Local 439 Teamsters at Republic Services win strike
November 4, 2025
Strong first contract achieved with Joint Council local union support
Over 500 Republic Services Teamsters from five locals nationwide—including a unit of Joint Council 7 members in Manteca, Calif., represented by Local 439—were forced to launch an enormous sanitation strike this summer after the multibillion-dollar waste corporation committed unfair labor practices.
Prior to the strike, landfill workers at Local 439 were battling for a fair first contract to meet the area industry standard. But Republic refused to give them the agreement they deserved.
Finally, the workers had enough, and on Monday, July 7, they were pushed to the picket line. Thankfully, they knew they weren’t alone in their fight. Besides the more than 500 other Republic Teamsters striking at the same time, hundreds of Republic workers in Joint Council 7 also had the contractual right to honor extended picket lines.
Local 439 members used this strong language to their advantage. Soon after launching their strike, they extended to Locals 70, 315, and 350, where rank-and-file Teamsters proudly stood in solidarity and exercised their right to withhold their labor.
This resulted in a work stoppage for over 800 Teamsters in Northern California alone—hugely increasing Local 439’s leverage at the bargaining table. In turn, residents in the impacted areas became outraged at Republic’s refusal to respect their workers and to service their communities.
On Sunday, July 20, Republic finally buckled and offered Local 439 members a strong first contract as public pressure mounted and the costs of the strike soared.
Thanks to their militancy and to the support of their brothers and sisters at Joint Council 7, the Local 439 Teamsters ratified an agreement that vastly improved their quality of life. Over the life of the agreement, these hardworking men and women will see raises of $8 an hour. They will now receive Teamsters health and welfare benefits, saving them up to $1,000 every single month. And they also locked in improved vacation policies and strong labor protections.
In short, Local 439 showed Republic Services what the Teamsters are made of: strength, militancy, and solidarity.
