Dive Brief:
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 25 and Republic Services are scheduled to meet with a federal mediator Tuesday to negotiate a contract for about 450 Boston-area workers. This is the second negotiation session since the local went on strike on July 1.
- The labor dispute is drawing increased attention from local officials. The Massachusetts secretary of state urged a speedy resolution in a letter to CEO Jon Vander Ark on Saturday, and three Massachusetts towns have said the situation is forcing them to consider switching haulers.
- Since the strike started, four other Teamsters chapters have announced strikes of their own, and roughly 2,000 Republic employees represented by Teamsters have stopped work.
Dive Insight:
The union has earned some support from local officials. On July 9, the Boston City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the striking Teamsters. Three Boston city councilors also sent Vander Ark a letter on Saturday expressing concern over service disruptions that have begun to affect the city. They urged Republic to agree to "a contract that reflects the dedication of these workers and meets the expectations of the communities you serve."
Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin raised concern over the disruption occurring in 14 municipalities affected by the strike. In his letter, he also blamed stalled negotiations last week on the company's failure to negotiate.
"Refuse collection is an important public service that should not be conditioned on a private company's strategy," Galvin wrote. "Circumstances such as these raise serious questions whether these important public services should be left to private companies without state oversight."
The nationwide labor action is the Teamsters’ largest escalation yet in negotiations with Republic Services; the two sides have frequently been at odds in recent years. Teamsters chapters in Washington, California, Georgia and Illinois are also on strike, though Local 25 represents the most Republic workers among the five chapters. Other Teamsters workers have also chosen to stop work and honor the picket line.
Republic has brought in replacement workers in some areas to maintain service, albeit at a reduced level. Three Boston-area municipalities have sent Republic non-performance notices, and the town of North Reading’s attorney noted in a letter that Republic’s lack of collection violates its contract. The municipalities could decide to terminate their contracts with the hauler, The Boston Globe reported Monday.
The Teamsters want workers to join the union's health and pension plans. They have also said they want Republic Services to agree to pay its Boston-area workers wages that are comparable to what haulers Capitol Waste Services and Boston Carting pay unionized workers. But in a news release on Saturday, Local 25 leaders said Republic's most recent proposal "fell several dollars short" of that rate.
Republic has asserted throughout negotiations that its Teamsters-represented workers are among the best paid in the Boston market. The company's latest public contract offer, outlined in a news release following negotiations on July 11, included a 16% wage increase immediately and a 43% pay increase over five years.
Republic also claimed that 45% of its drivers in the area earned more than $100,000 in 2024, and that its health and pension plan have a lower cost than the union’s offerings.
Teamsters Local 25 described Republic Services’ health plan as "less comprehensive" than the union's own plan. It said Republic did not agree to switch workers over to the union plan at the last negotiation session.
