City leaders in one of the Massachusetts communities affected by the ongoing trash strike are appealing to billionaire Bill Gates in an effort to push the labor dispute toward a resolution.

The fight between striking Massachusetts sanitation workers and the waste-management giant that employs them has entered a third week with no apparent signs either side is closer to making a deal. Local officials from impacted communities were joined earlier this week by Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin and members of the Boston City Council in calling for Republic Services to negotiate an end to the work stoppage which began on July 1.

State leaders urge Republic Services to finalize contract with striking Teamsters as uncollected garbage piles up in Massachusetts communities and other states across the country.

Negotiations between Republic Services and Teamsters broke down late last week. Talks are set to resume Tuesday, but the impacts of the trash strike are growing more pronounced.