TRASH pick-up has been paused in a major US city, and residents fear that piles of garbage will be left baking in the summer sun.
Officials were forced to stop the essential service after nearly 10,000 union employees walked off the job.
The workers belong to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, the largest blue-collar union in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The employees cover a wide range of services in the city, from trash pickup to 911 dispatch and airport services.
Due to their strike, residents are now required to load their trash into their cars and take the bags to 63 temporary drop-off locations, according to ABC affiliate WPVI.
The smelly deliveries must be made on the days that their trash is normally picked up.
City officials were forced to scramble and devise a plan after contract negotiations with the union broke down, the Associated Press reported.
After the talks, the AFSCME district announced the strike with a social media post that said “HOLD THE LINES.”
Mayor Cherelle Parker vowed to keep the city running as negotiations continue and said that July 4 celebrations would proceed as usual.
However, she also had to close some city pools and shorten the hours of the recreation centers due to staffing issues.
The city also warned residents to stay on the line if they call 911 and it takes a while for dispatch to pick up.
“Keep your holiday plans. Don’t leave the city,” she said in a news conference on Monday after hours of negotiations.
Parker said the city “put its best offer on the table” but couldn’t reach an agreement with AFSCME.
The mayor proposed salary raises that would total a 13% increase over her four years in office, but the union sought an 8% pay increase each year for the next three years.
AFSCME also asked for cost-of-living hikes and bonuses of up to $5,000 for those who worked through the Covid-19 pandemic.
The union additionally wanted the city to pay for healthcare, which costs around $1,700 a month for each member.
