Silver State workers fear union busting

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, July 29, 1999 | 11:01 a.m.

Republic Silver State Disposal Inc. union workers fuming over a barrage of layoffs fear their situation will only worsen now that the trash-hauling giant convinced local governments to grant it a 15-year contract extension.

Union steward Michael Broening said that in June about 70 truck drivers responsible for carting garbage from valley transfer stations to the Apex landfill 15 miles out of town lost their jobs.

Silver State officials have said the layoffs were purely for economic purposes; subcontracting the work to Speciality Transportation Services was less expensive.

Broening said while Silver State administrators touted their low rates to various governing boards to receive their contract extension, workers at the trash company are miserable and equipment is falling apart.

Las Vegas Valley officials granted the company the contract extension worth $1.5 billion two years before Silver State's current pact runs out. Critics questioned whether some elected officials' close ties to Silver State played a role in the contract extension.

Broening said the welding and maintenance shop, where he has worked for a decade, has been reduced in the past and will likely be hit again. He said in the last three years, his shop has been whittled down from 160 workers to 45. They are responsible for nearly 300 pieces of equipment.

"There's a lot of stuff out there now rolling on the road that needs maintenance," he said. "The commissioners had the wool pulled over their eyes because Silver State sings a pretty good song."

Lee Haney, a spokeswoman for Silver State, said not only is the company's equipment in fine shape, but neither she nor company president Steve Kalish have heard that workers are unhappy.

She said Thursday that there is no talk of further layoffs.

"As far as I'm aware, that is untrue," Haney said. "No announcement has been made and no inclination has been made."

Clark County Commission chairman Bruce Woodbury said Wednesday that he had not heard union members were concerned about their jobs or that the welding shop had been reduced. The issue was not discussed when Silver State's contract was extended last month.

Woodbury said commissioners approached the district attorneys office when the truck drivers were involved in labor disputes in March, and they were told not to get involved because it was a labor-management issue.

"You are always concerned about the loss of any jobs in the community," Woodbury said. "Although we are concerned, there is not much we can do about it."

Woodbury said if the trucks are unsafe, as Silver State workers are contending, it would likely be up to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.