This story has been updated with new information.
EVANSVILLE — Local trash pickup in Evansville will be delayed as Republic Services workers who are a part of the Teamsters Local 215 refuse to cross the picket line.
As of Monday, Teamsters from Georgia brought their picket to Evansville’s Republic Services locations. Local Republic Services workers are not on strike, but honoring the picket. According to the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility, the local union reached an agreement on July 19, ratifying a new three-year contract.
According to Republic Services, the business is in contract negotiations with Teamsters representing some employees in the Cumming, Georgia area.
“Those employees are engaged in a temporary work stoppage, and some are picketing at two of our Evansville locations,” Republic Services spokesperson Melissa Quillard stated. “As a result, our employees in Evansville are choosing to not cross the picket line, which is causing service disruptions.”
Republic Service locations impacted by the national picket in Evansville are the hauling operation on North Fares Avenue and Laubscher Meadows Landfill on Wimberg Road.
“Services will be delayed with a primary focus on hospitals, long-term care facilities and other critical service needs,” EWSU shared via social media. “Should this situation continue, Republic Services Blue Crew resources will provide collection services.”
The Courier & Press has reached out to the Teamsters Local 215 for comment.
On the Republic Services website, residents can search using their home address to see if there are any service alerts for the location.
This comes as sanitation workers in Boston have been fighting for a new contract and have been striking since the start of July.
Last week, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced over 2,000 Republic Teamsters were either on strike or honoring picket lines.
This story has been updated to correctly state the local picket is related to contract negotiations in Georgia.