California clean-up causing union commotion

Roadside crews in California are up in arms over cleaning up an increasing amount of garbage – much of it unhealthy, some of it potentially lethal. US media are reporting that the International Union of Operating Engineers, which represents California state's maintenance workers, filed a grievance accusing the state of subjecting its members to hazardous conditions without proper training or equipment.
May 9, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Roadside crews in California are up in arms over cleaning up an increasing amount of garbage – much of it unhealthy, some of it potentially lethal.


US media are reporting that the International Union of Operating Engineers, which represents California state's maintenance workers, filed a grievance accusing the state of subjecting its members to hazardous conditions without proper training or equipment.

Workers also must face hostility from residents in encampments of homeless people whom they are having to move on and clean up after.

"Their job is to maintain the highways and freeways,” Steve Crouch, a director with the union, reportedly said. “That's filling the potholes, that's doing the striping of the lines, that's doing the guardrails alone the edge, that's trimming the trees and shrubs and bushes along the highway. Their job is not to clean up homeless encampments."

He said the union believes that the state is not issuing workers with essential personal protective equipment, giving them the necessary training, necessary vaccinations and proper compensation for the dangerous hazmat duties.

Crouch commented on the nature of hazardous material, including faeces, urine, feminine products, needles and syringes. Workers also face dangerous dogs owned by encampment residents.

2451 California Department of Transportation estimated the cost of cleaning up after homeless groups was around US$10 million in 2016-17 – a third more than the previous period. Maintenance crews encountered about 7,000 homeless camps on rights of way of the state's 254 highways, according to news reports.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Developments in cycle way monitoring
    February 13, 2012
    A new cycle way monitoring system developed by consultant Cowi and laser electronics company Dynatest in Denmark adds a new dimension to monitoring local road networks. It is developed from standard road condition measurements but is specially tailored for the bicycle path and the particular ride conditions needed for cyclists. The need is growing as the bicycle lane becomes increasingly important around the world. In London a number of special bicycle "super highways" have been introduced, marking off bicy
    Read More
  • Estonia surveys major roads with a RetroTek-M retroreflectometer
    May 22, 2019
    During the past two years, Estonia’s Road Administration has clocked up 4,021km during a retroreflectivity project on all main state roads and on basic roads. Estonia’s Road Traffic Development Department of the Estonian Road Administration has been working with ERC Consulting to gather retroreflectivity data on road markings on all main state roads and basic roads. The work has shown that out of 1,609km of main state roads, 20% had problems. The reflective effect is created by glass beads on the surf
    Read More
  • Province halts planned Vancouver bridge to replace Massey Tunnel
    September 14, 2017
    Canada’s province of British Columbia has stopped procurement for a proposed 10-lane US$2.8 billion bridge to replace the ageing George Massey Tunnel near Vancouver. Local media said the province would pay $1.65 million to two of the three shortlisted consortia which had already submitted bids for what is officially called the George Massey Tunnel Replacement project.
    Read More
  • Province halts planned Vancouver bridge to replace Massey Tunnel
    September 14, 2017
    Canada’s province of British Columbia has stopped procurement for a proposed 10-lane US$2.8 billion bridge to replace the ageing George Massey Tunnel near Vancouver. Local media said the province would pay $1.65 million to two of the three shortlisted consortia which had already submitted bids for what is officially called the George Massey Tunnel Replacement project.
    Read More

Highlighted Content