Dive Brief:
- Teamsters Local 439 voted to approve a contract for 35 workers at Republic Services’ Forward Landfill in Manteca, California, the union confirmed Monday. It’s the first Teamsters-negotiated contract for that group of workers, though the union has represented drivers in the region for several years.
- The new contract secures a pay bump and expanded benefits for the workers. It also brought an end to picket lines extended out of solidarity to several West Coast markets, including Seattle and California’s Bay Area.
- Four other chapters remain on strike from Republic Services in separate labor disputes across the country, a spokesperson for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters confirmed. The union escalated its negotiating tactics beginning July 1 due to what it feels are slow negotiations and stall tactics from Republic Services.
Dive Insight:
The strike impacted service at Republic Services’ Forward Landfill in Manteca, California. Open for nearly half a century, the facility spans 400 acres and takes in about 4,000 tons of waste per day, according to a company web page. The landfill was owned by Allied Waste prior to Republic Services’ acquisition of the company in 2008.
In a statement, Republic Services said it met its goal of reaching a “fair and competitive” agreement for the landfill workers. The company also said it was working with local officials to “be fully caught up” on collections by the end of the week.
The landfill workers began organizing about eight months ago, Teamsters Local 439 Secretary-Treasurer Sal Lomeni said. He said the two sides exchanged more than a dozen proposals without seeing progress, which prompted the union to vote for a strike…