Residents in Stockton (California) and several Bay Area communities are finally getting some relief: garbage workers have voted to approve a new five-year contract with Republic Services, officially ending a two-week strike.
The labor dispute may be over, but the mess it left behind is still very visible.
“I have four kids, so there’s a lot of trash,” said Esmerelda Duarte, looking at the bags that have been stacking up near her home. She said the overflow has attracted animals and scavengers. “Cats, dogs, even people going through the trash — it’s just too much.”
To cope, Duarte’s husband has been hauling their garbage to Livermore, where he works, just to keep it from piling up at home.
Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi has seen—and smelled—the impact firsthand.
“The maggots aren’t exactly appealing, but the smell on top of that?” she said. “It’s been rough.”
Workers approve new contract
According to Gilbert Gomez of Teamsters Local 439, workers overwhelmingly backed the new agreement with Republic Services on Sunday.
“It was 100% yes,” Gomez said. “Overall, everything went great.”
The five-year contract centers on improved wages and more affordable health care. A key win for workers: access to union medical coverage for about $10 per week.
“Health benefits were huge,” Gomez explained. “A lot of these guys were paying anywhere from $400 to $1,200 a month. When you’re not making that much, you’re forced to choose between going to the doctor and paying your other bills.”
The strike began in early July after a year of stalled negotiations. Thirty-five workers at the Manteca landfill walked off the job, which quickly disrupted trash service in cities including Stockton.
“People don’t realize how essential garbage collection is until it stops,” Gomez said. “Then suddenly it’s, ‘Hey, what about my trash?’”
City pushes for cleanup — and refunds
Even the mayor hasn’t been spared. Fugazi said her own trash still hadn’t been picked up as of the weekend.
“I’m definitely looking forward to my regular pickup day on Thursday,” she said.
During the standoff, Fugazi joined the conversation to remind Republic Services that Stockton has the option to consider other providers if service doesn’t improve. Now that the strike has ended, her focus is on getting the city cleaned up as quickly as possible — and making sure residents are made whole.
“I had someone call me in tears because a truck drove past and didn’t pick up their trash,” the mayor recalled. “They ran outside begging, ‘Please, please pick up my trash.’ People were at their breaking point.”
Some employees returned to work on Saturday, and Republic Services says regular collection routes will resume on Monday.
As for credits or refunds for missed pickups, the company says it is concentrating first on clearing the backlog and restoring service, and will address billing issues soon. Fugazi says she intends to keep pressing until customers receive the refunds she believes they’re owed.
Meanwhile, residents like Duarte are just ready to move on.
“I’m really happy it’s over,” she said. “Really, really happy.”
