To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Residential Customer Credit for Solid Waste Collection Services in the West County Areas Serviced by Richmond Sanitary Service, Inc. and Crockett Sanitary Service, Inc.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Director of Conservation and Development, or designee, to execute a Memorandum of Understanding Settlement and Release Agreement between the County and Richmond Sanitary Services, Inc. (RSS) for one-time residential customer credits for missed pick-up events during the work stoppage that occurred between July 8, 2025 and July 21, 2025 in the West County franchise area served by RSS.
2. APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Director of Conservation and Development, or designee, to execute a Memorandum of Understanding Settlement and Release Agreement between the County and Crockett Sanitary Service, Inc. (CSS) for one-time residential customer credits for missed pick-up events during the work stoppage that occurred between July 8, 2025 and July 21, 2025 in the West County franchise area served by CSS.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact. The one-time residential customer credits will be paid by the companies.
BACKGROUND:
RSS provides curbside collection services that includes collection, processing, and disposal of solid waste, recyclable material, and organics for residents, multi-family residents and commercial customers in the West Contra Costa unincorporated service area pursuant to an exclusive Franchise Agreement dated July 1, 2025.
CSS provides curbside collection services that includes collection, processing, and disposal of solid waste, recyclable material, and organics for residents, multi-family residents and commercial customers in Crockett, Port Costa and Tormey pursuant to an exclusive Franchise Agreement dated November 5, 1996.
On July 8, 2025, a labor sympathy strike action began, which impacted collection and transport operations covered by both of these Franchise Agreements. The Teamster Work Stoppage was not a strike against RSS or CSS (both owned by Republic); rather, this was a sympathy or “solidarity” refusal by Teamster employees to cross a picket line established by other Teamsters union locals orchestrated at Republic’s facility. RSS and CSS Teamster employees refused to cross the picket line resulting in the Work Stoppage.
In recognition of the inconvenience caused by the delay in collection services for most residential and some multi-family and commercial customers in their respective West County service areas in July 2025, RSS and CSS have agreed to provide one-time credits to the impacted residential customers in their respective service areas.
The Memorandum of Understanding Settlement and Release Agreements require the County to release the companies from any further liability, including claims of every nature and kind whatsoever, known or unknown, in exchange for the impacted residential customers receiving the following credit amounts based on solid waste container size.
RSS Residential Customer Credits
|
Container Size |
Individual Customer Credit |
Total Combined Credits |
|
20 gallon cart |
$12.74 |
$24,912.57 |
|
35 gallon cart |
$13.73 |
$101,084.98 |
|
65 gallon cart |
$28.44 |
$21,501.58 |
|
95 gallon cart |
$42.23 |
$4,265.68 |
|
TOTAL CREDITS |
|
$151,764.81 |
CSS Residential Customer Credits
|
Container Size |
Individual Customer Credit |
Total Combined Credits |
|
20 gallon cart |
$14.02 |
$2,734.83 |
|
35 gallon cart |
$16.63 |
$15,033.50 |
|
35 gallon can (backyard) |
$17.18 |
$1,356.87 |
|
45 gallon can |
$22.12 |
$44.25 |
|
45 gallon can (backyard) |
$22.72 |
$22.72 |
|
65 gallon cart |
$29.15 |
$5,772.48 |
|
95 gallon cart |
$35.42 |
$2,125.35 |
|
TOTAL CREDITS |
|
$27,089.99 |
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Memorandum of Understanding Settlement and Release Agreements are not approved, County constituents would not receive a credit for missed pick-up service.