PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Negotiations between the City of Philadelphia and members of the blue-collar workers’ union, AFSCME District Council 33, resumed Wednesday afternoon.
Action News has learned the talks began at 3 p.m.
This is the first sign of movement since talks broke down on Monday. Members of DC33 went on strike at midnight Tuesday.
The walkout was having a visible impact by Wednesday. Sanitation workers are part of the strike, and trash was already piling up in parts of the city.
City employees who are not part of the DC33 union are now tasked with cleaning up mounds of trash at dump sites across Philadelphia.
RELATED: Philadelphia judge orders some DC 33 members back to work amid strike
It only took one day for a dumpster at 18th and Catharine streets to overflow as people tossed trash bags on top, on the sidewalk and in the street.
“Trying to pick up garbage that falls on the street and throw it in the bin,” said one neighbor. “I threw my back out throwing in a lot last night. It’s just crazy.”
Mayor Cherelle Parker is asking residents to drop off trash at temporary dump sites on their normal trash day.
The mayor’s office is trying to keep up by providing modified services after trash collectors walked off the job.
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“I hope they settle the union discussions quickly,” said neighbor Theos McKinney.
Action News has learned that some of the city employees left working are trainees who are not yet part of the union.
Others work for the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP), where crews typically assist with neighborhood cleanup across the city.
Some of them were back to work early Wednesday after working 16 hours Tuesday, clearing out what is becoming a constant cycle of trash.
“There’s a gentleman that arrived while they were loading and dropped off his trash, so I feel like people are going to attempt to put it up there, although it’s quite high,” said neighbor Eva Alminana. “I don’t know how the average person gets their trash into that big dumpster.”
RELATED: Coverage of the ongoing work stoppage at 6abc.com/CityStrike
The Action Cam was there as crews moved the full dumpster off Catharine Street to make way for another to replace it.
The dumpster a couple of miles away by Marconi Plaza also overflowed after one day.
“I saw there were some rats scurrying over here,” said Giuseppe Mollo of South Philadelphia. “I don’t know how long this can last.”
DC 33, Philadelphia’s largest workers’ union, is made up of roughly 9,000 workers who provide services like street repair and trash pickup. Their membership also includes some airport workers, members of the Water Dept. and 911 dispatchers.
On Tuesday, a judge ruled that many water employees and 911 dispatchers had to go back to work.
In the filing, Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas-Street ordered 237 of the 325 dispatchers back to work, saying their absence creates a “clear and present danger to threat to health, safety or welfare of the public.”
This order does not prevent workers from participating in the strike during off-duty hours.
Thomas-Street also required a limited number of essential Philadelphia Water Department workers to return. Lawyers said these employees are essential to fulfill the city’s statutory mandate to provide fresh, clean drinking water supply to the city.
Workers may still participate in the strike while they’re not on the clock.
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