Philadelphia’s largest municipal workers’ union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33 (DC 33), representing over 9,000 blue-collar workers, initiated a strike on Monday, July 1st demanding wage increases and improved benefits. The strike involves sanitation workers, librarians, water treatment plant employees, and 911 dispatchers. Braving the drizzle early Wednesday morning, they gathered near City Hall, outside libraries, and at the police precinct on Broad Street, holding signs and chanting slogans for “decent wages.”
On Monday evening, negotiations between the union and Philadelphia Mayor Shirelle Parker broke down. The union requested an 8% raise each year for the next four years to combat inflation and rising living costs, along with increased benefits and a “pandemic bonus” for workers who remained on duty during the COVID-19 crisis. Parker proposed a total 8% raise over three years. She expressed her strong support for the union and workers on Facebook, aiming for a “fair and financially responsible contract.” Parker mentioned that she, like the four previous mayors, had negotiated raises with the union, and her proposal would be the largest percentage increase within a single term, totaling over 12%. She also highlighted securing a 5% raise for DC 33 members this year, the highest annual increase in the past 30 years.
On Tuesday, Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas-Street issued a restraining order demanding some 911 dispatchers and water treatment plant employees return to work to ensure public safety and prohibiting demonstrators from blocking entrances to city buildings. Currently, libraries are closed, and streets are littered with garbage. Retired sanitation worker Robert told The Epoch Times that he expects the strike not to last more than a few weeks but cautioned that the piling trash could attract rodents, “they will crawl out of the sewers once they smell food.”
Some union members speaking to The Epoch Times expressed their desire for fair wages. Guard Robert G. stated, “The salary offered by the city barely exceeds the cost of living; we should get more.”
Councilmember Isaiah Thomas’s spokesperson, Max Weisman, spoke with striking workers on Wednesday morning, expressing hope for a compromise. “We believe this doesn’t have to be an ‘either/or’ situation. We firmly support the union workers, but supporting workers doesn’t mean opposing anyone,” he said. “As long as we genuinely listen to each other’s needs, we can find a solution that benefits both the city and the workers.”
DC 33 union spokesperson declined to comment on the strike.
During the strike, the Philadelphia city website phila.gov/sanitation announced that the sanitation department would temporarily cease roadside garbage and recycling bin collection services, setting up temporary trash collection points. The nearest garbage drop-off locations to Chinatown (open from 6 am to 10 pm) are at N 19th St & Wylie St, 19130, and S 18th St & Catharine St, 19146.