Union reaches tentative agreement with Republic Services after drivers vote to authorize strike

Teamsters Local 117 represents 120 recycle and yard waste drivers, including Renton drivers.

Teamsters Local 117 reached a tentative agreement with Republic Services over a contract involving 120 recycle and yard waste drivers employed at the company’s locations in Renton, Bellevue, Seattle, Lynnwood and Kent.

The agreement comes after drivers voted on Sunday, June 4, to authorize a strike at a contract update meeting in Tukwila. The old contract between the Teamsters and Republic Services expired on May 31.

Teamsters have been in negotiations with Republic for the past several months. The drivers have been working without a contract since the agreement expired.

According to a release sent by Teamsters on Thursday, June 8, the contract proposal is subject to ratification by members, and the members will vote on the offer in the next few weeks.

“Recycle and yard waste drivers perform difficult, dangerous work to protect the public health and keep our neighborhoods clean,” said John Scearcy, secretary-treasurer and the lead negotiator for Teamsters Local 117, in a press release. “We will be bringing our members together soon to discuss this contract proposal and to bring the offer to a vote.”

Teamsters Local 117 represents approximately 120 yard waste and recycle drivers who are dispatched out of four Republic locations: Bellevue, Kent, Seattle and Lynnwood.