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A labor standoff that originated in Boston has spread to Southern California, where thousands of sanitation workers are walking off the job in solidarity, resulting in trash collection delays throughout multiple counties.
Approximately 450 Republic Services employees began a strike on July 1 in the Boston region against the second-largest trash and recycling company. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has expanded the action, with workers in California communities across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties joining the effort alongside Bay Area facilities.
West Coast workers are not conducting formal strikes but are supporting Boston colleagues by refusing to report to Republic Services locations as a solidarity measure against the Phoenix-headquartered company. Union leaders have indicated that the job action will continue growing.
The labor action shifted to L.A. County on Monday, resulting in service interruptions in Inglewood, Compton, Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, and affecting business customers in South L.A., according to union officials and city representatives.
L.A. Department of Sanitation spokesperson Tonya Shelton confirmed that residential collection remains unaffected but noted that Republic has implemented backup plans for affected commercial routes in South L.A.
City leaders are alerting residents about growing waste problems. Santa Ana asked people to keep their containers at the curbside until the crews return. Anaheim reported completing service for half of the downtown customers. In Chula Vista, Mayor John McCann convened an emergency City Council meeting to consider declaring a local emergency due to health concerns stemming from uncollected waste.
Delayed waste collection creates immediate public health risks and longer-term environmental damage. Improper waste disposal contributes to air, soil, and water pollution, while creating breeding grounds for disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes and flies, thereby increasing the risks of vector-borne illnesses. Accumulated waste can contaminate water sources and increase waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and diarrhea, particularly affecting vulnerable populations, including children and elderly residents.
Public health officials in multiple counties are monitoring the impacts of the strikes, with some expressing concerns that prolonged strikes could become public health issues. Research indicates that communities near improperly managed waste sites experience higher rates of respiratory problems and other health complications.
Extended waste collection strikes can strain municipal infrastructure and create significant economic burdens for affected cities. Officials in Massachusetts and California have expressed concerns about potential health emergencies if strikes continue. Some Massachusetts towns have issued non-performance notices to Republic Services for failing to meet contractual obligations, potentially leading to contract terminations.
Residents facing collection delays have several options to minimize health risks and environmental impacts. Waste reduction strategies include cutting food waste through better meal planning, using garbage disposals, and composting organic materials. Cities typically establish temporary drop-off sites where residents can bring bagged household waste, with some towns limiting collections to a specified number of bags per household.
Communities should avoid dumping waste in parks or vacant lots, as this creates additional health hazards and may result in fines for illegal dumping. Municipal officials recommend residents keep waste properly contained and continue placing bins curbside until service resumes.
Negotiators from both sides met with a federal mediator but failed to reach a settlement. The company criticized the union as "a threat to our employees and our communities." Republic Services defended its contract proposal, stating it would increase worker compensation by 43% over five years while providing retirement benefits and health coverage at no cost to employees.
"Republic Services has been threatening a war with American workers for years — and now, they've got one," Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien stated. "The Teamsters have had it with Republic. We will flood the streets and shut down garbage collection in state after state."
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