By George P. Hassett

After weeks of discussion, and despite allegations of labor law violations, aldermen renewed the city’s contract with trash collector F.W. Russell Disposal this week for the next year.

The trash collector has been embroiled in controversy in the last month after a labor dispute with Teamsters Local 25 in December ended in arrests for 10 Teamsters and Russell owner Charles Carneglia donning a red sombrero while stomping on union signs in an act of apparent triumph. The video of the melee can be seen on YouTube.

‚ÄúWas he taunting immigrant workers? I don’t know but it appeared offensive and abusive,‚Äù said Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz.

“When I saw the video it disgusted me that we were doing business with someone like that,” said Alderman-at-Large Dennis Sullivan.

Sullivan tried to sponsor a Teamster in attendance to address the board but aldermen voted against the proposal.

Ward 1 Alderman William Roche said Carneglia’s behavior was unfortunate ‚Äúbut neither side had anything to be proud of that day.‚Äù He said F.W. Russell offers one of the lowest rates for municipal trash pick up in the Greater Boston area. He also warned against punishing F.W. Russell based on still unproven allegations made by the Teamsters.

The attorney general’s office has opened an investigation into the company after Teamsters accused the company’s trucks of lacking proper certification and its drivers of operating without licenses and using drugs on the job. The Teamsters also said in a letter to Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone that employees are regularly threatened and must buy ‚Äúgifts‚Äù for Carneglia if they want to get shifts.

F.W. Russell had been picking up the city’s trash without a contract since January 1. Aldermen who voted to extend the contract said rejecting the company could have led to a public health crises and mounds of uncollected trash.

Gewirtz, Sullivan, William A. White and Robert C. Trane voted against the extension while Roche, Maryann Heuston, Bruce Desmond, Walter Pero, Thomas F. Taylor, Sean O’Donovan and John M. Connolly voted in favor of it.