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Compare nearby storage unitsRepublic Services and WM Strike in California: 2026 Update
Updated . Status checked against Teamsters releases and local news reports. This site is not affiliated with any employer or union named here.
No, Republic Services and WM workers in Southern California are not on strike as of October 26, 2026. Teamsters Local 396 members at both companies ratified new contracts, about 1,900 at Republic (announced October 23) and about 700 at WM (announced October 26).
The contracts for close to 4,000 Local 396 sanitation workers in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties expired at midnight on September 30 without tentative agreements (Local 396). The union kept bargaining instead of walking out, and it is still negotiating with five smaller haulers. The one strike in the area this month was by Orange County public employees in a different local, and it is paused.
Strike and contract status by employer
| Employer / union local | Workers covered | Status | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Services / Teamsters Local 396 | 1,900+ in Southern California | New contract ratified. No strike. | Oct 23, 2026 | Teamsters |
| WM / Teamsters Local 396 | About 700 in Los Angeles and Orange counties | New contract ratified. No strike. | Oct 26, 2026 | Teamsters, Waste Dive |
| Athens Services (Paramount) / Local 396 | Not disclosed | Still bargaining | Oct 26, 2026 | Waste Dive |
| CR&R Environmental Services / Local 396 | Not disclosed | Still bargaining (Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties) | Oct 26, 2026 | Waste Dive |
| WARE Disposal / Local 396 | Not disclosed | Still bargaining (Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties) | Oct 26, 2026 | Waste Dive |
| Park Disposal (EDCO) / Local 396 | Not disclosed | Agreement pending | Oct 26, 2026 | Waste Dive |
| AAA Rubbish / Local 396 | Not disclosed | Agreement pending | Oct 26, 2026 | Waste Dive |
| All Local 396 haulers above | Close to 4,000 across five counties | Contracts expired at midnight Sept 30 | Oct 1, 2026 | Local 396 |
| County of Orange (incl. OC Waste & Recycling landfills) / Teamsters Local 952 | 465+ | Struck Oct 13; paused Oct 20, workers back Oct 21. Supervisors met in closed session Oct 24, no announcement. No contract yet. | Oct 24, 2026 | Waste Dive, Voice of OC, Irvine Source, Fullerton Observer |
"Not disclosed" means the union and Waste Dive did not give a head count for that employer. The Teamsters said on October 23 that more than 1,400 Local 396 workers at other companies were still negotiating.
2026 waste strikes and contract votes
This timeline lists the 2026 strike votes, strikes and ratifications we could confirm from Teamsters releases and news reports, along with the service area each contract covers. It is not a complete national list. The Teamsters said in a Facebook post cited by Waste Dive that more than 900 Republic workers had ratified contracts nationwide this year and that 2,000 more were expected to by year end, but the union did not list those locals in one place.
| Date | What happened | Cities or service area | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 2026 | Republic landfill workers in Teamsters Local 104 vote unanimously to authorize a strike while bargaining a first contract. No strike reported since. | Southwest Regional Landfill, Buckeye, Ariz. (serves Buckeye, Maricopa and other towns) | Teamsters |
| Sep 2026 | More than 60 California Waste Solutions drivers and mechanics in Teamsters Local 350 ratify a five-year contract. | San Jose, Calif. | Teamsters |
| Sep 30, 2026 | Local 396 contracts for close to 4,000 workers at Republic, WM, Athens, CR&R, WARE, Park Disposal and AAA expire without tentative agreements. | Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties | Local 396 |
| Oct 13, 2026 | More than 465 County of Orange workers in Teamsters Local 952 begin an unfair labor practice strike. | OC Waste & Recycling landfills, OC Public Works, parks and beaches, county fleet | Teamsters, Waste Dive |
| Oct 20, 2026 | Local 952 pauses the strike during mediation. Workers return Oct 21. | Orange County | Voice of OC |
| Oct 23, 2026 | More than 1,900 Republic workers in Local 396 ratify a new contract. | Multiple Republic facilities in Los Angeles and Orange counties | Teamsters |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Orange County supervisors hold a special closed session on new Teamsters proposals sent through a mediator. No announcement afterward. | Orange County | Irvine Source |
| Oct 26, 2026 | About 700 WM workers in Local 396 ratify new agreements, including former Waste Resources drivers. | WM sites in Compton, Irvine, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Simi Valley | Teamsters, Waste Dive |
What the Republic and WM contracts cover
The Republic agreement covers more than 1,900 workers at several facilities in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The WM agreement covers about 700 workers at sites including Compton, Irvine, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Simi Valley, and it brings in drivers from Waste Resources, which WM bought in May and whose workers had not been unionized (Waste Dive).
