Blame game intensifies with Mass. trash collector strike now in its 3rd week
Union sanitation workers have been accused of stealing a garbage truck, destroying property, and hurling threats as the trash collection strike impacting several Massachusetts towns drags on.
Wednesday marks Day 16 of the strike after Teamsters Local 25 and Republic Services walked away from the bargaining table on Tuesday, having made “little progress” on a deal to end the work stoppage.
“Enough is enough. The community is ready for our employees to get back to work and resume normal operations,” a Republic Services spokesperson said in a statement. “The Teamsters are dragging this out for their benefit and continuing their criminal behavior, putting our employees and the community at risk.”
Teamsters have been demanding better wages and benefits. They say Tuesday’s discussuions lasted 12 hours, with Republic refusing to negotiate health insurance.
Republic Services claimed its wage offer is higher than local competitors, while also alleging “unlawful and dangerous conduct” by Teamsters.
“Due to the Teamsters unlawful and dangerous conduct, Republic Services filed a legal action in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts against Teamsters Local 25, its President Tom Mari, and several union officials seeking immediate injunctive relief,” the spokesperson added. “This action follows numerous incidents of harassment, threats, physical intimidation, vandalism, and blockades of Republic’s trucks and employees.”
The trash collection company alleged picketers have stolen a garbage truck, slashed tires, sprayed chemicals in the eyes of a Republic Services driver, blocked trucks at facilities and customer sites, and threatened violence and hate speech at employees.
Mari has alleged that the trash company has “continued to show its lack of credibility and good faith bargaining.”
“We offered a plan to the company that would delay the start of the union insurance, saving the company a substantial amount of money,” Mari stated. “We also offered a plan that would result in certain employees, the company claimed, it was concerned about, to make certain they would continue to get the benefits of the prevailing wage law. Instead, the company rejected every proposal.”
The strike by more than 400 Republic employees represented by Local 25 is now in its third week.
While Republic Services says Teamsters “refused” to resume negotiations on Friday, Mari said the union is “willing to meet every day for as long as it takes to get our members what they deserve.”
The Massachusetts towns affected by the strike are:
It’s not clear when contract negotiations will resume.
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