Comments on: ECUA Pauses Recycling Facility Operation Due To Staffing Shortage http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage Local News for Molino, Bratt, McDavid, Century, Walnut Hill, Cantonment Sat, 25 Apr 2026 02:06:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Shawn Engel http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-515093 Shawn Engel Thu, 04 May 2023 16:49:51 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-515093 Any up date on when it will reopen? Any up date on when it will reopen?

]]> By: David Huie Green http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514519 David Huie Green Sat, 22 Apr 2023 05:32:43 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514519 REGARDING: "Some plantation owners paid their slaves a stipend for their labor. Does that mean slavery didn’t exist in the antebellum South?" A very silly question. Does the existence of A prove the nonexistence of B? Obviously not. It means nothing other than the existence of A. AND "Some prisons pay their prisoners a stipend for performing labor (usually between $0.50-$2.00/hour), but it is not a requirement." Even if they were paid nothing, it is not slavery if they worked because they wanted to. There are non-monetary rewards: a chance to be somewhere else, a chance to be doing something, a chance to learn or hone a skill. Forced labor is a requirement for slavery. David for truth REGARDING:
“Some plantation owners paid their slaves a stipend for their labor. Does that mean slavery didn’t exist in the antebellum South?”

A very silly question. Does the existence of A prove the nonexistence of B? Obviously not. It means nothing other than the existence of A.

AND

“Some prisons pay their prisoners a stipend for performing labor (usually between $0.50-$2.00/hour), but it is not a requirement.”

Even if they were paid nothing, it is not slavery if they worked because they wanted to. There are non-monetary rewards: a chance to be somewhere else, a chance to be doing something, a chance to learn or hone a skill. Forced labor is a requirement for slavery.

David for truth

]]> By: Bob http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514318 Bob Tue, 18 Apr 2023 16:40:46 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514318 @Jimbo $15/hour was a barely livable wage 10 years ago. Now? It's a joke. I don't care if a job is a "fresh out of high school" job or a "requires a masters degree" job: it should pay enough to afford food, shelter, and the basic necessities required to provide for yourself. And again, it's 2023, not 1823. I can't believe I'm having to say this, but "slave labor is bad". Forcing incarcerated people to perform unpaid manual labor is not a good thing, especially in a country that claims to be "The Land of the Free". @Jimbo

$15/hour was a barely livable wage 10 years ago. Now? It’s a joke.

I don’t care if a job is a “fresh out of high school” job or a “requires a masters degree” job: it should pay enough to afford food, shelter, and the basic necessities required to provide for yourself.

And again, it’s 2023, not 1823. I can’t believe I’m having to say this, but “slave labor is bad”. Forcing incarcerated people to perform unpaid manual labor is not a good thing, especially in a country that claims to be “The Land of the Free”.

]]> By: Jimbo http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514254 Jimbo Mon, 17 Apr 2023 19:44:00 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514254 @Bob If they had said $15 per hour just 3 years ago, everyone would be complaining as to the high wages being the reason their ECUA bills were so high. This is a starter job and as such $15 per hour is a fair wage. It requires no real training or certification, no college degree, etc. Due to this you learn as you go and get paid accordingly. As far as using prisoners. Who really cares. I am sure that most of the prisoners if given the opportunity would happily go to work rather than sit around. (I worked in a prison at one time and this I can assure you). It also gives a possible employer an idea of their work ethics prior to their entering civilian life again. We, as taxpayers, should be happy to get some of our money back from labor, much as we do with road crews. @Bob
If they had said $15 per hour just 3 years ago, everyone would be complaining as to the high wages being the reason their ECUA bills were so high.
This is a starter job and as such $15 per hour is a fair wage. It requires no real training or certification, no college degree, etc. Due to this you learn as you go and get paid accordingly.
As far as using prisoners. Who really cares. I am sure that most of the prisoners if given the opportunity would happily go to work rather than sit around. (I worked in a prison at one time and this I can assure you). It also gives a possible employer an idea of their work ethics prior to their entering civilian life again. We, as taxpayers, should be happy to get some of our money back from labor, much as we do with road crews.

]]> By: Bob http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514203 Bob Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:40:29 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514203 @David Huie Green Some plantation owners paid their slaves a stipend for their labor. Does that mean slavery didn't exist in the antebellum South? Some prisons pay their prisoners a stipend for performing labor (usually between $0.50-$2.00/hour), but it is not a requirement. Courts have repeatedly held that prisoners are not protected by the Constitution against involuntary servitude. @David Huie Green

Some plantation owners paid their slaves a stipend for their labor. Does that mean slavery didn’t exist in the antebellum South?

Some prisons pay their prisoners a stipend for performing labor (usually between $0.50-$2.00/hour), but it is not a requirement. Courts have repeatedly held that prisoners are not protected by the Constitution against involuntary servitude.

