Baltimore, MD – Feb. 9, 2023 –  During a Baltimore City Council committee hearing on Wednesday, the Department of Public Works (DPW) was heavily questioned on two major issues: staffing and salaries, reports Fox45. The DPW confirmed that it still has a 25% vacancy rate and has been struggling with a shortage of workers, including 48 additional CDL drivers and 96 additional sanitation workers as recommended by a Rubicon Technologies report.

This worker shortage has led to a bi-weekly recycling pick-up schedule, which remains a point of contention and led to the resignation of DPW Director Jason Mitchell. The DPW is undergoing a ‘Job Classification and Compensation’ study, but it could take up to a year to implement the results and there is no estimate on when the study will be completed.

Immediate action being taken includes hosting hiring events, calling candidates, and working with the Administration to create a bonus and hiring retention program for CDL drivers. This week, the Baltimore City Council passed a resolution, introduced by Councilman Yitzy Schleifer, calling for pay raises for sanitation workers and CDL drivers as part of their larger effort to restore city services.