Union City Dumpsters overflow amid nationwide garbage strike
Union City Dumpster overflows with garbage amid nationwide strike
Union City Dumpster overflows with garbage amid nationwide strike.
UNION CITY, Calif. - Union City Dumpsters overflowed on Friday, more than a week into a nationwide garbage strike that is affecting about 25 Northern California cities who use Republic Services to haul away their trash.
Since residents' garbage cans have not been picked up, Union City put out two public Dumpsters on Thursday. But early Friday morning, those Dumpsters were filled to the brim, and beyond, with trash.
Even though Union City garbage collection workers are not on strike, they not picking up trash in solidarity with the Republic Services Teamsters striking in Massachusetts.
The Republic Services Teamsters began striking on July 3, and garbage service in the Bay Area began stopping on July 8.
Some residents sympathize with the garbage collection employees, but they worry about the garbage piling up.
"We don't know what other troubles its going to cause," William Zhang of Fremont said. "Rats? Cockroaches? The garbage can get smelly, especially in the summertime. Hopefully they can find a solution for the benefit of all of us.
2 dozen Bay Area cities impacted by nationwide garbage strike
Trash has been piling up on curbs in more than two dozen Bay Area cities as Republic Services garbage collectors join a labor strike in solidarity with workers across the country.
The city of Fremont is also affected by the work stoppage. In a statement late Thursday, city officials there say Republic Services has agreed to bring in substitute workers to pick up trash Friday afternoon.
Fremont is also encouraging anyone who doesn't want to wait that long to take their garbage directly to Fremont Recycling Transfer Station on Boyce Road.
Republic Services has issued a statement apologizing for the inconvenience.
There is no word on when the labor issue will be resolved or when garbage service in these 24 Bay Area cities will be back to normal.