Members of Teamsters Local 396 ratified new collective bargaining agreements with two of Southern California’s largest waste haulers in late October 2026, Waste Dive reported October 26. More than 1,900 workers at Republic Services facilities in Los Angeles and Orange counties approved their contract, and about 700 workers at WM (Waste Management) ratified a separate agreement covering facilities in the same two counties — together, nearly 2,600 sanitation workers.
Two companies, two deals, one expired contract cycle
The new agreements replace contracts that expired September 30, 2026, covering a portion of an estimated 4,000 regional sanitation workers whose deals lapsed that month. The WM agreement also folded in workers from Waste Resources, a company WM acquired in May 2026, at sites in Compton, Irvine, Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Simi Valley — those employees had not previously been unionized. Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien called the Republic Services deal “a great win for these hardworking Teamsters,” adding the union is “not done” and will “never stop fighting for the strongest contracts.” Specific wage and benefit figures from the ratified agreements were not disclosed in reporting.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Union | Teamsters Local 396 |
| Republic Services workers | 1,900+, LA & Orange counties |
| WM workers | ~700, including newly organized Waste Resources sites |
| Prior contracts expired | September 30, 2026 |
| Regional workers affected by expirations | ~4,000 |
| Ratification reported | October 26, 2026 |
The fight is not over for every regional hauler
Bargaining continues elsewhere in the region. Teamsters reported ongoing talks at CR&R Environmental Services (Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, which recently bid to join the RecycLA program), Athens Services (a Paramount facility acquired through the 2022 purchase of CalMet Services, while its other sites remain non-union), and Ware Disposal (Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties). Agreements at AAA Rubbish and Park Disposal, an EDCO subsidiary, are still pending. Separately, about 465 Teamsters Local 952 members, including workers at Orange County Waste & Recycling, paused a strike while negotiating their own new contract. Reporting on both the Republic Services and WM agreements did not include specific wage percentages, signing bonuses, or health plan changes, so the practical weight of these deals is still best measured by headcount and timing rather than dollar figures.
Sanitation and waste-industry workers do essential, physically demanding work, and a strong contract matters. But a household’s financial security still depends on more than which hauler or local wins the next round of bargaining. A final expense or whole life policy fills a gap no union contract can: it covers funeral and end-of-life costs no matter which employer, local, or contract cycle a worker is under at the time, and it keeps that promise even if a future negotiation does not go as well as this one did.
Part of a busy year for Teamsters nationally
Southern California sanitation is only one front. We have also tracked Teamsters contracts this year covering Frontier Airlines mechanics and the cost-of-living raise built into the UPS Teamsters contract, along with the union’s own warning about a possible 2028 UPS standoff. Taken together, it is a reminder that organized labor is actively bargaining across very different industries at the same time, from hospitals to delivery trucks to trash collection — and that a worker’s coverage should not depend on which one of those fights their employer happens to be in.
What this means for UTL readers
If you or someone in your household works in sanitation, waste collection, or another physically demanding union trade, our union members coverage page walks through how final expense and whole life policies work alongside — not instead of — whatever your contract already provides. Compare final expense and whole life coverage, or get a quick estimate with the free life insurance calculator before you talk to anyone.
Sources
- Waste Dive — California Teamsters Local 396, WM, Republic Services contract
- Waste360 — 1,900 Republic Services Teamsters ratify contract in SoCal
Frequently Asked Questions
How many workers are covered by the new Republic Services and WM contracts?
Teamsters Local 396 said more than 1,900 workers at Republic Services facilities in Los Angeles and Orange counties ratified a contract, and about 700 workers at WM facilities in those counties ratified a separate agreement -- together covering nearly 2,600 Southern California sanitation workers.
Why did these sanitation workers need a new contract?
The prior agreements covering an estimated 4,000 regional sanitation workers expired September 30, 2026. Republic Services and WM were two of the larger haulers to reach new deals; bargaining continues at several other regional companies.
Are other Southern California sanitation workers still bargaining?
Yes. As of late October 2026, Teamsters reported ongoing bargaining at CR&R Environmental Services, Athens Services, Ware Disposal, AAA Rubbish, and Park Disposal, and about 465 Local 952 members, including workers at Orange County Waste & Recycling, had paused a strike while negotiating their own new contract.
Coverage built for essential-worker households
A licensed United Trust Life agent can help union sanitation, trucking, and trade workers find final expense or whole life coverage that holds steady through any contract cycle — free, and no pressure.
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