Waste Management to axe 23 Auckland rubbish drivers, offer contractor roles

A restructuring by Waste Management, the firm handling kerbside rubbish collection for Auckland Council in the city's east and south, will render 23 drivers redundant and present them with the chance to buy their trucks and operate as independent contractors. Union representative Justin Wallace called the plan a "predatory scam," warning that the purchase could plunge workers into hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and eliminate benefits such as sick leave and guaranteed hours.

Waste Management countered that becoming a contractor is optional and that many experienced drivers already choose this model, handling vehicle financing independently. Council's general manager of waste solutions Justine Haves said the company must continue to meet its contractual obligations and ensure service continuity. Manurewa local board member Joseph Allan expressed concerns that the shift could degrade service quality for ratepayers, while the waste firm maintained that the council approved the change and that the contractor model has proven reliable elsewhere in Auckland.