Thousands of Waste Workers Unite in Solidarity as Pickets Extend Nationwide

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union is aggressively expanding a nationwide strike for fair contracts at Republic Services, one of the nation's largest and wealthiest waste management companies.

More than 2,000 Teamsters are currently on strike or actively honoring picket lines in major cities across the country. More strike extensions are expected in the coming hours and days.

"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. "Republic abuses and underpays workers across the country. They burn massive profits and funnel money to undeserving, corrupt executives. The Teamsters have had it with Republic. We will flood the streets and shut down garbage collection in state after state. Workers are uniting nationwide, and we will get the wages and benefits we've earned, come hell or high water."

Republic Services has refused to settle fair contracts with the Teamsters, despite months of negotiations in cities around the country. Instead of bargaining in good faith, the company has relied on union-busting tactics and illegal threats to try to provoke a nationwide strike. The Teamsters represent nearly 8,000 Republic waste collection workers across America.

"This company is one of the most depraved employers we've ever come across," said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. "Republic has lied, stalled, and broken the law to try to squeeze every last dime out of workers. But these corporate thieves have underestimated our members. Republic Teamsters will keep striking, we will keep growing our picket lines, and we will not give up the fight until we win a fair contract."

"To the millions of Americans seeing their trash pile up because of Republic's strike, remember one thing: this corporation has hauled in $77 billion. Republic can easily afford a fair and competitive contract that meets the needs of everyday hardworking Americans," said Victor Mineros, Director of the Teamsters Solid Waste and Recycling Division. "This corporation has instead chosen to screw over working people and their families, and it will suffer the consequences."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:
Matt McQuaid, (617) 894-0669
mmcquaid@teamster.org

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teamsters-go-to-war-against-republic-services-302501746.html

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters