Waste Management garbage truck drivers represented by Teamsters Local 174 went on strike at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday affecting King County, including Maple Valley, and Snohomish County.

Michael Gonzales, spokesman for Local 174, said the union went on strike because of “unfair labor practices. We are trying to get them to come back to the table and negotiate. All they do is say, ‘this is their final offer.’ That is not negotiating.”

Waste Management negotiators presented what spokeswoman Jackie Lang called the final contract offer April 1.

Talks between the two sides have stalled since that time.

The union members voted to authorize the strike March 28 in the Tukwila headquarters.

The local settled a labor contract with Allied Waste Service, which is owned by Republic Services with corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Ariz. The contract between the union and Allied was ratified April 11.

Allied provides garbage, recycling and yard waste services for Covington and Black Diamond.

The union members had been picking up trash until Wednesday while the negotiations continued.

Gonzales said the union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against the Texas-based Waste Management.

Teamsters Local 174 garbage truck drivers strike Waste Management