were recommended to them by friends or family . Then the benefits of retirement , health insurance , and even just a consistent minimum wage has been what ’ s kept them since .
Donald McQueen has been in waste management since 2002 , starting out just pushing garbage . Over the years , McQueen was able to work his way up to being a Sanitation Supervisor . And throughout his journey , the supervisor has witnessed and endured the hardships in that field .
Much like the other employees , McQueen found difficulty in answering what there is to like in working waste management . “ Who would like garbage ?” he stated . “ There ’ s a lack of jobs , so we just stick
with what we got .”
He adds that they face “ challenges everyday and everyday is different .” Truck-driver Duncan would even go as far to say that their line of work is one that “ shows you no mercy .”
Amongst a handful of challenges , the most prominent is enduring harsh weather conditions . “ Winter ’ s bad , but summer ’ s worse ,” says McQueen . “ If the weather ’ s bad , it ’ s worse for the people outside on that truck .”
Just recently , Bruce Owens , a garbage-collector , suffered from dehydration and heat exhaustion after just finishing a route . He was then transported from the Sanitation Department headquarters via an ambulance .
The job itself is also physically demanding . In his earlier years in sanitation , Duncan actually found himself liking the physicality of it . Specifically he said , “ I liked it probably because I wrestle . Or at least I did in my days of youth . I guess I also believed in a hard day ’ s work .”
However , the wrestler added that the worker availability has proven to be even more demanding . “ Say you sprained your ankle real bad late one night , but you have to get up early the next morning to run a route ,” he illustrated . “ Unless you have a doctor ’ s note , all you can do is tape that ankle up and go .”
Even during COVID , garbagecollectors continued their constant
Sanitation & Recycling
Keeping Somerset Beautiful .
• Trash and Recycling Pickup for Homes and Businesses
• Dumpster Rental
Thank You
to all our dedicated employees for making our lives and our community a little cleaner ! www . cityofsomerset . com / sanitation-and-recycling / 606.679.1107
Commonwealth Journal - Unsung Heroes - 2022 21