]]> By: David Huie Green http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514200 David Huie Green Sun, 16 Apr 2023 23:32:27 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514200 REGARDING: "The fact that our country still uses slave labor is an embarrassment." Actually, it doesn't. Unless there has been a recent change,the requirements of slavery are not met. The workers to be slaves must be forced to work and not paid in any manner. Pay is typically low, but there IS payment. They are fed, clothed, housed, provided medical care whether they work or don't, so it's not a case of "eat or starve." It is more like "work or be bored." That motivates some. Offering the opportunity should be interesting. Allowing them to keep some or all of the proceeds of what they recovered might be fairly motivational. If it didn't work out, at least you tried and shouldn't be any worse off. David for better people REGARDING:
“The fact that our country still uses slave labor is an embarrassment.”

Actually, it doesn’t. Unless there has been a recent change,the requirements of slavery are not met. The workers to be slaves must be forced to work and not paid in any manner.

Pay is typically low, but there IS payment. They are fed, clothed, housed, provided medical care whether they work or don’t, so it’s not a case of “eat or starve.” It is more like “work or be bored.” That motivates some.

Offering the opportunity should be interesting. Allowing them to keep some or all of the proceeds of what they recovered might be fairly motivational.

If it didn’t work out, at least you tried and shouldn’t be any worse off.

David for better people

]]> By: Bob http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514167 Bob Sun, 16 Apr 2023 00:35:21 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514167 $15/hour starting wage? No wonder they're having a hard time filling the position. Who in their right mind would be willing to work in garbage (no pun intended) conditions like that for a salary that can't even afford a 1br apartment? @M Absolutely not. The fact that our country still uses slave labor is an embarrassment. Prison should be about public safety and rehabilitation, not private corporations renting out human beings. $15/hour starting wage? No wonder they’re having a hard time filling the position. Who in their right mind would be willing to work in garbage (no pun intended) conditions like that for a salary that can’t even afford a 1br apartment?

@M

Absolutely not. The fact that our country still uses slave labor is an embarrassment. Prison should be about public safety and rehabilitation, not private corporations renting out human beings.

]]> By: RA http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514140 RA Sat, 15 Apr 2023 02:58:46 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514140 My spouse retired from ECUA having driven a garbage truck for many years. Most days his truck was full. If the truck wasn't full at the end of his route he would be sent to help on another route. So, the need to run the same amount of trucks is there. I understand the ECUA still asking to stay in the habit of separating garbage from recyclables. For some that's not a usual habit as they use their recycling can as a second garbage can. Good luck to the ECUA in finding people that want to work. My spouse retired from ECUA having driven a garbage truck for many years. Most days his truck was full. If the truck wasn’t full at the end of his route he would be sent to help on another route. So, the need to run the same amount of trucks is there. I understand the ECUA still asking to stay in the habit of separating garbage from recyclables. For some that’s not a usual habit as they use their recycling can as a second garbage can. Good luck to the ECUA in finding people that want to work.

]]> By: M in Bratt http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514139 M in Bratt Sat, 15 Apr 2023 00:37:54 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514139 How about taking a bus load of prisoners over there and put them to work. Let them work for food. How about taking a bus load of prisoners over there and put them to work. Let them work for food.

]]> By: David Huie Green http://www.northescambia.com/2023/04/ecua-pauses-recycling-facility-operation-due-to-staffing-shortage/comment-page-1#comment-514131 David Huie Green Fri, 14 Apr 2023 22:17:32 +0000 http://www.northescambia.com/?p=510561#comment-514131 REGARDING: "the same amount of “stuff” is going to require the same amount of “truck space” to transport. Running fewer trucks only means each one will fill up faster and need to make more trips to the landfill and back, reducing how much each truck can carry in one day" This assumes every truck is always full at the end of its route. If it were three quarters full, it could run a third longer. Half full would be twice as far. I have no idea how full each one or the average is. I doubt they each drive until they reach capacity, though. (Maybe they do. Maybe I'll check with my good friend who used to do it before she decided she'd rather carry children again.) I know we send out recyclables much less often than regular trash. That doesn't mean anyone else does as we do although one would suspect so. I don't pretend to know the best way to gather garbage but suspect it might be more complicated than some think. One thing I do know for certain is that garbage is mostly composed of something formerly useful so it should still be with some work and rethinking. Remember gasoline used to be considered the waste from refining petroleum to get kerosene. Just need to adjust attitudes a mite. David for recognizing treasure REGARDING:
“the same amount of “stuff” is going to require the same amount of “truck space” to transport. Running fewer trucks only means each one will fill up faster and need to make more trips to the landfill and back, reducing how much each truck can carry in one day”

This assumes every truck is always full at the end of its route. If it were three quarters full, it could run a third longer. Half full would be twice as far. I have no idea how full each one or the average is. I doubt they each drive until they reach capacity, though. (Maybe they do. Maybe I’ll check with my good friend who used to do it before she decided she’d rather carry children again.)

I know we send out recyclables much less often than regular trash. That doesn’t mean anyone else does as we do although one would suspect so.

I don’t pretend to know the best way to gather garbage but suspect it might be more complicated than some think. One thing I do know for certain is that garbage is mostly composed of something formerly useful so it should still be with some work and rethinking. Remember gasoline used to be considered the waste from refining petroleum to get kerosene. Just need to adjust attitudes a mite.

David for recognizing treasure

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