Two groups of Central Oregon solid waste workers want to unionize with Teamsters Local 162. On Dec. 5, Local 162 asked the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for a union election to represent about 40 trash truck drivers, mechanics, shop technicians, and laborers at Republic Services’ Bend location. Then on Dec. 18, the union asked for a second election for 34 workers in the same jobs at Republic Services’ Redmond location.
Headquartered in Phoenix, Republic Services operates 206 active landfills and employs about 40,000 full-time workers. Teamsters locals represent about 7,000 of those workers.
The Bend workers are set to vote in-person on Jan. 11. An election date for the Redmond workers has not been set yet. Republic Services has hired the notorious anti-union law firm Littler Mendelson.
