Trash Strike Talks Stall As Bags Pile Up Across North Shore, Greater Boston

PEABODY, MA — The president of the union representing striking sanitation workers accused Republic Services of refusing to negotiate in good faith eight days into a strike that has caused trash to pile up across the North Shore and Greater Boston.

Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas Mari issued a statement on Wednesday calling Republic's claims that it is negotiating daily with striking collection workers "blatantly false."

• 'Significant Delays': 7-Day Trash Strike Sparks Frustration Across North Shore, Greater Boston

“Teamsters Local 25 has not been contacted by Republic since last Thursday’s meeting," Mari said. "We have spoken with the federal mediator, and he has not been contacted by Republic either."

"That's why Teamsters Local 25 is urging local residents affected by the strike to demand that Republic Waste Services resume negotiations with the union and pay the employees at the same wage rate and provide the same health insurance benefit as other employees who perform the same work."

Mari said that picket lines in the Massachusetts strike were extended to San Diego, Los Angeles and Seattle overnight in solidarity with the local striking workers.

Mari urged residents of affected Massachusetts communities to "Tell Republic Services to get back to the table and make the deal that supports their employees. Remember we are not asking for one penny more than the other Union waste companies in Boston, Capitol Waste and Star Waste."

Republic informed communities that it would bring in outside workers to catch up on trash pickup but several have said those efforts have been slowed and will not include recycling pickup.

"Residents are asked to continue placing their trash curbside on their regularly scheduled collection day, but please be aware that due to several factors, at this point, it's likely to be picked up a day in arrears," Malden officials said on Wednesday. "Delays are being caused by multiple factors, including newly assigned drivers who are unfamiliar with Malden, extremely slow truck dispatch times due to picketing activity at the Peabody yard and high temperatures creating difficult working conditions.

"Additionally, excessive time spent at the dump and getting trucks back on the road continues to affect the ability to collect timely."

Republic Services has said that its current proposals are competitive and fair in those respects.

Picket lines on Tuesday were set up at four locations in Peabody, as well as Revere, Holbrook, Roxbury and Quincy.

Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt told the city's residents and businesses to expect "significant delays" and that he expects "those delays to continue" into the week.

He said he is working with colleagues from Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Lynnfield, Malden, and many other communities affected by the work stoppage "trying to assist in achieving a fair solution."

Other cities and towns served by Republic with delays include Marblehead, Swampscott, Topsfield, North Reading, Arlington, Watertown, Canton and Wakefield.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)