Trash Strike Standoff: Teamsters, Republic Trade Shots As Bags Simmer In Hot Summer Sun

PEABODY, MA — The three-week sanitation workers' strike, disrupting trash collections across the North Shore and Greater Boston as bags pile up in the sizzling summer heat, took another acrimonious turn late Tuesday when Republic Services filed for a court injunction against Teamsters Local 25 and the union accused the company of refusing to bargain on key health insurance points.

Republic Services said Tuesday that it filed for the injunction in U.S. District Court, accusing the union workers of harassment, threats, intimidation, as well as "unlawful and dangerous conduct."

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Teamsters Local Union 25 President Tom Mari fired back late Tuesday, saying that after 12 hours of negotiations with a federal mediator, the company again cut off the talks and refused to indicate a willingness to resume them.

"It's amazing," Mari said, "that the company continues to show its lack of credibility and good faith bargaining. Republic's disdain for its employees and the thousands of citizens of the cities and towns it services by refusing to bargain in good faith is obvious but not surprising.

"We haven't been given a legitimate offer that recognizes our needs in two weeks."

Mari said the company "rejected every proposal" related to health insurance and "then it actually decreased its wage offer for one of the more critical jobs performed for Republic."

Mari said Republic refused to present any proposal either verbally or in writing. At the end of the session on Tuesday, the federal mediator reported that the company refused to agree to any future negotiation sessions, Mari said.

Leaders from Beverly, Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester, North Reading, Peabody, Swampscott, Wakefield and Watertown signed a separate letter to Republic Services late last week that demanded that Republic Services "act to swiftly expand interim staffing by bringing in additional drivers and resources to stabilize service in the short term."

That letter also cited a lack of communication, escalating costs and public health concerns because of bags piling up on sidewalks and in commercial dumpsters.

Communities continue to scramble to create alternative means of trash, recycling and yard waste relief for residents 16 days into the strike.

A recycling drop-off event in Danvers was shut down early on Tuesday because of what officials called "an overwhelming response," with officials then requesting residents stay away from the area of the high school because of the lingering traffic crunch.

"We have accepted the capacity of material that can be accepted at this time," officials said at about 4 p.m. "Due to traffic, please try to avoid the high school area if possible as traffic is a concern. We apologize for this inconvenience and will provide more information as soon as possible."

In Malden, officials sent out a message to the community saying that normal Monday trash collections are planned for Wednesday, with additional trash and recycling drop-off options on the city website.

Local 25 said 4,000 Teamsters were either on strike or honoring the strike extensions across the country on Wednesday morning. Picket lines were set up at four locations in Peabody as well as those in Revere, Holbrook, Roxbury and Quincy.

State Treasurer Deb Goldberg and State Auditor Diana DiZoglio this week joined Secretary of State Bill Galvin over the weekend in calling for an end to the strike — placing much of the blame for the disruptions on the nationwide sanitation company.

"Our Commonwealth depends on fair labor practices that respect workers and safeguard the communities they serve," Goldberg said in a public letter. "It is troubling that despite multiple negotiations, Republic Services has not met basic expectations for fair wages, comprehensive benefits, safe working conditions, and reasonable time off — forcing workers to strike as a last resort.

"Such avoidable disruptions come at a steep price that must manage public health concerns, mounting waste and unanticipated costs that ultimately fall on local budgets and taxpayers."

Said DiZoglio: "I am disturbed that a Fortune 500 company with substantial annual profits, including a CEO compensation package of over $12 million, would resist reaching an agreement to provide frontline workers with the fair treatment they deserve."

(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.)