Friday marks the fourth day of the Republic Services trash workers strike.
As families celebrate the Fourth of July holiday, the risk of overflowing trash in several communities looms large.
A federal mediator was brought in Thursday, though Teamsters Local 25 and Republic Services were unable to come to an agreement.
A spokesperson for the Teamsters union says the the North American sanitation giant is paying workers several dollars below its competitors, and their health benefits are “subpar.”
“I have never seen a group of workers who are so united and committed to making certain they are able to enjoy the same pay and benefits as people who are doing the exact same job at another employer,” said Thomas G. Mari, President of Local 25. “This strike is all about fairness, equity, and maintaining the area standards established by Local 25.”
When asked for comment Friday morning, Republic Services said they had no update in negotiations and that collection trucks are on the road servicing customers.
A spokesperson for the trash company previously stated on Thursday that the union is putting its own self-interested ahead of its members and the communities they serve.
“We remain committed to reaching a fair agreement that benefits our employees and our customers,” Market Vice President Kurt Lavery said. “We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience the Teamsters are causing.”
The stalemate comes just days after Republic Services accused striking workers of harassing employees and slashing tires at their Revere location.
The Massachusetts towns affected by the strike are:
A Teamsters spokesperson says the strike will take as long as necessary.
Teamsters Local 25 represents more than 13,000 members in greater Boston and southern New England.
Hundreds of additional Teamsters across the country are having similar contract disputes with Republic.
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