I am a sanitation worker at Republic Services and a proud member of Teamsters Local 25. Right now, 450 of my co-workers and I in the Greater Boston area are bargaining for a new contract. We’re joined by hundreds more of our brothers and sisters in Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, and Washington, who are taking part in battles of their own with this company.

We are demanding an agreement that compensates us fairly for our hard work –– enough to live on as the cost-of-living skyrockets in the area. Republic is trying to deny us that respect. In negotiations, this multibillion-dollar corporation has dragged its feet and stalled potential progress rather than bargain in good faith.

If they keep it up, they might bring your trash collection to a halt as soon as July 1 by pushing us to strike. And it will be no one’s fault but Republic’s.

I’ve worked in this industry for years, collecting trash from homes and businesses. I’ve managed to raise three children as a single father in this job. For 16 years, I worked in Peabody for JRM Hauling and Recycling, a small family-run company that treated us with respect and valued the work we do keeping our communities clean.

In 2022, everything changed when Republic Services bought out JRM. Along with Waste Management, Republic is a Goliath. Together, the two companies brought in $38 billion last year, dominating the waste and recycling business in America.

Republic didn’t become a dominant player in the industry by treating workers fairly. I got to experience that firsthand when it acquired JRM. Almost overnight, my pay was slashed between $600 and $800 a week. Many of my co-workers lost even more.

It was unacceptable. But not long after Republic acquired JRM, we became Teamsters. And as members of North America’s strongest union, we are fighting together for our fair share of the enormous profits this company makes off our backs.

Sanitation is one of the most dangerous professions out there, and injuries are common. Our jobs are tough and physically demanding. As a transfer station driver, I move waste to landfills and incinerators. I’m regularly walking through waist-deep piles of garbage. Even with protective gear, I’ve come home sick after a shift more times than I can count. We know how important our work is and that we have earned the better wages, health care, and protections we are fighting for.

If Republic Services doesn’t come to terms on a fair contract by July 1, over 400,000 people throughout 17 municipalities in Massachusetts — including my hometown of Malden — could see trash service disrupted. We don’t want this to happen. But we can’t raise families, pay our bills, or one day retire unless things change for the better.

If you find out that your trash isn’t getting picked up next month, just remember — it’s because Republic Services turned its back on all of us.

We’ve supported Massachusetts for years. We ask that you support us.

Mike Ortiz is a sanitation worker at Republic Services and a member of Teamsters Local 25.