Neither union release published wages, raises, benefits or the contract length. We have not found those terms in any other public source, so this page does not give them. For what Republic advertises today, by job and city, see our Republic Services pay rates table.
The Orange County landfill strike
More than 465 County of Orange employees in Teamsters Local 952, including landfill workers at OC Waste & Recycling, went on strike on October 13, 2026. Their contract had expired on June 25. The county runs three active landfills and said it had contingency plans in place (Waste Dive). On October 20 the union paused the strike as a sign of good faith during mediation, and workers went back on October 21. Members had turned down a one-year offer with a 3% raise, and the union said it was ready to return to the picket lines if the county did not make a fair offer (Voice of OC). The Fullerton Observer reported on October 23 that county landfills had resumed operations. On October 24 the Board of Supervisors met in a special closed session to review new proposals that Teamsters Joint Council 42 sent through the mediator. No announcement followed. Supervisor Don Wagner said he thought the county's one-year offer was reasonable given its budget (Irvine Source). As of October 26 no member vote result or new county contract has been reported, so the strike is still paused, not settled.
What workers and job seekers should know
If you work at Republic or WM under Local 396, ask your steward for the signed terms, since the public releases leave out pay. If you work at Athens, CR&R, WARE, Park Disposal or AAA Rubbish, your old contract expired on September 30 and talks are still going on, with no strike reported so far.
If you are looking for work, start with current waste management jobs in California, or narrow to openings in Long Beach, Sun Valley and Riverside. Drivers can go straight to California garbage truck driver jobs, and the garbage truck CDL guide covers the license you need. A union job lists its rate in the contract, so ask the recruiter whether a yard is covered before you compare offers.
Update log
: page published. Republic (Oct 23) and WM (Oct 26) ratifications added; five Local 396 haulers still bargaining; Orange County Local 952 strike paused since Oct 20.
: added a 2026 timeline with service areas, the Arizona and San Jose contract news, and the October 24 Orange County supervisors' session.
Republic Services and WM strike questions
Is Republic Services on strike today?
No. As of October 26, 2026, there is no strike at Republic Services in Southern California. More than 1,900 Republic workers in Teamsters Local 396 ratified a new contract, which the union announced on October 23, 2026.
Is Waste Management (WM) on strike in California?
No. About 700 WM workers in Los Angeles and Orange counties, members of Teamsters Local 396, ratified a new contract, announced on October 26, 2026. No WM strike in Southern California has been reported.
Which Southern California haulers are still bargaining?
Local 396 is still bargaining with Athens Services (its Paramount facility), CR&R Environmental Services, WARE Disposal, Park Disposal and AAA Rubbish, according to the union and Waste Dive. None of them was reported on strike as of October 26, 2026.
What happened with the Orange County landfill strike?
More than 465 Orange County workers in Teamsters Local 952, including landfill workers at OC Waste & Recycling, struck from October 13, 2026. The union paused the strike on October 20 and workers returned October 21. The union said it could resume the strike if talks fail.
How much of a raise did Republic and WM workers get?
The union releases did not publish wages, raises or other pay terms for either contract. We will add them here if the union or the companies make them public.