Recycling, Trash Workers Go on Strike Across Massachusetts

Scores of sanitation workers went on strike early on Tuesday, July 1, in the Boston area. Their actions were set to affect waste collection in more than a dozen communities across Massachusetts.

NBC10 Boston reported that Teamsters Local 25 said 450 workers represented by the union started a strike just after midnight. That strike will affect hundreds of thousands of people in the area amid continuing contract negotiations with the employer Republic Services.

According to union representatives,Teamsters Local 25 members are demanding better wages, benefits, and labor protections in their contract. Republic Services, however, hasn't been receptive. 

The union notes that the following towns are being affected by the strikes: Arlington, Beverly, Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Lynnfield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Malden, Marblehead, Peabody, Revere, Saugus, Topsfield, Wakefield, and Watertown. Republic Services has contradicted some of the union's statements, saying that Arlington, Topsfield, and Saugus are not impacted by the strike.

“If your rubbish is piling up on the Fourth of July, remember who's responsible for it: the white-collar criminals who run Republic Services,” said Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien in a statement shared with NBC10. “Republic Teamsters didn't start this fight, but we will finish it. Our members will do whatever it takes to finally get the respect they're owed.”

In a statement, Canton Town Administrator Charles Doody said, “We understand the frustration this sudden disruption may cause and appreciate residents' patience as we work closely with Republic Services to restore collection services as quickly and safely as possible.”

“It's a tough job for those union guys if you ever watch them during the summer,” said Mike Conley of Wakefield in a statement to 7 News Boston. “Trying to load those trucks. You can't blame them for trying to get a little more benefits and more money out of it.”