North Shore Trash Strike Over: Officials, Teamsters Celebrate End To 82-Day Work Stoppage

UPDATED 2:30 p.m.

PEABODY, MA — The sanitation workers' strike that disrupted trash and recycling collection across the North Shore and Greater Boston for more than two months ended Friday with what Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas Mari called "an extremely strong contract" that paves the way for a return to the routes starting on Monday.

"These workers stood strong for 82 days to send a message across the country," Mari said in a statement early Friday afternoon. "Never once did they waiver in their commitment to remain on strike until they got what they deserved. This is an extremely strong contract, and our members are looking forward to going back to work Monday, and back into the communities they service."

The strike began on July 1 with little contact between the sides throughout a summer where routes were missed for days at a time and recycling collection was sparse or non-existent in many of the affected communities.

"I haven’t been this happy since the Red Sox reversed the curse and won the World Series," Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt said late Friday morning. "Regular service will begin soon, so please be patient as Republic and their workers ramp back up. Please continue to leave your trash and recycling curbside on your regular pickup day.

"Soon, dump days, bulk item pick-ups, and yard waste collection will resume with schedules announced very shortly. I want to personally thank (city residents and businesses) for your patience and perseverance."

Talks resumed at the beginning of the month with little movement. The union said its 400 employee members voted down a Republic offer with more than 84 percent opposed two weeks ago.

The strike reached 82 days before the breakthrough.

"Thank you to the people who live in the affected communities who openly urged Republic to provide its employees with the contract that represents the hard work the employees perform every day," Mari said. "Sticking together and never uncertain of their objective, these Teamsters won the contract they fought for and deserve."

Mari also thanked Gov. Maura Healey, who was among the many local and state officials who pressured Republic to return to the bargaining table amid the impasse throughout the summer.

"I am glad that Republic and Teamsters Local 25 have been able to reach an agreement," Healey said in a Friday statement. "This is welcome news for the people and communities served by Republic, and for the sanitation workers who can now return to work with the wages and benefits they deserve."

The contract is reported to be a five-year deal. Details of the collective bargaining agreement were not announced as of Friday afternoon.

"The process of returning to normal service will follow," the city of Malden said on its social media on Friday morning. "We do understand that returning drivers will be required to complete mandatory retraining.

"At this point, we would expect that next week will continue to have delays, and for things to stabilize the following week."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

More on Patch:

• 'No End In Sight': Exasperation As North Shore Trash Strike Nears 2-Month Mark
• 'Beyond Untenable': North Shore Trash Strike Nears 8th Week With No New Talks
• MA Congress Delegation Demands Republic Bargain To End Work Stoppage
• Beverly Officials Decry Broken Promises, Eye Financial Recourse Amid Trash Strike
• Trash Strike 'Odors, Rats' Update: North Shore Officials In Court, No New Negotiations
• Swampscott Withholds Republic Payments, Shuns Lawsuit
• 'Very Unsettling Time': Peabody Cites Contract Breach, Withholds Payments Amid Trash Strike