More than 20 days after unionized sanitation workers walked off the job in 14 Massachusetts communities, Gov. Maura Healey on Wednesday reiterated her call for Republic Services to “resolve” the labor dispute.
The trash and recycling collectors began striking on July 1 for more pay and improved benefits from Republic, leaving trash and recycling collections on pause across numerous cities and towns across the North Shore and Boston.
Teamsters Local 25, which represents the workers, has been meeting with Republic alongside a federal mediator, but the parties haven’t yet reached a new contract agreement.
Healey called on Republic to reach a “fair deal” with the Teamsters last week. She again made that request Wednesday.
“I continue to encourage Republic to get to the table and to resolve this. People need trash picked up,” Healey told reporters. “It’s summer. This is such a — it’s so bad for our towns and cities, it’s so bad for residents, it’s bad for businesses. So, you know, let’s make it happen and do right by the people of Massachusetts.”
“To my mind, Republic’s just got to make it happen,” Healey said when asked what she thinks will be the catalyst for resolution.
Six of the impacted communities – Beverly, Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Malden and Peabody – filed a complaint in Salem Superior Court on July 17 asking a judge to intervene and require Republic to pick up waste. The towns were in court on Tuesday, when a judge took the suit under advisement and didn’t immediately issue an order, WBZ-TV reported.
Citing complaints about overflowing dumpsters and threats to public health, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu told Republic’s president that the city will start fining the company for not picking up trash, the Boston Globe reported. Wu added that Boston will also require Republic to pay fines the city has issued to businesses since early July related to uncollected trash.
Republic also filed a suit against the Teamsters, alleging they’re taking part in illegal strike activity. A federal court in Boston this week denied Republic’s request for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order meant to bring the strike to an end.
This article first appeared on the State House News Service website.
