The trash could start piling up now that a strike is solidly underway by sanitation workers against Republic Services, one of the companies that handle garbage collection in Stockton and nearby cities.
The strike began this week, the Teamsters union said. The walkout encompasses not only parts of San Joaquin County, but some Bay Area communities as well.
Locally, Republic Services handles garbage pickup in sections of Stockton, Manteca and Lathrop. It also operates the Forward Landfill in Manteca. Strikers on a picket line there carried signs that read, “Hold your nose.”
Residents and businesses are already starting to feel the effects.
“There have been some delays, but they have some staff still picking up trash,” said Tony Mannor, a spokesman for the city of Stockton. He said the strike is “delaying, but not stopping” garbage collection, for both residential and commercial customers.
“We are pretty confident it will be resolved quickly,” he added.
At the Forward Landfill, Teamsters spokesman Sal Lomeli said from the picket line that union members will be on strike as long as it takes. Workers are seeking higher wages, improved health care plans and more labor protections. Lomeli said some workers are paying $1,200 a month for their family health insurance plans.
He said Forward Landfill, which the company lists as being 755 acres, remained open despite the union picket line, but operations appeared to be moving much slower than usual.
Reached for comment, Republic Services issued a statement saying that until it reaches an agreement with the union, customers may experience “temporary service delays” for those using its recycling and waste operations.
“We are making adjustments to our operations to ensure our ability to continue providing service during this situation. We apologize to our customers for any inconvenience this may cause,” the company said.
Republic Services said it had net income of $495 million in the first quarter of 2025, up from $454 million in the same quarter a year ago. It is set to report second-quarter earnings on July 29.
Teamsters Local 439 led the strike in San Joaquin County. The local includes members in Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, according to its website.
Other Northern California locals involved in the strike include members from Teamsters 70, 315 and 350.