The head of the union representing New York City’s sanitation workers is blaming delays in garbage pick-ups on the city’s vaccine mandate. When asked by The New York Post about complaints from residents about larger-than-normal piles of trash being left for longer periods of time, Teamsters Local 831 President Harry Nespoli responded, “The mandate’s going on.” “Look, you’re going to have some spots in the city that they feel very strongly about this,” he said. Trash bags can be spotted all over the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn, where some residents said that it has been days since their trash was last picked up. A few said they realized something was off earlier in the week, as one missed pickup happens, but they started to think there was a problem after the second missed time. Residents throughout New York City have complained in recent days about large piles of garbage bags not being picked up in a timely fashion. Brooklyn and Staten Island have been hit particularly hard by collection delays, with the Post reporting the New York City Department of Sanitation found issues in about a dozen neighborhoods in Brooklyn alone. “There are some places where we’re seeing that the totals just don’t add up in terms of the trash being picked up,” Mayor DeBlasio said. We’re going to the union today to say this has to be addressed. This is something we are not going to let continue.” The city last week said it would require all municipal workers to be vaccinated against Covid-19 by 5 p.m. Friday and eliminate a test-out option. Those who aren’t vaccinated will be put on unpaid leave. So far, 67% of sanitation workers are vaccinated, de Blasio said. The rate is 64% for the fire department and 74% for the police department. Overall, across all city agencies that fall under this mandate, 76% of workers are vaccinated, the mayor said. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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