CLEVELAND — A Cleveland city spokesperson confirmed the garbage truck at the scene of where a worker was stabbed while on the job Wednesday was not equipped with cameras despite an agreement with the union three months earlier that called for their installation.
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Bobby Mendel of Laborers' Local 860 said his union struck a memorandum of understanding with the city in July.
"Our understanding was they were put on all the trucks and they were going to be up and running once we signed this MOU," Mendel said.
He called the lack of cameras aggravating.
"It does not make any sense," Mendel said.
Mendel said the garbage crew was working their route on West 107th Street Wednesday when one of the workers noticed a man acting unusually.
"He was following them basically. They picked up the one street. They went to the next street, and they noticed he was like, surveilling them, watching him," Mendel said.
Mendel said the worker had the truck driver call dispatch. But before anyone could get there, the man attacked, stabbing the worker in the thigh and then chasing another worker down the street before running away. No arrests have been made.
"The guy, we don't know if he's just walking around. And, you know, going to do that to somebody else," Mendel said.
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Mendel said cameras could have made a difference.
"It could have prevented the incident, or it definitely could have gotten an identification of the suspect and maybe track him down," Mendel said.
News 5 Investigators asked a city spokesperson when the trucks would have cameras installed and operating. The spokesperson said no timetable was available.
The union says the worker received stitches and is home recovering.
Mendel is calling on city hall to make good on its promise.
"When you're talking and sitting down with the union and negotiating, and you say you're going to do one thing, follow through," Mendel said.
Related: City of Cleveland waste worker stabbed on the job by unknown assailant
