WAKEFIELD — The trash strike is over.
Refuse and recycling hauler Republic Services has reached a five-year deal with members of Teamsters Local 25, ending an 11-week job action by Republic workers who were determined to see better pay and benefits.
Republic said on its website that their striking workers will return to the job on Monday. Some retraining will be necessary, officials said.
The strike began on July 1.
Key issues to look for now that the strike is over, according to Republic, include:
• Services are expected to return to normal soon, but customers may still see delays.
• Residents should stay tuned for further announcements regarding specific service resumption.
• The agreement is expected to fully restore services in the affected communities.
Republic is the trash contractor in Gloucester, Danvers, Beverly, Canton, Ipswich, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester-by-the-Sea, North Reading, Peabody, Swampscott, Wakefield and Watertown.
Wakefield has fared relatively well during the strike, since officials here made a pre-strike plan.
The DPW has rented trash trucks and uses six-to-eight person crews to help Republic replacement workers pick up residents’ trash and recycling. Sometimes the Republic replacements don’t get into town until 11 in the morning, so the dedicated local crews do the routes for the workday’s first four hours.
Teamsters Local 25 members working at Republic Services on Friday overwhelmingly voted to approve a new contract, ending the 82-day old strike that commenced on July 1. In a Teamsters release, union spokespeople said, “The 400 striking Republic Teamsters stuck together and emerged victorious following one of the longest strikes in Local 25 history and the longest strike in Republic’s history. The Republic Teamsters waged a successful fight to win a contract that improves wages, dental, audiology, and vision benefits, and many other terms of employment. This is the strongest contract Republic Boston Teamsters have ever achieved.”
Teamsters Local 25 President Thomas G. Mari provided the following statement:
“I’ve never been prouder of a group of Teamsters in my life. These workers stood strong for 82 days to send a message across the country. Never once did they waiver in their commitment to remain on strike until they got what they deserved. This is an extremely strong contract, and our members are looking forward to going back to work Monday, and back into the communities they service. Thank you to the people who live in the affected communities who openly urged Republic to provide its employees with the contract that represents the hard work the employees perform every day. Sticking together and never uncertain of their objective, these Teamsters won the contract they fought for and deserve. Many thanks also to Governor Healey, the Massachusetts congressional delegation, and the many politicians who publicly supported us. Their support was critical to our success,” said President Mari.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey expressed support for the workers throughout the strike and called this a win for these workers and the communities they service.
“I am glad that Republic and Teamsters Local 25 have been able to reach an agreement. This is welcome news for the people and communities served by Republic, and for the sanitation workers who can now return to work with the wages and benefits they deserve,” said Healey.
Teamsters Local 25 is the largest Teamsters union in New England with 13,000 members.
During the strike’s second week, Atty. Thomas A. Mullen, town counsel for both Wakefield and Lynnfield, sent Republic Services a formal notice of non-performance and demand for remedy on behalf of both towns.
In the letter from Wakefield, Mullen wrote, Mullen writes, “This letter constitutes (a) notice to you under the Agreement concerning serious, continuing non-performance by the Contractor since July 1, 2025, and (b) a demand for the immediate resumption of service and remedial action to make the Town whole for damages it has suffered and continues to suffer. Specifically, since Tuesday, July 1, 2025, the Contractor has wholly failed and refused to collect recyclables within Wakefield. It has also failed (and sometimes refused) to collect refuse at all in certain locations, and failed to collect it on schedule in others. These failures constitute a breach of the Agreement, which provides:
“ ‘The Contractor agrees that if at any time during the term of this contract the Director of Public Works determines that the Contractor is negligently or incompetently performing the work, or any part there[of], is unable to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Works to perform the same, … or is otherwise failing to perform this contract in accordance with all of its terms and provisions, the Director of Public Works may, at his election at any time thereafter, terminate this contract by giving written notice thereof to the Contractor specifying the effective date of such notice of termination, [and] upon the date so specified this contract shall terminate, but such termination shall not prejudice or waive any rights of action which the Town may have against the Contractor because of any default or failure in performance of this contract up to the date of such termination, and the Contractor shall be liable to the Town for any amount which it may be required to pay for labor and equipment … during the remainder of the period covered by this contract over and above the amount that would have been paid to the Contractor for the performance of the work during said period.’ ”
According to Mullen, “Wakefield’s Director of Public Works, Mr. Joseph Conway, has determined that since July 1, 2025, the Contractor has failed to perform the scope of work set forth in the Agreement. He is not, at this time, exercising his right to terminate the Agreement, but reserves that and all other rights under the Agreement, at law, in equity and otherwise.
“The Town intends to apply the liquidated damages provision of the Agreement. It also reserves its right to seek other remedies as well, including termination, a suit for damages and the application of the performance bond required by Article 3 of the Agreement. The Town’s damages, which have been accruing since July 1, 2025 and continue to grow, include the cost of renting trucks and other equipment to collect and transport refuse and recyclables, paying Town employees and independent contractors to fill in for the Contractor, and the cost of overtime which your non-performance has precipitated. Please note that the Agreement calls for payment by the Contractor of liquidated damages of $2,500 per day if “the contractor fails to report for daily collection services,” and provides that all such damages ‘may be deducted by the Town from Contractor’s payment.’ Agreement, Article 13(R). It is premature to do the math, but it is clear that the liquidated damages which the Town is entitled to withhold from its payments to the Contractor and pursue through legal action have already achieved a substantial level. Further, resort to liquidated damages does not preclude the Town from seeking other, additional remedies for its losses. ‘In addition to all of its other rights and remedies under the Contract, at law or in equity, the Town shall be entitled to assess liquidated damages.’ Agreement, Article 12 (emphasis added).
“If, as I understand, a pending labor dispute has affected your ability to meet your obligations under the Agreement, I must point out that the same cannot constitute an excuse for non-performance. The Agreement permits the Contractor ‘additional time wherein to perform and complete this contract as the Director of Public Works shall certify in writing to be just’ if delays ‘are caused by acts of God, acts of Government or State, extra work or other contingencies clearly beyond the control or responsibility of the Contractor.’ Agreement, Article 5. It is by no means clear that any disagreement between you and your laborers is ‘beyond [your] control or responsibility,’ and Mr. Conway is not prepared at this time to so certify. Moreover, separate language in the Agreement specifically addresses “delays … caused by a strike of the Contractor’s employees,” and it requires you to “diligently and in good faith take all action necessary in order … to resume operations”, without excusing your nonperformance if such action proves inadequate. (Emphasis added.)
“My client has been generally pleased with the Contractor’s performance under the Agreement until this month. It would be the Town’s strong preference to avoid having to terminate the Agreement. It is important, however, that you understand that (a) the Town has suffered and continues to suffer substantial damages as a result of the Contractor’s non-performance; (b) it will commence withholding liquidated damages and other costs so incurred from amounts otherwise due the Contractor, starting with the next scheduled payment; and (c) it reserves all other rights and remedies,” Mullen’s letter to Republic continued.