Hundreds of trash and recycling workers employed by Republic Services across Massachusetts launched a strike early Tuesday morning, disrupting waste collection services in at least 17 communities. The strike, led by Teamsters Local 25, involves approximately 450 workers demanding better wages, improved benefits, and stronger labor protections after contract negotiations with Republic Services reached an impasse.
Reported by several news organizations: The affected communities include Peabody, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Gloucester, Wakefield, Marblehead, Malden, Topsfield, Saugus, Beverly, Danvers, North Reading, Reading, Lynnfield, Swampscott, Arlington, Watertown, and Canton. Residents in these areas have been advised not to place trash or recycling bins curbside, with some towns, like Marblehead, opening transfer stations to allow residents to dispose of waste at no cost during the stoppage.
Reading is not part of the strike though. As reported over the weekend in our article here, the Town issued a response on Facebook that “rubbish and recycling crews are dispatched from Tyngsboro. The impacted towns have crews that are dispatched from Peabody and Revere”. The photo from our article today was taken this morning showing Republic trash trucks in Reading.
