Philly Mayor Cherelle Parker announces trash collection ‘pause’ with city worker strike imminent

Philadelphia’s largest blue-collar union is on the verge of putting immense pressure on Mayor Cherelle Parker to resolve their contract dispute. 

Members of AFSCME District Council 33, which represents more than 9,000 city workers, have authorized a strike that’s set to go into effect on Tuesday should the city and union not come to terms on a new deal for municipal workers. 

The union – which represents workers in departments spanning sanitation and water, street maintenance and 911 operations – is set to walk off the job on Tuesday if a deal is not reached by the end of June. 

Union leaders negotiated with the administration through the night before walking away shortly after 11 a.m. Monday without a new contract. The strike, which is expected to begin after midnight Tuesday, is a foregone conclusion as a result. 

City officials held a press conference Monday afternoon to provide an update on the negotiations as well as response plans and operational readiness in light of a municipal work stoppage. 

The walkout would come the week of Independence Day and Welcome America celebrations, when hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend concerts, fireworks and other events where a lack of sanitation workers would be visibly – and olfactorily – apparent. 

Parker took to social media on Saturday to plead the city’s case, comparing her offer to the union's to that of her predecessors, to show that the city’s current offer is fair – and that they want to reach a “fair and fiscally responsible” deal.

“I am an unapologetically pro-union, pro-worker and pro-labor mayor,” Parker said in the video. “I will also keep my oath to the people of this city to govern with fiscal responsibility as my foundation. And now more than ever, given the uncertainty that we face, it’s even more important. I wholeheartedly believe that we can and will reach a fair and fiscally responsible contract within our city’s fiscal constraints. And I am confident that we will do so.”

Union officials have said the current wage increase would break down to just over 2% per year over three years, instead of the four-year 8% per year the union was seeking along with other concessions from the city.

On Monday, Parker reiterated that the city’s offers to AFSCME have been fair and that they’re ready to “stay at the table as long as it takes” to come to an agreement while keeping the city’s finances front of mind.

She also emphasized that the city – from sanitation and water departments to emergency services – is prepared for any work stoppage. 

“Our 911 call centers are operational … our fire department and emergency responders will be doing their jobs all day and all night as always,” Parker said. “If there is a work stoppage, the Department of Sanitation will be operating in what we refer to as a modified capacity.” 

The modified capacity includes temporary elimination of residential curbside trash and recycling collection starting on Tuesday and the creation of 63 temporary drop-off locations throughout the city. She added that the temporary trash drop-off locations would be regularly monitored and, should a work stoppage linger, additional dumpsters and locations would be implemented. 

Elsewhere online, social media accounts claiming to belong to city workers say the administration has asked some non-union city workers to cancel any non-international vacation plans and cross the picket lines should the strike occur. 

City of Philadelphia Managing Director Adam Thiel said the city appreciates District Council 33 members’ work and that the administration remains “hopeful that an equitable and fiscally responsible agreement can be reached.” 

“While we aim to provide all city services, we also expect that some things might take a bit longer or perform at a different level,” Thiel said Monday. “We are not perfect, even on a good day, and we humbly ask for your patience and maybe a little grace as we work through this dynamic situation.”

District Council 33 hasn’t walked off the job in nearly 40 years. Members voted to authorize a strike back on June 12, with union leaders saying they want better wages, job security and health benefits for all members.