Negotiations ongoing between Philadelphia’s Mayor Cherelle Parker and blue collar union

Philadelphians report trash overflow, reduction in services as the third day of union strike affects essential labor force.

Philadelphians report trash overflow, reduction in services as the third day of union strike affects essential labor force.

On Thursday morning, the City of Philadelphia and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33 (DC33) have yet to reach an agreement in its ongoing negotiations. Since Tuesday, the union has been participating in a work stoppage that has shuttered or significantly slowed public services there. It is the first major strike since 1986.

Mayor Cherelle Parker underscored that her administration “put its best offer on the table” and is committed to giving DC33 “a fair and fiscally responsible contract.” 

So far, the 9,000 municipal workers voiced dissatisfaction in the bargaining. Greg Boulware, president of DC33 said that “there’s something wrong when you live in the sixth largest city in the country … [and] are the working poor of the city.” 

At the crux of the collective bargaining talk – wages. Mayor Parker proposed a 13% pay increase. Revising its initial 8% yearly increase for three years, DC33 countered with a 5% annual raise. Plus, agreement provisions that pay them for being essential employees, and better healthcare benefits.

Ranging from library workers to staffers in the sanitation department, the blue-collar union stated in its proposal to the city that they “faithfully provide valuable services … regardless of weather, pandemic, threats to their health and safety, and other adverse conditions,” and should be duly compensated like other unions. 

Added to their support is Councilwoman Jamie Guthrie, who posted on X (Twitter), “The municipal workers who power our City deserve a living wage and fair contract.”

Although Philadelphia has been noted as one of the more affordable big municipalities to live in, it is also the poorest. While the U.S. Census indicates the median household income in Philadelphia is $60,698, Boulware reported that the average salary for a DC33 member is $46,000.

According to MIT’s living wage calculator, for one adult without children, the average salary to earn a liveable wage in the City of Brotherly Love is $48,387. For two adults and two children, it costs $88,441. The Census also informed that the average number of people per household in Philadelphia is 2.29. If that equals one adult and two children, then that adds up to $118,260.

One requirement of municipal workers is that they must reside in the city, but rising costs make it increasingly difficult. “[There are p]eople that repair runways at the airport, but cannot afford plane tickets,” asserted Boulware. He insisted, “We just want a comfort inside the city that we serve daily.”

As negotiations heated up, the housing crisis in Philadelphia centered much of the argument. “If we’re talking about providing housing for city residents and city employees, how do we know that they can afford it? How do we plan to pull DC33 workers out of poverty, so they can afford these houses we’re building?” asked Councilman Isaiah Thomas to a staffer of the Parker Administration at a city meeting.  

At press time, some of the critical services affected are garbage collection, street repair and trained first responder dispatchers or 911 operators. Thirty-four pools scheduled to open during these scorching summer days remain closed, and recreation centers will carry reduced hours of operation. Included, the strike resulted in the high possibility of longer response and repair times for water main breaks along with street cave-ins. As well, DC33 custodial and maintenance airport crew are absent.

Residents expressed that the more worrisome impact is the lack of trash pickup. Plagued by illegal dumping, graffiti and past issues of regular litter removal, a city with old bones can get dirty quickly. Just two days in and Philadelphia is filling with ad hoc dumping sites. “Yall need to get this trash up. The city is about to be officially trifling,” warned Rich Harris, CEO of B&R Films. 

To remedy the hopefully temporary inconvenience, the town has created 63 refuse drop-off locations. However, DC33 has encouraged residents to not break the strike line and withhold on disposing of their garbage. 

Regardless, trash has become a quick enterprise. Locals posting waste pick up services are popping up on timelines in the area. Added, trash removal businesses are working to keep neighborhoods clean during negotiations. Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who joined picket lines, has urged citygoers to “have [DC33] workers’ backs.” As temperatures begin to creep back up, the overall hope is that an agreement is reached quickly.

Updated: July 4, 1 p.m.