Massachusetts trash collectors strike enters seventh day as garbage continues to pile up

Garbage piled up over the long holiday weekend as a trash collectors strike in Massachusetts enters its seventh day. There are backup plans in place to begin collecting trash on Monday in several communities as temperatures are soaring into the 90s again.

Republic Services workers are on strike in Beverly, Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester-By-The-Sea, Marblehead, North Reading, Peabody, Swampscott, Wakefield, and Watertown.

Though trash is piling up after the holiday weekend, collectors are vowing to stay on the picket lines. Viewers from around Greater Boston have sent photos to WBZ-TV showing trash in the streets in recent days, including piles of garbage in Beverly and Watertown.

One business owner says that the trash is sitting outside and baking in the 90-degree heat.

“It just started getting a really bad smell during the day because it’s summer. And we use a lot of milk so every time I walk past it I just sniff it and it smells really bad,” said Ricci Cheng, owner of O’Some Cafe.

Thomas Mari, president of Local 25, issued a statement saying the strike will take “as long as necessary.”

“The strike will take as long as necessary to make certain that Republic Teamsters get what they’ve rightfully earned,” he said. “We’re not looking for Republic to pay more than others. We just want them to meet the standards we’ve already established in Greater Boston.”

At the end of last week, a dozen cities co-signed a letter to Republic Services, citing public health concerns and a lack of communication.

Trash being picked up by replacement crews

Now, many of those communities will have replacement crews picking up trash on Monday. That includes Canton, Watertown, Gloucester, and Danvers.

But officials say it could take some time to get fully caught up.

“I have to call like four, five times in order to get it picked up,” Cheng said. “I hope my trash is being picked up, but people going on strike; they have their own reasons, so I want both sides to be happy.”

Teamsters Local 25, the union representing these trash collectors, is demanding higher wages, saying Republic’s pay lags several dollars behind competitors. They also seek better health coverage and stronger labor protections.

Other unions also showed their support over the weekend. The Peabody Fire Department joined Teamsters 25 on the picket line in solidarity.

Striking employees were on the picket line outside Republic Services in Revere Monday morning. It is one of several locations where employees will be protesting to start the week.