Garbage collectors and their supporters cheered at Fresno City Hall, after the council voted 4 to 3 to keep the city's commercial trash service in the public sector. That was back in January. But Mid Valley Disposal, along with Allied Waste services refused to give up.
Originally, both companies offered to hire all but 14 of the city's drivers and guarantee their jobs for six months. Friday, they're offering to hire all workers, and give them guaranteed employment for 12 months.
Joseph Kalpakoff said, "This transition is gonna bring revenue to the general fund, and secondly, no one is losing a job."
With the city still struggling to close an $18.5 million budget shortfall, Mayor Ashley Swearengin fears if the council does not reconsider this new proposal, more layoffs are looming.
"We cut 160 positions in order to create $2.1 million in savings in the general fund," said Swearengin. The value of the revenue from that franchise is $2.6 million so that gives you perspective of the magnitude of positions that are at stake."
While proponents say these new ideas will be good for both sides, the union representing solid waste disagrees. They say this is a dead issue and the only people who will benefit from it are the private companies.
Marina Magdaleno said, "So the only way that a company is going to be able to pay millions of dollars in franchise fees and make money is they're gonna have to raise the fees at some point in time."
