REVERE, Mass. — An agreement has been reached between Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25 to bring the months-long trash worker strike in Massachusetts to an end.
Kurt Lavery, Market Vice President for Republic Services, and Tom Mari, President of Local 25, are both looking forward to trash collectors returning to their jobs.
“We look forward to our employees returning to work on Monday and quickly resuming normal operations,” Lavery said in a statement. “We will work tirelessly to restore our customers’ trust.”
Mari added, “During the strike, we never lost hope that we would reach an agreement that would benefit our members. We are now ready to return to work and provide the best service possible to Republic’s customers.”
Lavery and Mari announced Friday that both sides have reached a deal on a five-year collective bargaining agreement.
Canton residents on Sherman Avenue were ecstatic to hear the news Friday.
“Friends texted me and we’re all like... so psyched,” said Pat Johansen. “People took care of each other and we took care of it. We made it work!”
Another neighbor, Karen Pecararo, added, “I was upset about [the strike], a little angry. But then I was like, ‘Ok, trash isn’t coming this week. We’re going to leave it on these streets, so we didn’t have to smell it.’”
Richard Walsh, another Canton native, explained, “I’m just glad it’s over... I’m a union carpenter, and I understand you have to have these battles.”
This agreement comes after Gov. Maura Healey called on Republic Services to negotiate in good faith last month.
Trash has been piling up in more than a dozen Massachusetts communities since July 1.
Friday marks Day 80 of the strike.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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