirty thousand businesses.