Boston’s dumpsters overflow as trash-strike summer drags on

A trash collector strike in the Boston area is entering its fifth week with no resolution in sight, leading to overflowing dumpsters, exasperated politicians and a string of lawsuits.

More than 400 garbage haulers belonging to a local chapter of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have been on strike since July 1 after failing to reach an agreement with their employer, Republic Services Inc., on demands for higher wages and better benefits. The work stoppage is affecting trash collection for residents in 14 Boston-area suburbs from Canton to Gloucester.

While Boston itself doesn’t rely on Republic for standard trash pickup, many of the city’s businesses have contracts with the company for private collection so they’re also dealing with the strain – and the stench – of the strike.

Republic has brought in replacement workers to help clear the pileup, but homeowners and businesses say service has been spotty, with some complaining of late pickups or a lack of recycling collection. In Canton, residents who are supposed to be serviced weekly have only had one trash pickup all month, Public Works Superintendent Michael Trotta said. Republic has said picketing workers are slowing services.

Apartment buildings and restaurants, places that generate greater volumes of trash, have been the most affected, with politicians warning teeming piles of garbage are rodent magnets and a public health crisis. Temperatures in downtown Boston were set to reach 97 degrees on Tuesday – which would match the city record for that date set in 1933, according to the National Weather Service – making the situation even stinkier.

Trash strikes have erupted across the U.S. this summer, with Republic workers halting pickup in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Seattle suburbs earlier this month while city garbage haulers in Philadelphia staged a similar work stoppage. Trash service has since resumed in those cities after the workers reached agreements with their employers, but a resolution to the Massachusetts strike has proven much more elusive. Smaller-scale strikes by Republic trash collectors are also happening in Ottawa, Illinois, and Cumming, Georgia, outside of Atlanta.

All nine members of the Massachusetts delegation to the House of Representatives – each of whom is a Democrat – signed a letter last week urging Republic to negotiate a fair contract that would allow the trash haulers to return to work, echoing earlier calls from Governor Maura Healey. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has started imposing fines on Republic and six of the affected communities are suing the company, seeking to force it to meet contract obligations.

Some city councilors are even pleading for intervention from Bill Gates, whose Cascade Investment is Republic’s largest shareholder.

None of it has worked. The last meeting between Republic and union officials was on July 18 and ended with both sides criticizing the lack of progress. No follow-up conversations have been scheduled.

“It’s like, can we please get some adults in the room?” said Kay Masterson, co-owner of Johnny’s Luncheonette, a diner in the Boston suburb of Newton that contracts with Republic. “The lack of communication has been frustrating.”

While most homeowners can pack up trash or recycling in their cars and drop it off at city dumps, commercial entities dealing with much greater volumes have said it’s difficult to find service providers willing to cross the picket line, said Greg Reibman, president of the Charles River Regional Chamber, a business advocacy group. Some have paid neighboring businesses that have contracts with collectors other than Republic to take their garbage. The pickups from Republic, when they do happen, can be random.

Republic has sued the Massachusetts Teamsters chapter and its leadership, alleging that its members have harassed company employees while picketing, slashed the tires of its vehicles and temporarily stolen a truck – accusations that the union has denied. A federal judge in Boston last week rejected Republic’s bid for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction.

But in the lawsuit filed by the six affected communities, a judge on Monday said she can’t grant the preliminary injunction sought by the cities to force Republic to honor its contracts and instead will let the legal case play out, in part because company personnel have testified that striking workers have blocked trucks from moving and otherwise interfered with operations.

“We again call for an end to Teamsters Local 25’s continued unlawful conduct,” Republic said in a statement after the judge’s ruling. “We will continue to work with all communities impacted.” The trash services company had previously said that the strike is about the union’s “desire to cause chaos and conflict.”

Since the work stoppage in Massachusetts began, Republic shares declined about 2% through Monday. The Phoenix-based company is set to report its second-quarter results after the close of trading Tuesday.

Republic has said it’s offered to increase wages for the striking trash haulers by 16% immediately and by 43% over the five years of the proposed contract. The Teamsters have countered that the total value of the compensation agreement, including health insurance and other benefits, is still about $4 less per hour than what competitors Capitol Waste Services and Star Waste Systems offer their employees.

“We want this strike to end and have our members get back to work as soon as possible to clean up the mess caused by Republic. But until Republic comes to its senses, there’s no end in sight,” Teamsters Local 25 President Tom Mari said in a statement.

Republic is finding little political support in labor-friendly Massachusetts where every statewide elected official and member of Congress is a Democrat.

In Boston, Wu announced last week that the city would start fining Republic directly for trash violations at affected businesses and expected the company to pick up the tab for penalties charged earlier this month.

The city council in Peabody, one of the Boston suburbs suing Republic, sent a letter to Cascade and Gates, urging the billionaire and his investment firm to push for a resolution.

Citing Cascade’s stated commitment to sustainability and ethical investing, the officials asked Gates to demand a labor agreement that “respects workers’ contributions and addresses their legitimate demands.” A representative for Cascade didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

“This has gone beyond a headache for residents, businesses and municipalities – it is a public health concern and it’s expensive for everyone,” Healey said in a statement earlier this month. “Sanitation workers do essential work to keep our neighborhoods clean and healthy, and they deserve fair wages, benefits and protections.”