The fight between striking Massachusetts sanitation workers and the waste-management giant that employs them has entered a third week with no apparent signs either side is closer to making a deal. Local officials from impacted communities were joined earlier this week by Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin and members of the Boston City Council in calling for Republic Services to negotiate an end to the work stoppage which began on July 1.

People in some parts of Northern California are seeing and smelling the effects of an ongoing waste workers strike. That includes the city of Stockton, where trash is piling up at curbsides and city leaders are demanding answers as to why they weren't warned of a strike further in advance.

Republic Services and the Teamsters have been at a standoff since July 1, when 450 local workers went on strike after the union's contract expired. Teamsters are seeking better wages, benefits and stronger labor protections.

The work stoppage, led by Teamsters-affiliated employees demanding contract improvements, has now impacted waste collection in parts of King and Snohomish counties. Republic Services, one of the region’s largest waste haulers, is in contract negotiations with workers at five locations across the state.

Negotiations between Republic Services and Teamsters broke down late last week. Talks are set to resume Tuesday, but the impacts of the trash strike are growing more pronounced.

Solidarity strikes with Republic Services continued Monday on the sixth day of garbage strikes in the Bay Area, which is impacting residents of two dozen cities in Northern California.