General News

Edward Ostrowski passes at 92

Edward Ostrowski Passes at 92

Former president of Local 831 raised wages for sanitation workers

We regret to announce the passing of Edward Ostrowski, 2nd president of the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association (Teamsters Local 831) and a trustee of Teamsters Joint Council 16. He passed away Tuesday at 92 years old.

Ostrowski was known for negotiating wage increases that made sanitation workers among New York City’s best paid public workers and refused to apologize for it. “It’s money well earned and hard earned,” he told the New York Times upon his retirement.

Ostrowski joined the New York City Department of Sanitation in 1950 as a street cleaner in Brooklyn. He retired in 1992 after serving as president of Local 831 for 14 years.