Trash Workers On Strike, No Pickup in Avon, Avon Lake

UPDATED 2:16 p.m- Trash will be picked up Tuesday, April 2. The regular trash schedule will resume next Monday.

It's not a joke: If you put out trash in Avon and Avon Lake expecting a Monday pickup, take it off your treelawn.

Avon and Avon Lake Republic Waste customers won't have their trash picked up Monday, April 1 because of a strike.  Republic Area Marketing Manager Dave Kidder said workers went out on strike as on midnight Monday, April 1 that affects all of Lorain County.

Republic Waste workers, who belong to the Teamsters, are picketing at the Elyria trucking company.

According to the Teamsters website, "Sanitation workers employed by Republic Services/Allied Waste went on strike in Ohio last night to protest the company’s violations of federal labor law." The striking workers are members of Teamsters Local Union 377 of Youngstown, however Republic workers in other areas, including Evansville and Urbana, IL, are striking in a show of solidarity.

Residents are advised to move their trash back into their garage or house until further information is available.

“We have no idea when it’s going to be picked up,” Elizabeth Gedeon, Mayor Greg Zilka’s secretary said. “It may be tomorrow but we don’t know.”

Don't miss breaking news alerts like this one: Sign up for the free daily/breaking newsletter here.

Kidder said the company was not aware there would be no trash pickup before last night.

“We did not anticipate them to go out on strike at midnight,” Kidder said.

Asked when trash pickup could resume, Kidder said, “I wish I could tell you that. I don’t know.”

Gedeon said the city is asking that residents bring their trash back in so it does not blow away.

Check back for updates.