Sewer, street workers bring working condition concerns to council

Workers with the city of Columbia’s sewer and street departments brought their concerns with working conditions to the city council Monday night.

More than a dozen workers in neon-green city uniforms spoke to the council ahead of their budget discussions. The two groups are the latest in a series of employee groups calling on the council to consider a greater raise for workers beyond the 25-cent-an-hour raise currently proposed.

ABC 17 News Investigates found nearly 80 percent of city employees make a wage below the mark considered competitive for that job.

Dan Andrews, a jet lead operator with the sewer line maintenance department, said morale is at the lowest its been in his 38 years of work with the city. Andrews said low wages for the job are driving people out of the department quickly after they start.

“No one wants to work in the sewer at the rates at which we start off our employees,” Andrews said.