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Garbage truck drivers return to work

SEATTLE — More than 19,000 customers were left with their stinky garbage, because of a strike on the other side of the country, but Allied Waste drivers, who honored the picket line Wednesday, reported for work Thursday morning.

Allied Waste brought in workers from other regions as a contingency, so the local drivers decided to go back to work for now.

They're still honoring the picket line of some out of state strikers, so the union drivers swap out with non-union managers, who then cross the picket line and dump the trash.

The picketers work for Allied Waste's parent company, Republic Services.

They're landfill workers from Ohio and accuse Republic of unfair labor practices.

As a result, thousands of Puget Sound customers in Kent, SeaTac, Normandy Park, Auburn, Maple Valley, Lynnwood, Monroe, Snohomish and Index will have to keep their smelly garbage for another week.

The company released a statement Thursday saying services were on schedule.

That all could change, though.

Although the only picket line was set up at the company’s SoDo location Thursday morning, the Teamsters said more pickets are expected at Republic's other facilities in Kent, Lynnwood or Bellevue.

There is also the possibility that union drivers could walk off the job at any time.

Allied Waste said it will pick up the double amount of trash for those who missed service Wednesday at no extra charge next week.