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Republic Services strike continues, leaving customers uncertain
The waste management company and Teamsters Local 25 met with a federal mediator Wednesday to no avail.
About 450 Republic Services waste collection workers continue to strike heading into the July 4 holiday weekend as the company and members of the Teamsters 25 union failed to negotiate a new contract on Wednesday.
Hundreds of workers began a strike Tuesday after their contract with the company expired. Represented by Teamsters Local 25, they are demanding better wages, improved benefits, and stronger labor protections.
The strike affects trash and recycling services in more than a dozen Massachusetts towns.
According to Republic Services, a meeting between the union and the company with a federal mediator on Wednesday did not result in a new contract. Republic Services said the Teamsters rejected the offer without a counter.
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In response on Thursday, the union in a statement said, “Republic has been lying through its teeth about this strike since started,” saying the company’s latest offer is a “slap in the face” to its members and is “completely unreasonable.”
However, Republic Services said it offers employees a competitive wage, benefits plans, and a holiday and paid-time off program.
“The union is putting its own self-interests ahead of its union members and the communities they serve,” the company said in a press release.
The company condemned the Teamsters’ “reckless” and “criminal” behavior for a second day, accusing them of harassing drivers, slashing tires on occupied vehicles, threatening employees, and sabotaging trucks — actions the company said put workers and the public at risk.
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“We are committed to good-faith negotiations,” market vice president Kurt Lavery said in a statement. “We will not tolerate actions that endanger our employees or our communities.”
Republic Services is implementing a contingency plan to minimize service disruptions. This plan includes deploying employees from other areas, prioritizing routes, and optimizing routing efficiencies.
“We remain committed to reaching a fair agreement that benefits our employees and our customers,” Lavery added. “We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience the Teamsters are causing.”
Teamsters 25 claim that nothing they’re asking for is inconsistent with others in the industry.
“True leadership would prioritize labor peace and the needs of Massachusetts residents over corporate greed,” the union said in a statement.
The union thanked the community for is support and solidarity, saying the “energy from our members on the picket line have been incredibly inspiring.”
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien took to X on Wednesday, posting a picture of himself on the strike line.
“These @Teamsters are fighting against the white-collar crimes syndicate @RepublicService for respectable wages, benefits and working conditions,” he said. “We’ll hold this line as long as it takes.”
Mike Ortiz, a sanitation worker at Republic Services, published an op-ed piece in the Boston Herald on June 28, ahead of the strikes.
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Ortiz claimed that when his employer, JRM, was acquired by Republic Services in 2022, the company slashed his pay, and he could no longer keep up with the region’s cost of living.
“Sanitation is one of the most dangerous professions out there, and injuries are common,” Ortiz wrote. “Our jobs are tough and physically demanding. As a transfer station driver, I move waste to landfills and incinerators. I’m regularly walking through waist-deep piles of garbage. Even with protective gear, I’ve come home sick after a shift more times than I can count. We know how important our work is and that we have earned the better wages, health care, and protections we are fighting for.”
For a list of impacted cities and towns, visit here.
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