Garbage Collection Struggles Prompt Shreveport to Increase Sanitation Worker Pay
Shreveport sanitation workers will be getting an immediate bump in pay. This is an effort to keep employees and bring in more drivers to handle garbage collection across the city.
What Is the Problem with Garbage Collection in Shreveport
Crews have been slow to get to all of the homes across the city and the big reason is a shortage of drivers for the trucks. On August 4, Shreveport Public Works Director Jarvis Morgan told KEEL News "At this time, several of our garbage trucks are out of service, which has impacted our ability to complete routes on their normal schedule." But we circled back with Jarvis this week and he says
Truck availability has improved since August 4. At that time, we were dealing with both trucks being out of service and a shortage of drivers. Currently, the larger issue is driver availability. Normal operations require approximately 35–40 trucks daily, and we are currently putting out around 28–29 due primarily to the number of available drivers.
What Is the Proposed Solution to a Shortage of Drivers
Mayor Tom Arceneaux is proposing a pay raise for the sanitation drivers. He wants to bump the pay up by $2.00 an hour which would bring the pay to $21.78 an hour.
Morgan says he hopes this will help impact staffing and bring the numbers back up. Councilmembers are also asking the council to try to find a way to increase the pay for solid waste employees even more. Councilman James Green says he thinks these numbers are "lowballing and we should fix it now." He wants to bump the pay for drivers to at least $25 dollars an hour. Councilman Grayson Boucher also says it is time to look at what the garbage fees are and possibly consider an increase. He says the service is not sustainable at the current rates.
What Is the Plan to Hire More Drivers
Morgan says 11 people have interviewed for jobs and they are now waiting on background checks and drug tests before putting these new workers on the payroll.
What Do Sanitation Drivers Make in Other Cities in Louisiana
The U.S. Department of Labor's report shows Louisiana's median for refuse/recyclable-material collectors at $17.73/hr ($36,890/year), with a statewide high of $24.98/hr ($51,950/year). Regional medians range from $11.53/hr in Central Louisiana to $18.72/hr in the Slidell-Mandeville-Covington area. But this is data for the sanitation workers, not specifically drivers which requires a CDL license.
Indeed.com has a listing of pay for Sanitation drivers. Here's what that report shows on driver pay.
- Lake Charles: $20.00/hr
- Shreveport: $18.45/hr
- Baton Rouge: $18.00/hr
- Lafayette: $14.00/hr
- Houma: $13.63/hr
- Alexandria: $10.83/hr
- Leesville: $12.00/hr
- Slidell/Mandeville/Covington: $18.72/hr
- New Orleans/Jefferson Parish: $17.79/hr
- Monroe/Northeast Louisiana: $17.60/hr
Shreveport leaders will be discussing a proposed pay raise for sanitation workers at the next meeting, but the administration is moving forward with an increase now.
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