Garbage haulers in many Bay Area cities are back on the job from a weekslong strike after union officials from Teamsters Local 439 announced they鈥檇 negotiated a new contract with waste-hauling giant Republic Services. 鈥淲e鈥檙e feeling great,鈥� Local 439 President Rick Buzo said Saturday. 鈥淲e got our members exactly what they deserved.鈥�
Republic Services, in an emailed statement, confirmed it had reached a tentative agreement with union officials for its Forward Landfill employees, who they said would be returning to work Saturday. 鈥淲e appreciate the community鈥檚 patience throughout this situation, and we will work hard to catch up with needed recycling and waste collection as quickly as we can,鈥� the statement read.
The strike originated in the Boston area, where more than 400 Republic Service workers represented by Teamsters Local 25 have been on strike since July 1. Since then, Republic Service workers across the country have joined the strike out of solidarity, with more than 2,000 Republic workers honoring picket lines, the Teamsters said, adding that picket lines had extended to Los Angeles and Youngstown, Ohio.