LA Teamsters Settle With WM and Republic, but Hauler Bargaining Is Far From Over

Teamsters Local 396 contracts covering an estimated 4,000 workers at regional haulers expired Sept. 30. This fall, two of the biggest have settled. Republic Services workers approved a new contract covering more than 1,900 workers in Los Angeles and Orange counties, and 700 WM members ratified new agreements covering facilities in Compton, Irvine, Los Angeles, Long Beach and Simi Valley, according to Waste Dive.

Wage and benefit terms were not disclosed. But the settlements matter well beyond Southern California, because every hauler competes for the same pool of drivers.

Why this matters to independents

Large-market labor settlements set expectations. Drivers talk, recruiters share numbers, and job postings travel. When a major operator closes a contract in one metro, independents in nearby markets usually feel it first in retention and hiring conversations, whether or not they are unionized.

The numbers behind the headline also show how widely the pressure is spread:

Many tables are still open. The article lists CR&R Environmental Services (bargaining in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties), Athens Services at its Paramount facility, and Ware Disposal across Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. Agreements are also pending at AAA Rubbish and Park Disposal. Separately, about 465 workers under Teamsters Local 952, including some Orange County Waste & Recycling employees, paused a strike while negotiating a new contract.

Acquisitions bring new bargaining units. Waste Resources employees, whom WM acquired in May 2026, were part of this round and had not been unionized before. Their drivers and vehicles were folded into WM's Compton and Long Beach facilities. Any hauler that buys a competitor inherits that workforce, and its expectations.

The union is signaling more to come. Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien said after the Republic announcement that hundreds more Republic Teamsters across the country are bargaining new contracts this year.

What to do before your own cycle

We see five practical steps for any hauler, union or not.

Know your wage position against the metro. Check posted pay for comparable CDL driver and helper roles within 50 miles of your yard. If a gap has opened, it is better to find out now than during an exit interview.

Track every contract expiration date. If you have union agreements, put expiration dates and notice windows on a shared calendar. Start cost modeling six months out.

Budget for the full cost of labor. Wages are one part. Overtime, health benefits, pension contributions and turnover all add up. Pull your actual overtime hours by route so you see where staffing is thin.

Price labor into your contracts. Municipal and commercial agreements that lack labor or CPI adjustment language put all the risk on you. Review them before renewal.

Plan for acquisition integration. If you are buying or being bought, understand the labor terms on the other side before signing, since wage scales and benefits are part of the deal.

Watch the retention signals

Contract settlements often change who feels pressure next. When a large employer closes a deal, smaller employers nearby tend to see more questions from drivers about pay, schedules and benefits. Treat those questions as early warnings. Hold regular check-ins with drivers, ask what would keep them, and fix the small things (equipment, route fairness, predictable start times) that cost little but matter a lot.

Bottom line

Two big settlements do not end a bargaining season, and with several regional haulers and thousands of workers still at the table, the Southern California labor market remains in motion. Independents that watch wage trends, protect their driver base and build labor costs into their pricing will be better positioned than those that wait for the pressure to arrive.