More than 400 waste collection workers initiated a strike on July 1 in Boston, Massachusetts, and the protest has since spread nationwide, instigating coordinated labor actions by the Teamsters union. As of July 9, 2,000 sanitation workers are participating in strikes or supporting picket lines in several states, including Massachusetts, Illinois, Washington State, and California. Workers demand improved wages, better benefits, and paid time off. The Boston City Council has expressed unanimous support for the striking workers, viewing the situation as both a labor and public health issue.
"Republic Services has been threatening a war with American workers for years - and now, they've got one," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien in a statement on Wednesday.
The Boston City Council voted unanimously on July 9 to support the workers in their strike, which council members said was both a labor issue and a public health issue.
Workers in the Bay Area launched a temporary trash pickup stoppage this week in solidarity with fellow workers striking over negotiations with Republic Services for better pay at a regional landfill near Stockton.
More than 400 waste collection workers walked off the job after their contract with waste management company Republic Services expired on July 1, 2025.
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