Encinitas trash pickup appears safe from a possible Southern California sanitation strike, but nearly 4,000 waste workers across five counties were on the job without a contract as of Friday, Oct. 2.
Contracts between Teamsters Local 396 and seven waste-hauling companies expired at midnight Thursday, Oct. 1, without new agreements in place, the union announced. The affected companies include Republic Services, Waste Management, Athens Services, CR&R, WARE Disposal, Park Disposal and AAA Disposal, Patch first reported, citing City News Service.
Encinitas, however, contracts exclusively with EDCO for residential and commercial trash and recycling collection, according to the city's Public Works department. EDCO, a family-owned hauler operating in Southern California since 1967, is not among the companies named in the dispute.
Whether EDCO's workforce has any connection to Local 396 could not be confirmed from available public records.
What the dispute is about
The contract expiration covers workers in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Local 396 spent years aligning expiration dates across eight companies and 29 facilities as part of its "Our Time Is Now" campaign, launched in October 2025.
Victor Mineros, secretary-treasurer of Local 396, told KFI radio on Thursday, Oct. 1, that the union is pushing for better health care and safer working conditions. "This job has more death and injury than firefighters and cops put together, so safety is a very huge important issue that is at the table now," Mineros said.
Bureau of Labor Statistics data released in February ranked refuse collectors as the fifth-deadliest occupation in the country for 2024, with 37.4 fatal injuries per 100,000 full-time workers, according to Hoodline.
No strike authorized, but no deal either
Adan Alvarez, Local 396's communications director, told Patch on Friday, Oct. 2, that no union-wide strike had been authorized. He added that a labor dispute "could happen theoretically at any time."
Republic Services said in a statement that negotiations began Aug. 14 and continued on Oct. 1. Athens Services said operations and service were continuing as normal during talks.
A new California law adds pressure. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1371 on Sept. 27, barring private waste haulers from using "force majeure" contract clauses to avoid penalties during labor disputes, according to Waste Dive. The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.
What Encinitas residents should know
As of Sunday, Oct. 4, Encinitas curbside collection is continuing on its regular schedule. EDCO handles all residential and commercial pickups under the city's exclusive franchise agreement.
If a broader regional disruption affects transfer stations or processing facilities that EDCO relies on, delays could ripple into Encinitas. No source has confirmed that scenario. Residents can check service updates at encinitas.edcodisposal.com.
