At least 11 sanitation workers will get pink slips.
Monday night, the union said it may have to take action.
Flint residents will have to hold on to their trash a week longer. Faced with a growing deficit, now estimated to be $10 million, the city will now switch to bi-weekly pickup.
"We need to make major, and historic changes," Walling said.
Walling made the official announcement at the Flint City Council meeting. Residents will soon get color coded brochures showing how the city will be separated into red and blue pickup zones. It outlines which week collections will happen.
"This will save us, over the course of a year, approximately a million dollars," Walling said.
But it will cost some sanitation workers their jobs.
AFSCME Local 1600 President Sam Muma said he heard about the plan Monday. Muma said layoffs will happen in the department, leaving only 14 sanitation workers to cover the city. Last July there were 35 in the department. "That means twice the amount of trash is going to get set out there. And that means a bunch more problems with stench and a variety of things."
According to the union, the current contract calls for at least 25 waste collectors to be on staff. "Currently they are in violation of our collective bargaining agreement," Muma said.
Muma told ABC12's Matt Franklin the union will file paperwork to protect as many workers as possible.
The mayor says tough decisions have to be made. "We're doing everything we can to make sure we get our spending in line with revenues.
The union believes the city is trying to eventually privatize waste collection.
The sanitation layoffs are set to go into effect by the end of the week.
