Bay Area sanitation workers this week joined what a union leader called a nationwide garbage “war” between the Teamsters and Republic Services — which provides trash and recycling pickups for hundreds of thousands of residents around the U.S — over wages and working conditions.

Thousands of Bay Area residents whose trash is picked up by Republic Services are experiencing service interruptions due to a nationwide strike by the Teamsters union against the garbage giant.

Workers with Republic Services in Stockton are on strike, and a number of union workers in the Bay Area say working would be crossing the extended picket line.