Waste management Workers Rights & Lawsuits The Growing Crisis at Republic Services

Republic Services, one of the largest waste management companies in the U.S., is under fire in Massachusetts. A class action lawsuit has been filed against Republic Services (Allied Waste Services of Massachusetts) and its staffing partner Complete Labor & Staffing, LLC (CLS). At the same time, a Teamsters union strike involving nearly 450 workers is creating widespread disruption in several cities.

Both legal and labor disputes highlight ongoing tensions over worker rights, fair pay, and public services.

The Class Action Lawsuit: Washington v. Allied Waste & CLS

A Dorchester resident, Omar Washington Jr., filed the class action lawsuit claiming that Republic Services and CLS forced hundreds of temporary garbage collectors to wait up to 90 minutes every morning without pay before starting their shifts.

Main Allegations

• Unpaid Waiting Time: Workers were told to report early to hotels, where buses would later take them to job sites. Initially, this time was compensated, but starting in July, payment stopped.
  
  

• Violation of Wage Act: Workers were “on duty” but not paid for mandatory waiting.
  
  

• Minimum Wage Law Violation: Effective hourly pay dropped below the legal minimum.
  
  

• Overtime Law Violation: Including this waiting time would have pushed weekly hours beyond 40.
  
  

Relief Sought

Washington is seeking:

• Jury trial
  
  

• Unpaid wages
  
  

• Treble damages (triple compensation)
  
  

• Attorney’s fees
  
  

• Class action certification
  
  

📌 Case Reference: Washington v. Allied Waste Services of Massachusetts & CLS (Civil Action No. 25-2388-B), currently pending in Suffolk Superior Court.

Republic Services’ Response

When asked about the allegations, Republic Services’ media team stated they will not comment at this time.

The Ongoing Teamsters Strike

The legal battle is not the only challenge facing Republic Services.

In early July, nearly 450 Teamsters union members went on strike demanding higher wages and better benefits. To keep operations running, Republic attempted to hire temporary replacement workers through CLS.

However, the strike continues, and cities are beginning to feel the impact.

City Complaints and Public Health Concerns

Several Massachusetts cities—including Canton, Danvers, Gloucester, Beverly, Peabody, and Malden—have filed complaints against Republic Services.

The concern? Uncollected trash piling up, creating serious public health risks.

Republic’s Federal Court Pushback

In response, Republic Services filed in federal court, seeking a compensatory injunction against the Teamsters.

The company accused striking workers of:

• Vandalism
  
  

• Truck theft
  
  

• Creating unsafe working conditions
  
  

But in a major setback, Federal Judge Brian E. Murphy denied Republic’s request for the injunction and rejected its motion for an extension.

Why This Case Matters

This legal and labor dispute raises important questions about:

• Workers’ rights in temporary and union jobs
  
  

• Fair pay and benefits in the waste management industry
  
  

• Public health and city responsibilities when trash services are disrupted
  
  

• Corporate accountability during labor disputes
  
  

For workers, it highlights the struggle to ensure that every hour on duty is compensated. For cities, it shows the growing tension between corporate contracts and community health needs.

The class action lawsuit and ongoing strike against Republic Services and CLS have created a storm of legal, labor, and public health battles in Massachusetts.

• The class action case seeks unpaid wages and damages for temporary workers.
  
  

• The Teamsters strike continues with no resolution in sight.
  
  

• Several cities are demanding immediate action as uncollected garbage becomes a health hazard.
  
  

• Republic’s attempt to silence the union with a federal injunction has failed in court.
  
  

This story is still developing, and its outcome could set a major precedent for workers’ rights and corporate responsibility in the waste management industry.