Weeks-Old Garbage Is Stinking Up New Orleans. Residents Had A Trash Parade In Protest

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Bags of garbage pile up on a New Orleans street on Friday. Trash collection delays have left some residents outraged at the city’s contractors.

Kevin McGill/AP

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Kevin McGill/AP

Are city officials holding anyone accountable?

The issue is spilling into the legislature. The City Council called a meeting to discuss the collection problem. In New Orleans, one of three companies responsible for trash collection is Metro Service Group.

Their CEO Jimmie Woods spoke at the meeting Aug. 17, telling lawmakers and residents he didn’t believe there were residents who hadn’t had their trash picked up after 24 days.

Wood began to respond but was interrupted by Eraina Jessie, a 7th ward resident. «I’m sorry, but he’s lying, she said.

Jessie says her street was skipped by trash collectors.

You can watch the full exchange below.

Here is Jimmie Woods, the CEO of Metro Service Group, saying his company has been down every street in New Orleans collecting trash in response to a @CmGiarrusso question.

Eraina Jessie, a 7th ward resident, interrupts. pic.twitter.com/j6pptHYESd

— Ryan Nelsen (@rc_nelsen) September 20, 2021

Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced the city will be implementing a task force to pull city workers away from jobs like mowing grass and fixing roads to put them on collecting the trash.

The council will meet again on Sept. 21 to continue to discuss what to do about the delays. City Council member Kristin Palmer says the city has received more than 9,000 calls about the trash problems.

Why is trash collection so delayed?

Industries across America are short-staffed, and it isn’t only due to hundreds of thousands of deaths from the pandemic: Many Americans say they’re done working difficult jobs for little pay and substandard benefits.

Metro Service Group acknowledges customers are complaining of trash piling up and cites staffing problems as the root cause. The company says it’s increasing starting pay and incentivizing employees to get vaccinated, in attempts to boost hiring and prevent absenteeism.

Metro Service Group was behind on collections well before Ida hit. Workers for the agency went on strike in May 2020, calling for a raise from around $10 to $15 per hour and weekly hazard pay for working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike abruptly ended in September, with some workers returning to work and some leaving for better paying jobs.

Southerly spoke to two workers in New Orleans who returned to Metro Service Group after the strike. They say one year later, conditions haven’t significantly improved.

For more on the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, follow along with WWNO’s coverage.

This story originally appeared on the Morning Edition Live Blog.