150 CR&R WORKERS JOIN TEAMSTERS LOCAL 396

SoCal Waste Workers Unionize to Demand Better Conditions, Strong Voice on the Job

(COVINA, Calif.) – 150 waste workers at CR&R Environmental Services have voted to join Teamsters Local 396. The new Teamsters provide vital sanitation services across Southern California from facilities in Santa Fe Springs, Phelan, and Blythe, Calif.

CR&R workers faced and overcame an aggressive anti-union campaign in their fight to become Teamsters. Management hired shameless outside union busters, who are paid hundreds of dollars an hour, to try and coerce workers out of unionizing. This effort failed and only increased the group’s militancy.

“This victory is about standing together and fighting for a better future for ourselves and our families,” said Miguel Peña, a driver at CR&R in Santa Fe Springs. “We organized because we deserve respect, fair wages, better benefits, and a voice on the job. By joining Teamsters Local 396, we're taking the first step toward building a stronger future for all of us.”

Following their union election, CR&R workers will now take the next step toward negotiating their first Teamsters contract. The new members of Local 396 are seeking fair wages, affordable health care, retirement security, enhanced workplace protections, and real rights on the job.

"The hardworking men and women of CR&R should be proud of themselves for refusing to be intimidated and standing united in their fight for a better future," said Victor Mineros, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 396 and Director of the Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Division. "These workers have sent a powerful message that no amount of corporate aggression or union-busting can stop workers who are determined to organize and demand the respect, dignity, and economic security they deserve."

Local 396 fiercely represents thousands of sanitation workers, including hundreds of additional CR&R workers, across Southern California. This victory represents a major milestone in the union’s fight to raise the industry standard for essential waste workers who keep our streets safe and our communities clean.