Press Releases
Teamsters At Republic Services Extend Picket Lines to Sun Valley, California
(Sun Valley, Calif.) – Sanitation workers employed at Republic Services/Allied Waste’s [NYSE: RSG] Carbon Limestone landfill in Youngstown, Ohio raised their 10th picket line extension at Republic’s Sun Valley, Calif. facilities early this morning. The more than 150 workers at Republic’s commercial and residential truck yard are refusing to cross the picket line.
The striking landfill workers are members of Teamsters Local Union 377 in Youngstown. They have been on strike since March 27, 2013. They are exercising their legal right to strike in protest of Republic’s violations of federal labor law that exists to protect workers’ rights.
The Sun Valley drivers and mechanics who are honoring the picket lines of their striking colleagues are members of Teamsters Local Union 396 in Covina, Calif. These workers have the legal right to refuse to cross picket lines in support of striking Republic colleagues.
The striking Ohio workers had previously extended picket lines to nine other Republic/Allied facilities, six in California alone. Hundreds of Teamster members who work for Republic/Allied in Daly City, Half Moon Bay, Fremont, Fairfield, Pacifica and Anaheim all honored picket lines raised by the striking Ohio workers during the last two weeks.
Sanitation workers at other Republic locations across America have also refused to work in a show of support of their striking colleagues. Residential and commercial sanitation drivers who are members of Teamsters Local 377 in Youngstown honored the picket lines of their striking colleagues at the landfill. Workers at Republic/Allied Waste in Evansville, Ind. and Urbana, Ill. – members of Teamster Local Unions 215 and 26, respectively – have also exercised their legal right to refuse to work in support of the striking Youngstown workers.
During the past year, Republic/Allied Waste has forced multiple lockouts and strikes, disrupting trash collection for hundreds of thousands of people across the United States and putting communities at risk. Republic earned profits of more than $572 million in 2012, and its primary shareholder, Bill Gates, saw his net assets increase by $7 billion last year.
Republic/Allied Waste’s total revenues were more than $8.1 billion in 2012. Bill Gates owns approximately $2.4 billion worth of stock, or 25 percent of the total worth of the company. Michael Larsen, Gates’ investment manager, sits on Republic’s board of directors.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us at www.PickUpTheGarbage.com, on Twitter @RepubTeamsters and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RepublicServicesTeamsters.