Philadelphia’s municipal workers have ended their week-long strike after the city and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 33 reached a tentative three-year agreement early Wednesday morning, July 9th. The agreement was reached after lengthy negotiations that began when the union walked off the job on July 1st following a collapse in contract discussions.
Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the end of the work stoppage in a social media post, calling the agreement “a very significant investment in our employees” and a step toward maintaining financial responsibility. The contract includes a 3% annual wage increase, amounting to a 9% raise over three years. With an additional 5% increase from a previous one-year extension agreed to last fall, workers will see a total pay bump of 14% over Parker’s term.
Parker emphasized her commitment to labor, stating, “I am and always have been unapologetically proud, pro-union, pro-labor, pro-worker elected official.” She noted the agreement must still be ratified by union members but expressed confidence in the outcome.
District Council 33, which represents approximately 9,000 workers across sanitation, 911 emergency dispatch, water services, and street maintenance, has resumed work. The strike led to significant disruptions in essential services throughout the city. Trash collection was halted, resulting in a substantial accumulation of waste across neighborhoods and at temporary drop-off locations designated by city officials.
Union President Greg Boulware voiced dissatisfaction with the agreement, emphasizing that “the City of Philadelphia has to do better by its members.” He expressed frustration that the workers who perform essential city functions were not treated as a priority during negotiations.
City officials announced that regular curbside trash collection will resume on Monday. In the meantime, residents are advised to continue using one of the city’s six sanitation centers or hold their waste until next week. Carlton Williams, Director of Clean and Green Initiatives, urged the public to exercise patience as operations ramp back up, noting that dumpsters placed at temporary sites will be removed and cleaned.
The agreement marked the formal end of a strike that highlighted tensions between labor demands and municipal budgets, while underscoring the vital role of frontline city workers in daily life.
