As the trash and recycling strike enters its second month, Swampscott residents can drop off recycling at the Department of Public Works (DPW) Yard this week.

The Teamsters Local 25 started its strike against Republic Services in Massachusetts on Tuesday, July 1, affecting more than 400,000 residents across the state in 14 cities and towns. Waste collection workers across the North Shore are striking for higher wages, improved benefits, and stronger labor protections. Beyond Swampscott, the strike is impacting other communities like Lynnfield, Danvers, Marblehead, Gloucester, Peabody, Topsfield, Watertown and Saugus.

“We’re continuing to do our best,” interim Town Administrator Gino Cresta said at Wednesday’s Select Board meeting.

On Wednesday, September 3, union members overwhelmingly rejected Republic Services’ latest offer, with more than 84% voting no. Tom Mari, the president of Local 25, said in a press release to the Swampscott Tides that the union is “one of the strongest groups I’ve ever worked within my more than three decades as a teamster.”

“The ironic thing is that we are not asking for anything more than the other trash haulers represented by our union,” Mari said. “Today’s vote should be a strong message to Republic to come back to the table and negotiate a fair and equitable contract. We are ready to meet and make the deal, so we can go back to work.”

A new mediator joined the August 28 session between Republic Services and the Teamsters, but no settlement was reached.

“We certainly felt that after losing in federal court for a third time and having a special mediator appointed, that Republic’s attitude would be different,” Mari said in a press release to the Swampscott Tides. “After 10 hours of not getting anywhere we decided to test Republic to determine if they really wanted a deal.”

Mari said the negotiating committee decided to break the gridlock, which the mediator allegedly called “significant.”

“They considered our offer for a few minutes then came back into the room, with no notes or even a pen and paper, and announced that they were rejecting our offer and never made a counteroffer,” Mari said. “Needless to say, the meeting ended and we didn’t set another date.”

Republic Services told the Swampscott Tides “disappointed but not surprised that Local 25 voted to extend its work stoppage. Our replacement employees and support staff will continue servicing our customers in Greater Boston.”

”Although we continued to creatively enhance our proposals throughout the day, the Teamsters approach to the negotiations led to no substantive progress,” the organization said. “Local 25 continues to make it clear they are not interested in reaching a deal. We remain ready.”

Gov. Maura Healey has urged Republic Services to resolve the labor dispute, saying it has “gone beyond a headache for residents, businesses and municipalities.”

“We are fully prepared for a drawn-out battle with Republic to make certain their employees get the same wages and benefits as the employees at Star and Capitol now enjoy,” Mari said. “If Republic thinks we are getting impatient, they are sorely mistaken.”

Republic Services has also seen multiple court cases throughout the strike. Six communities—Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Beverly, Peabody, and Malden—filed a joint complaint seeking judicial intervention in the strike. The suit lost, with Essex Superior Court Judge Kathleen McCarthy-Neyman sharing that the court “cannot resolve the labor dispute” but that it is “an obvious problem affecting the daily lives of the residents and businesses in the municipalities.”

Cresta shared his reasoning for not joining the lawsuit during the Select Board meeting.

“I think it’s all of our belief that if we were to reach out to another company now during desperate times that they’re going to hold us over with whoever comes in,” Cresta said, adding that the current contract, which ends July 1, 2026, is favorable.

Phelan shared that Swampscott is at the “tail end” of its contract with Republic Services and that the town’s contract “will need to be re-negotatiated, but we’re in a very favorable position in this contract.”

Select Board Member Mary Ellen Fletcher noted that a group is working on the parameters of the new contract.

In the current contract, Swampscott is paying $1.1 million for Republic Services’ work, with an additional tipping fee of $108 per ton for trash disposal and $85 per ton for recycling, according to Cresta. 

Replacement workers have also filed a lawsuit alleging Republic Services failed to pay them adequately for the first 90 minutes of their shifts, according to Local 25.

A Boston federal judge denied the trash company’s request for a restraining order against the Teamsters union. Republic Services had claimed that the strike has involved the theft of a garbage truck, slashed tires, chemical assaults on drivers, blocked access to trucks, and hate speech toward employees.

Another hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 4 with Republic Services replacement driver Stevens Ortiz Aceveda, who was arrested while on the job on August 27. Aceveda was working as a temporary worker for the trash company and was arrested in Braintree on a warrant for armed robbery, according to court documents.

Select Board Member Danielle Leonard, however, noted the cleanliness Swampscott is still experiencing.

“You do not walk around this town and think that we’re a town with a trash strike,” Leonard said. “You do not see trash everywhere. It’s been seamless.”

Swampscott updated its trash service notifications on Wednesday, September 3, sharing that only trash will be picked up curbside, and large items will be collected with a bulk sticker. Yard waste and recycling will not be collected curbside.

One of the reasons for delays in recycling and trash collection with the substitute Republic Services collectors is the fact that Swampscott’s transfer station for disposals is in North Andover. Select Board Chair Katie Phelan said this means the town can’t “do as many routes in the same time period” as other municipalities who have closer transfer stations, such as Marblehead.

The DPW Yard, at 200 Paradise Road, will be open Friday, September 5 from 3 to 7 p.m., as well as both Saturday, September 6 and Sunday, September 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for recycling only this week. 

Yard waste will be accepted along with recycling next week. 

Those who need assistance getting recycling to the DPW yard can email Dianne Marchese, the executive assistant to the town administrator and Select Board, at dmarchese@swampscottma.gov with your name, address and phone number.

If 24 hours have passed since a resident’s scheduled collection day, they can contact Town Hall customer service at 781-596-8850 or Republic Services at 781-289-0500.

Updated information is sent out through the town’s communication systems.

Updated September 4 at 12:30 p.m. with information from Republic Services.