Bay Area sanitation workers this week joined what a union leader called a nationwide garbage “war” between the Teamsters and Republic Services — which provides trash and recycling pickups for hundreds of thousands of residents around the U.S — over wages and working conditions.
In a statement Wednesday, Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said union members “will flood the streets and shut down garbage collection in state after state.” By Thursday, Fremont, Union City and Newark residents were left awaiting collections as Teamsters workers, employed by Republic Services, picketed outside the Forward Landfill in Manteca, demanding better wages and benefits.
“Republic Services has been threatening a war with American workers for years — and now, they’ve got one,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Republic abuses and underpays workers across the country. They burn massive profits and funnel money to undeserving, corrupt executives. The Teamsters have had it with Republic.”
Republic Services, which services cities throughout Northern California, announced Tuesday that workers would skip residential trash collection for at least two days. By Thursday, the stoppages continued and full collection bins throughout the Bay Area began to line the streets.
Republic said affected areas in Northern California include Stockton, San Jose, Solano County, Fairfield, Suisun City, San Pablo, Richmond, Hercules, Pinole, Rodeo, Crockett, El Sobrante, Piedmont, East Richmond Heights, Bay View, Tara Hills, North Richmond, Rollingwood, Union City, Newark, Fremont, Half Moon Bay, Daly City and Colma.
Teamsters Local 439 union workers at Forward Landfill in Manteca have been negotiating a first contract since last year and have set up picket lines at Republic-operated sites throughout the country, which other unions have agreed not to cross.
Having recently unionized, Local 439 workers say they are asking for a contract consistent with the cost of living paid to other Teamsters at waste management companies throughout the rest of the country.
Republic did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment regarding negotiations.
Teamsters union members in Boston on July 1 first hit the picket lines outside of Republic facilities and since then, other members and union allies throughout the country followed suit.
In a statement Wednesday, the company said “we are making adjustments to our operations to continue providing service during this situation. We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may cause.”
It is still unclear how long the operational shutdowns will continue.
Mark Uribe, a Fremont resident, said if the collections don’t resume sometime soon, he will fill his bin a much as it will handle and, if necessary, pile his trash in the street in front of his house until a garbage truck eventually shows up.
He acknowledged the union workers’ demands for better pay, saying “bills aren’t getting any cheaper,” and adding that “I understand everybody wants a little bit more to make their lives a little easier.” But he said as trash begins to mount across the nation, “I can see how it could get ugly quick.”
“I can respect what they’re shooting for, but we have to suffer for it,” Uribe said in an interview Thursday. “It’s going to get nasty within a couple days. Somebody’s going to have to do something.”
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia on Wednesday said that county residents could expect pick-up services to resume by Thursday, with delayed pickups expected to trickle through the week to Saturday.
“Still no garbage collection today,” Gioia wrote Wednesday. “If your cart is full, bag any extra garbage and place it next to the cart to be picked up when service resumes, anticipated later this week.”
Fremont spokeswoman Geneva Bosques told this news organization Wednesday that she understands Republic was operating a “light, skeleton crew doing some high priority pickups” such as hospitals, though all residential pickup in the city was halted.
She said it is unclear when services would resume throughout the city, and said “our understanding is that it’s day to day.”
Teamsters members continue to threaten a longer strike. Teamsters spokesman Matthew McQuaid blamed the strike actions on Republic.
“This is their fault. Everything that’s happened since July 1, that’s their fault,” McQuaid said in an interview. “They could settle this today by giving their workers what they deserve. Or things could continue or maybe even get worse.”
