Garbage Piles Up Around SoCal As Workers Join Nationwide Strike

SEAL BEACH, CA — Thousands of Southland residents are experiencing delays in garbage, recycling and compost collection as local workers join a nationwide strike of Republic Services workers. It's not clear just how long the work stoppage will last.

The workers are striking in solidarity with the Teamsters Local 439 in Stockton, a union whose members are asking for higher wages, better health insurance, and pension benefits. Republic Services workers are not technically on strike, but consider working tantamount to “crossing a picket line.”

Work stoppages began in Boston, where more than 400 trash collectors walked off the job last week, and continued to Philadelphia, Illinois, and Atlanta. In California, Republic Services employees in began picketing earlier this week, holding signs reading “Hold Your Nose.”

Teamsters are walking out to support Stockton workers to protest what they say are unsafe working conditions and inadequate pay.

In Garden Grove on Wednesday, trash and recycling cans overflowing with debris from Fourth of July parties sat in the hot sun as trash truck drivers walked out. Republic Services is contracted with dozens of cities in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties as well as much of the Bay Area.

Community members in Seal Beach have also experienced delays in their routine trash pickups after Republic workers went on strike this week. City officials in a statement on social media Wednesday said the trash pickup delay in Seal Beach would last at least one day.

“Services are expected to resume within 1-2 days,” city officials said. “We appreciate residents’ patience and understanding during this time.”

Cities across the sate said they are working to find ways for additional trash collection. Some have added a Saturday pickup day, while others are exploring temporary public debris pickup sites, according to Coastside News.

Neither unions nor management have indicated if there has been any forward movement with negotiations, and the strike could continue for days or weeks. In the meantime, residents are trying their best to make due.

“We put our garbage out today thinking they were going to pick it up, but apparently they went on strike in support of Stockton,” California resident David Villarreal told CBS News. “What can I do? At some point this garbage needs to get thrown away so it doesn't get piled in the street, so I either go to the dump, or I find somewhere to take it.”

Organizer Sal Abrica told Patch workers in San Diego are striking in solidarity with their fellow workers, who are asking for higher wages, better health insurance, and pension benefits.

It's tantamount to refusing to cross a picket line, Abrica told Patch. Residential, commercial, and any services being provided by Republic Services will feel a slowing or be impacted by this strike line extension.

"As we share the same employer, Republic Services, the Chula Vista Local 542 unit is honoring the strike line from workers in both Boston and Stockton," he said. The trucks are lining up, refusing to cross the line to those homes and businesses who have hired Republic Services for trash pickup, due to unsafe working conditions and inadequate pay.

“In all of these cities Republic Services is refusing to give workers what they deserve and are not giving them the respect they deserve,” Teamsters International spokesperson Matthew McQuaid told The Reporter.

“Everything that is happening is the company’s fault,” McQuaid told The Coastside News. “It’s their fault that we’re on strike, it’s their fault that picket lines have been extended, it’s their fault that people’s trash hasn’t been picked up. The ball’s in their court. They can end this all by offering a fair deal tomorrow.”

Republic Services said it is negotiating with workers, and will make adjustments to its services.

"Republic Services is in contract negotiations with IBT 439, the union representing some of our employees at Forward Landfill,” the company said in a statement. “Those employees are engaged in a temporary work stoppage, and are picketing at other Republic Services locations in the area. As a result, we anticipate temporary service delays for some recycling and waste collection customers. We are making adjustments to our operations to ensure our ability to continue providing service during this situation. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience this may cause.”

Patch Reporter Fernando Haro contributed to this report.