Mayor
Joseph A. Curtatone this week said he is trying to avoid that and only
wants a trash pick-up company that "delivers the best service to
taxpayers. I'm not concerned with ideology."

Last year aldermen
criticized the no-bid process that led to F.W. Russell, a non-union
company, getting the contract. Teamsters had recently scuffled with
police and Russell owner Charles Carneglia during a labor protest that
ended with 11 Teamsters arrested.

This year, Curtatone did put
the contract out to bid and said he was not happy with the return.
Russell's bid, he said, came in at a higher price than expected.

Still,
he said, aldermen who demand a union trash company might be putting
this city at risk. "I don't think aldermen want trash all over the
city's streets because we couldn't find a union company. This isn't
about politics or ideology,it's about picking up the trash and
delivering services to taxpayers," he said.

He said he has met with other vendors who could step in when Russell's current contract expires at the end of the month.