Saturday meeting planned for Greenville city workers

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – The NAACP will sponsor a public hearing about working conditions for Greenville city workers.

Saturday’s hearing will be at 2:00 p.m. at the South Greenville Recreation Center. The NAACP says city employees are invited to come and talk about work-related issues and problems. The panel will be led by North Carolina NAACP leader Rev. William Barber.

Back in November, sanitation workers walked off the job to protest working conditions. Supporters for the workers say a management/employee committee was set up after that to talk about problems, but that it isn’t working.

Nine on Your Side will have a crew at the meeting and will bring you the latest on WNCT.com and on Eyewitness News 9 Weekend Edition.

"We work hard everyday. I mean 8 hours all day and we want to be treated fairly," said sanitation worker, Garry Stevenson.

---Previous Story, Coalition shows support for Greenville city workers---

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT)- They said they wanted change and more than two months after walking off the job Greenville Sanitation workers say their struggle with management continues.

We went straight to the source the director of Greenville Public Works Wes Anderson to find out if that is true.

Anderson announced last week he's resigning from his post but he says he's working hard with workers to solve what they call unjust working conditions.    

Director of Public Works Wes Anderson says he wasn't surprised his employees had concerns but when about 70 of them walked off the job in November-- "I would just- there was a surprise from the standpoint as it went that far."

The Coalition for Greenville city workers says Anderson’s resignation isn't the issue.  "Whoever comes into whatever position doesn't matter,” said Ashaki Binta with the Coalition.  “The policies need to be fair and just."

Don Cavellini joined the coalition to help workers solve what they call unjust working conditions including pay and workload.  "Those are structural changes,” said Cavellini.  “The workers want to be heard and they want to see their requests acted upon."

Cavellini says six sanitation workers formed a self-elected committee to represent the Sanitation Division.   Ever since the work stoppage they've been asking for a face to face meeting with public works management- something he says still hasn't happened.  But Anderson says that’s not accurate.

"We formed a committee- an employee-management committee,” he said.

Anderson says he formed a separate committee back in December made up of volunteers.  We checked- there are eight employees from various facets of the sanitation division, three managers, and two moderators on the committee.  They meet every other week to hammer out a list of issues.

"That's not the same as sitting down with the elected committee that the workers themselves chose and trying to resolve the issues,” said Binta.  “They're discussing other things that management has decided is important."

Anderson says he doesn't understand why the coalition is questioning the progress being made.

"Just like everything else the full story may not be communicated,” he said.

The city workers group will host a public hearing this Saturday.  Sanitation workers and other city employees can share their story about treatment in the workplace.  It starts at 2pm at the South Greenville Gym.  It’s located at the corner of Howell and Skinner Streets at 851 Howell St.

For questions or more information, call the following:

Coalition Against Racism: 252-756-7130

Pitt County NAACP: 252-814-9076

United Electrical: 252-314-2363 or 203-379-7711

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GREENVILLE, N.C. - Today a spotlight returned to the concerns of Greenville city employees, specifically those in the Solid Waste department.

A news conference was held Wednesday morning at the Greenville Public Works department.

Representatives from UE Local 150, which supports the city workers, discussed the next steps in fighting for justice and fairness for government employees.  

Back in November, workers held a protest citing concerns about lack of respect and dignity. And they say since then, not a lot has changed.

The Pitt County NAACP chapter and Coalition Against Racism also attended today's news conference.

The state NAACP has scheduled a public hearing for 2 p.m. Saturday at South Greenville Recreation Center.

We'll have more on today's news conference beginning at 5 on Eyewitness News 9.

"We are sorry for the way that we conducted ourselves on that November 9th. But I will not apologize for what we are fighting for," said Carlton Smith.