A strike by trash collectors in King and Snohomish counties, including Lynnwood, could begin as soon as Thursday.

Waste Management and Allied Waste still have not come to an agreement with its unionized sanitation workers. Hundreds of them say they’ll walk off the job if they don’t resolve their dispute by midnight Wednesday, when their current contract expires. Salary and health benefits are the key sticking points.

Waste Management serves areas of Lynnwood east of Highway 99. Allied Waste serves the rest.

Both companies say they have a backup plan in case there’s a strike.

“We will make necessary staffing adjustments by bringing in employees from other local regions and alert customers to the proper procedures for disposing of garbage,” said Peg Mulloy, a spokesperson for Allied Waste. She said hospitals and health clinics would receive priority garbage pickup.

Meanwhile, Jackie Lang from Waste Management told us, “we are working on the details of our contingency plan to take care of our customers.”

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