REVERE, Mass. — Hundreds of trash and recycling workers represented by Teamsters Local 25 went on strike Tuesday, possibly disrupting waste collection in more than a dozen Massachusetts communities.
Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien said 450 Republic Services workers were forced to strike throughout the Greater Boston area amid demands for a contract with improved wages, better benefits, and stronger labor protections.
According to Teamsters, Republic Services has “refused to give workers a fair deal, pushing them to the picket line.”
“If your rubbish is piling up on the Fourth of July, remember who’s responsible for it: the white-collar criminals who run Republic Services,” O’Brien said in a statement on Tuesday morning. “Republic Teamsters didn’t start this fight, but we will finish it. Our members will do whatever it takes to finally get the respect they’re owed.”
The affected Massachusetts towns are:
- Peabody
- Manchester-by-the-Sea
- Gloucester
- Wakefield
- Marblehead
- Malden
- Beverly
- Danvers
- North Reading
- Lynnfield
- Swampscott
- Arlington
- Watertown
- Canton
“It is disappointing that the union called a work stoppage rather than continue negotiating in good faith toward a fair and competitive contract that benefits our employees and our customers,” A Republic Service representative said. “A work stoppage does not benefit our employees or the communities we serve.”
Picket lines could extend nationwide and result in a work stoppage for over 3,500 Teamsters members.
“We currently provide our Greater Boston employees with competitive wages, an industry-leading healthcare plan, pension plan, and a generous time-off and holiday plan. We value our employees and entered negotiations intending to raise wages,” Republic Services said.
Hundreds of additional Teamsters across the country are having similar contract disputes with Republic, and they could launch strikes of their own at any moment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
