Video shows apparent road rage incident between trash truck and car
“It was a real kind of push and shove the whole way to the end of the street."
An apparent confrontation between the drivers of a car and a trash truck unfolded on a dead end street in Marshfield Wednesday, drawing a couple of residents to the front window of their home. The garbage truck’s company, which has workers on strike, alleges the people in the car were “Teamsters seeking to prevent our driver from exiting a neighborhood.”Lenore Cochrane watched, and her daughter used her phone to record, as the truck appeared to drive at the dark-colored sedan around 8 a.m. on Lynn Street.“Are you kidding me?” someone can be heard saying in the background of the video. Then one of the drivers hits the horn. The car eventually backs up.“It was a real kind of push and shove the whole way to the end of the street,” Cochrane told WCVB
, adding “it looks like the trash truck is being the aggressor, but it was the people in the car that were actually more threatening.”
The trash truck has a Republic Services logo on the side. A bunch of their workers have been on strike since Aug. 29 when upwards of two dozen walked off; the company is working on a contract with Teamsters Local 25, a workers’ union, according to Boston 25 News. The Republic workers on strike provided trash removal for Marshfield, Rockland, and Abington. Out-of-state workers have been brought in to replace them, the news station reports.
Marshfield police told Boston 25 they contacted Republic over the incident, reportedly telling the company that the driver’s actions were “unsafe.” Police did not return a request for comment from Boston.com on Thursday.
“Republic Services is utilizing out of state replacement drivers who are uncertified, lack proper training and are not subject to criminal background checks,” Teamsters Local 25 President Sean O’Brien said in a statement to Boston 25. “The incident today is a result of Republic Services being reckless and having no regard for public safety or its own employees. We are proud of our members as they have acted honorably and within the law while they are on strike, worried about their families and their future.”
In response to the video, Republic emailed this statement to Boston.com, disputing the Teamsters’ claims:
“Safety is the number one priority for Republic Services. We have the best safety record in the industry. Teamsters Local 25 representatives are engaged in an intimidation campaign that is putting our drivers and the communities we serve at risk. This includes unsafe actions on the roads and in neighborhoods that include stalking and blocking drivers who are simply trying to do their jobs and serve our customers, as witnessed by local residents. Yesterday’s incident on Lynn Street is another example of the tactics the Teamsters are using to intimidate our drivers. The individuals in the sedan were Teamsters seeking to prevent our driver from exiting a neighborhood. The Teamsters have repeatedly threatened our Marshfield employees, the members they represent and claim to care about. Legal proceedings have been filed by Republic Services of Marshfield against the Teamsters as result of the Teamsters’ ongoing violence, threats and other misconduct that is risking the safety of our employees and the Marshfield area communities. Our drivers are fully trained and experienced professionals. The Teamsters’ claims that our drivers are uncertified or haven’t undergone background checks is patently false. Republic Services of Marshfield respects its employees’ right to union representation, but it will not give in to the Teamsters’ unlawful bullying tactics.”
Watch the video of the incident:
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