A month-long trash strike affecting communities throughout Greater Boston is set to end Monday after a waste management company and local union struck a offer on a five-year contract, according to an announcement released Friday morning.
The trash strike left communities scrambling this summer for alternative methods to pick up piled-up garbage, and even prompted leading Democrats across Massachusetts to urge Teamsters Local 25 and Republic Services to come to a resolution so trash collectors could resume work.
The union and waste management company said the two sides “worked hard to reach a mutual agreement” that will restore service next week. Union members first walked off the job on July 1 after their previous contract expired without a replacement.
“We look forward to our employees returning to work on Monday and quickly resuming normal operations,” said Kurt Lavery, market vice president for Republic Services. “We will work tirelessly to restore our customers’ trust.”
Teamsters Local 25 President Tom Mari said he never “lost hope that we would reach an agreement that would benefit our members.”
“We are immediately ready to return to work and provide the best service possible to Republic’s customers,” he said in a statement.
The work stoppage affected Arlington, Beverly, Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Marblehead, North Reading, Peabody, Reading, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wakefield, and Watertown.
In a post to social media earlier in the day, officials with the City of Malden said returning drivers “will be required to complete mandatory retraining.”
“At this point, we would expect that next week will continue to have delays, and for things to stabilize the following week — but please stay tuned for further announcements,” the city said in a statement.
In another post to social media, the City of Watertown said curbside trash collection and B-week recycling were set to resume Saturday. The city asked residents to leave their bins at the curb if their scheduled pickup was missed this past week.
“We sincerely thank all residents for your patience and understanding during the strike. Your support has been greatly appreciated as services return to normal,” the city said.
Officials in Gloucester said the Friday recycling route would be finished on Monday. Trash trucks would not be in town on Saturday, according to the return-to-work agreement, and no curbside collection was scheduled to occur.
“Curbside trash and recycling collection will resume as normal (on Monday). Monday route residents should put out trash and recycling. Trucks will do their best to complete Friday’s recycling route while also handling Monday’s. We’ll reassess midweek if an extra Saturday collection is needed,” the city said on social media.
Officials said the Gloucester Department of Public Works team “has worked tirelessly to maintain services, and Republic Services will be held accountable for extra costs incurred.”
“The City is committed to ensuring services are fully restored,” officials said.
The trash strike began earlier this summer when hundreds of sanitation workers in the Boston area walked off the job to advocate for increased wages, better benefits, and stronger labor protections.
But as the weeks dragged on, elected officials started to demand that Republic Services negotiate “in good faith” with Teamsters Local 25 to end the strike.
In a pointed letter last month to Republic Services CEO Jon Vander Ark, Gov. Maura Healey said attempts to speak directly with Vander Ark “have gone unanswered.”
Healey accused the waste management company of failing “to resolve or even meaningfully address this prolonged strike.” She called it “unacceptable.”
“Trash and recycling have been piling up in neighborhoods during the heat of summer, impacting public health and quality of life for thousands of Massachusetts residents. Communities across the state are being forced to bear the consequences and costs of stalled negotiations between your company and its workforce,” the first-term Democrat said.
Massachusetts’ entire Congressional delegation also sent a letter to Vander Ark in the first few weeks of the trash strike.
The Democrats called on the company to “do everything in your power to negotiate a fair contract and allow the hard-working men and women of Republic Services to return to work.”
“Every community deserves high-quality municipal services, including waste management, but not at the expense of a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits, especially affordable accessible healthcare coverage, that support your workers, their families, and the communities they serve and contribute to on and off the clock,” federal lawmakers said in July.
This is a developing story…
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