Letters

LETTER: Praise to DPW for Response to Trash Strike, Concerns About Utility Work Notifications

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(This letter was sent to Department of Public Works Director Tom Brady)

Hi Tom,

Thanks for following through and getting our garbage collected on Saturday! We were one of the first streets to be “struck” and then one of the last streets to be picked up. I have to tell you, it made a big difference in the quality of life around here! One of my very rugged neighbors, seeing me on my front porch after the garbage was collected, stopped, put his hands over his head in a ballet pose, turned his head to the left and sniffed, then to his right and sniffed. Then he did a happy dance.

Around Town

Focus on Missed Trashed Pickups, Drop Off Site Open for Trash & Recycling All Week

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Watertown DPWCurbside composting toters, like the one on the left, will be part of the Watertown trash and recycling program starting in August. On Monday, replacement crews during the trash strike continued to collect any missed pickups from last week, so Monday pickups may not all be collected on July 14. The City will keep the drop off area for trash and recycling open from Monday to Friday during the week of July 14, with a limit of three bags of trash or equivalent recycling. City officials also requested that residents wait 48 hours to report a missed pickup as crews try to catch up. See below the update from the City of Watertown regarding trash and recycling curbside pickup:

Republic Services is doing trash and recycling curbside pickup today, Monday, July 14, 2025, completing any final missed pickups reported from Thursday and Friday of last week.

Around Town

Trash Strike: Secretary of State Urges End of Strike, Republic’s Statement on Negotiations

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A Watertown trash bin. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

As the trash strike impacting Watertown and more than a dozen communities nears a third week, the Massachusetts Secretary of State reached out to Republic Services urging an end to the strike. The company also issued a statement saying that the union “did not take negotiations seriously.” The trash strike began on July 1, 2025. Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25 met for more than nine hours on Friday, and are scheduled to return to negotiations on Tuesday.

Government

Negotiations in Trash Strike End Friday With No Deal, One Affected Town May Terminate Contract

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Uncollected trash bins in Watertown on July 11 due to the trash strike that began July 1. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The two sides met for several hours on Friday but failed to come to an agreement that would end the trash strike that began on July 1, 2025. Some communities impacted by the strike are seeking damages and have threatened to end the contract with the trash contractor. The negotiations between Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25 took place with the assistance of federal mediation. The two sides met for 9.5 hours, according to a statement from Teamsters Local 25, and negotiations will resume on Tuesday, July 15.

Around Town

Trash Strike Continues, Sides Have Not Met This Week

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Overflowing trash and recycling bins on Main Street during the trash strike. (Photo by Dean Martino)

The two sides have not come to an agreement on the trash strike impacting Watertown and 11 other communities, and it appears they have not been at the negotiation table since last week. The City says replacement crews continue to pick up trash, and missed collections will be dealt with later in the day. On Wednesday, Teamsters Local 25 sent out a release saying that officials with Republic Services have not met with them. “Republic Services was told on Thursday, July 3, if they did not begin negotiations by Monday, July 7, we were prepared to extend picket lines across the country.

Letters

LETTER: Better Communication Needed When Utility Work is Planned on City Streets

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A letter from Watertown resident Linda Scott to City Manager George Proakis:

Hi George,

I hope that you’re enjoying your vacation. Here’s a picture of what we’re up to here in Watertown. We miss you!! At last night’s City Council meeting, the Council President said that you had long-term plans. Somehow, I imagine if there was something called an emergency rezoning meeting or they were reviewing plans for that “big, beautiful seven story parking garage” you want to plunk, unceremoniously in the middle of Watertown Square, you would have made other plans.

Around Town

City to Seek Compensation for Trash Service Impacted by Strike, Pickups Slower Than Normal

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Overflowing trash and recycling bins on Main Street during the trash strike. (Photo by Dean Martino)

The City of Watertown will be seeking compensation for the service interruption. While trash and recycling collection has restarted, City officials said that the backup crews are taking longer than normal, and recycling will not be prioritized while the company continues contract negotiations. Also, the Recycling Center will remain closed, causing the cancellation of a planned event. On July 1, members of Teamsters Local 25 went on strike demanding changes to the contract with Republic Services.

Around Town

Trash Collections Continue, Some Areas Still Awaiting Pickup

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Watertown DPWCurbside trash and recycling has restarted but some residents still await pickups. The City of Watertown provided the following update on trash collection, and announced that the emergency drop off location on at 148 Waltham St. will be open again on Wednesday, July 9 from 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. See the announcement below. Curbside pickup will continue tomorrow, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, with regularly scheduled Wednesday B week services in Watertown. Republic Services replacement crews were in Watertown collecting trash and recycling today, July 8, 2025, for those with Tuesday trash pickup, and B week recycling pickup.