Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey wants Republic Services to cut a deal and end a 17-day-long trash collectors strike.
Union workers walked off the job on July 1, demanding better pay and benefits. The company and Teamsters Local 25 have been meeting with a federal mediator but can’t agree on a new contract. The strike has left dumpsters overflowing at business in several communities, including Boston and Newton. Republic also has contracts for trash pickup in 14 cities and towns across Massachusetts where garbage has been piling up for nearly three weeks.
“A public health concern”
“It has now been three weeks of no trash pick up in several Massachusetts communities, and this has gone beyond a headache for residents, businesses and municipalities – it is a public health concern and it’s expensive for everyone. Sanitation workers do essential work to keep our neighborhoods clean and healthy, and they deserve fair wages, benefits and protections,” Healey, a Democrat, said in a statement Thursday.
“Republic Services needs to come to the table and reach a fair deal – it’s time to get people back to work and resume services to our communities as soon as possible.”…