Catherwood LibraryILR School

Overflowing dumpsters and mounting frustration are spreading across western Washington as a garbage worker strike continues with no resolution in sight. Cities like Kent and Bellevue have opened temporary drop-off sites to help residents manage their waste while Republic Services workers, represented by the Teamsters, remain off the job. Contract talks have stalled in several cities, and non-union employees are stepping in to collect trash at key locations. The strike, part of a broader nationwide labor action, has severely disrupted residential curbside pickup across the Puget Sound region.