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 are with 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 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.