West Coast Teamsters Showing Solidarity With Massachusetts Trash Strikers

A Teamsters Local 25 picket line in Peabody.

Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio

PEABODY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — While trash is mounting in several Massachusetts communities from a trash strike, so are frustrations.

Teamsters Local 25, representing about 450 workers for Republic Services, went on strike July 1 over issues including wages and health benefits. 

Talks so far have been unsuccessful at getting crews back to work.

A federal mediator was brought in over the weekend to help with negotiations, and more talks are scheduled this week.

Meanwhile, sanitation workers and union members in California are showing their solidarity with striking crews in Massachusetts by honoring picket lines.

The strike in Massachusetts began about two weeks ago when the union accused Republic of not providing its workers with compensation it says its competitors provide, an allegation Republic denies.

The president of Teamsters Local 25 Thomas Mari said all its workers want is a fair contract. "The fight is about health care, the fight is about community standards," he said.

"Really all we want is a community standard which means we get what the guy down the street pays."

Republic accuses the union of not taking negotiations seriously after offering a nearly 43 percent wage increase over five years with an immediate 16 percent wage increase.

Republic said 45 percent of its Greater Boston Teamsters' drivers earned more than $100,000 last year.

Mari said he believes Republic is feeling the pressure, especially with the solidarity Teamsters has. "Pressure is being tightened on this company to do the right thing by the working man," he said.

"We're showing that you take on one of us...we stick together."

The strike has affected 14 Massachusetts communities: Beverly, Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester-By-The-Sea, Marblehead, North Reading, Peabody, Swampscott, Wakefield, and Watertown.

WBZ NewsRadio's James Rojas (@jamesrojas.bsky.social) reports. 

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