Baltimore DPW workers prepare to protest after death of employee

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore's Department of Public Works (DPW) is under scrutiny as workers prepare to protest outside City Hall Friday following the death of a worker on November 8.

Timothy Cartwell, a waste collector with the Reedbird Sanitation Yard, died after being trapped between a utility pole and a trash truck in an alley.

Cartwell's death echoed safety concerns raised after the death of Ronald Silver, another DPW worker who died in August after he overheated while on the job.

The workers' union, AFSCME Maryland Council 3, has demanded improvements in training and communication to prevent further incidents. Patrick Moran, the union's president, criticized the city for what he described as a lack of urgency in addressing these issues.

"This was a totally avoidable incident," Moran said. "Unfortunately, we are not going to change that culture overnight. I think there's been a shift in culture as a result of these horrific events, but it's got to be on hyperdrive."

Moran added that the union has spent months requesting health and safety data from the city without success.

This week, Mayor Brandon Scott highlighted recent DPW safety improvements, especially in response to Silver's death. While the union acknowledged progress, it emphasized the need for more comprehensive action.

"The city has got to stop trying to stiff-arm folks who want to make sure this goes right," Moran said. "It's in the city's best interest."

The protest is scheduled to begin at noon. Cartwell's official cause of death has not yet been released.