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 this holiday weekend.
Officials were forced to stop the essential service after nearly 10,000 union employees walked off the job.
Residents in a major US city have to hand-deliver their trash to dumpsters as pickup is pausedCredit: WPVI
A key union is on strike and 10,000 workers walked off the jobCredit: WPVI
The workers are with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, which is 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.
Because of their strike, residents now have to load their trash in their cars and take the bags to 63 temporary drop-off locations, ABC affiliate WPVI reported.
The smelly deliveries must be made on the days that their trash is usually picked up.
City officials were forced to scramble and devise a plan after contract negotiations with the union broke down Monday, the Associated Press reported.
After the talks, the AFSCME district announced the strike on Tuesday morning 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 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.
She said that the average worker would have gotten an annual pay increase of $2,383, which is the biggest jump in over 20 years.
The mayor offered salary raises that would rise 13% throughout her four years in office, but the union wanted pay to increase 8% 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.
Parker said she felt the city’s offer was “fair and fiscally responsible,” and was disappointed when the union did not accept.
Under the new trash plan, six sanitation centers are open Sunday through Saturday, and over 60 are available from Monday through Saturday.
The drop-off locations open on Tuesday at 5 pm, and will open at 6 am starting Wednesday morning.
Residents have to ensure their trash is in bags, and can bring a maximum of 8 bags for each visit.
People have been urged to hang on to recyclable materials as long as possible, as the trash could pose a safety risk.
Contract negotiations with the city of Philadelphia fell throughCredit: WPVI
Protesters took to the streets to announce the strikeCredit: CBS
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