Trash strike continues Republic Services sues Teamsters, alleges criminal acts

Republic Services has taken legal action against Teamsters Local 25, alleging that striking workers have engaged in vandalism and harassment during their ongoing strike for better wages and benefits. The lawsuit, filed in Boston federal court, requests a temporary restraining order to halt what Republic labels as unlawful conduct that has severely disrupted its waste collection operations. Teamsters have been striking for weeks, with thousands of members participating nationwide, particularly impacting Massachusetts where Republic serves about 130,000 residential and 270,000 commercial customers. The company reports a growing number of missed trash pickups and overflowing dumpsters as a result of the strike. In its complaint, Republic outlines various incidents, including an alleged vehicle theft by a union member and violent interactions with replacement workers.

The strike has prompted some facilities to halt operations entirely, with significant reductions in daily truck routes. The union has not responded to requests for comment regarding the lawsuit. Local police have reportedly been unable to manage the situation surrounding the striking workers.