Watertown City Manager, Municipal Leaders Urge Swift Resolution to Trash Strike

Watertown City Manager George Proakis joined several mayors, town managers, and town administrators urging company Republic Services to come to a deal to end the strike that has stopped trash and recycling collection since July 1, 2025. The letter also identifies weaknesses in the company’s response to the situation, including slowness of deploying backup resources and lack of communication. See the letter below.

Dear Members of the Republic Services Leadership Team,

We write to you as municipal leaders from across the region and as customers of Republic Services, regarding the ongoing work stoppage caused by stalled union negotiations. Reliable curbside waste and recycling collection is an essential public service, and this disruption has had significant ripple effects throughout our communities.

While we fully respect the collective bargaining process, we strongly urge all parties to return to the negotiating table in good faith to reach a fair and timely resolution. As the impasse continues, the impacts on our residents, businesses, and municipal operations will undoubtedly become increasingly difficult to manage.

As this situation progresses, we are compelled to raise several pressing issues that have exacerbated the impact of the work stoppage.

• Lack of timely communication: Municipal leaders have not received consistent or coordinated updates from Republic Services throughout the negotiating process or following the work stoppage announcement. This has hindered our ability to effectively inform residents, plan municipal operations, and manage expectations during a service disruption.
• Delays in deploying backup resources: The pace at which contingency plans and substitute crews have been mobilized has been concerning. Several communities are expected to be without service for extended periods of time with little clarity on when or how coverage will resume.
• Fragmented messaging across communities: The absence of unified communication to all impacted municipalities has contributed to confusion and frustration. A coordinated, transparent approach is essential to managing public trust and maintaining continuity of service.
• Potential Public Health emergencies: The impacts of stored and/or stockpiled trash and the potential of illegal dumping leave the communities in a position to remedy public health impacts.

We strongly request that Republic Services leadership hold regular update meetings with municipal leaders from the affected communities – timely, consistent communication is essential to ensure that all parties are informed and aligned. These regular updates, along with opportunities for direct questions, will help us all work collaboratively to plan more effectively, respond appropriately, and minimize disruption. To that end, we are requesting a virtual meeting on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 2:00 PM. We will forward a meeting invite following this letter.

Once again, we continue to respect the collective bargaining process and the rights of workers to negotiate fair terms. At the same time, we expect clearer, more proactive communication and contingency planning moving forward.

Sincerely,
Mayor Verga
City of Gloucester

Jill Cahill
Danvers Town Manager

Mayor Cahill
City of Beverly

Charles E. Doody
Canton Town Administrator

Thomas G. Younger
Ipswich Interim
Town Manager

Robert Dolan
Lynnfield
Town Administrator

Mayor Christenson
City of Malden

Tony Barletta
Manchester-by-the-Sea
Town Administrator

Mayor Bettencourt
City of Peabody

Gino Cresta
Swampscott Interim
Town Administrator

Kevin Gill
Wakefield Interim
Town Administrator

George Proakis
Watertown City Manager