Philadelphia's largest municipal union goes on strike
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Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Philadelphia's largest municipal union is on strike.
Why it matters: The work stoppage will halt or delay critical city services — think trash pickups and 911 operator response times — ahead of the long Fourth of July weekend.
State of play: On Tuesday, AFSCME District Council 33 (DC33) and the Parker Administration remain at loggerheads over salary increases and other benefits in a new contract for the union's more than 9,000 members.
- The union called for a work stoppage after its contract expired early Tuesday.
Context: DC33 has a massive footprint in the city, filling municipal roles that include:
- 🗑️ Trash collectors and custodial workers
- 📞 Police dispatchers
- ✈️ Airport service workers
- 💧 Water Department plant operators
- 👮 Correctional officers
- 📚 Free Library staff
- ⚕️ Health Department workers
What to expect: Starting Tuesday, a work stoppage means:
- No residential trash or recycling pickup.
- Fewer pool openings — 25, down from around 40 that have opened so far this summer.
- Reduced hours at recreation centers (9am-5pm) and no evening programming.
- Longer wait times for 911 dispatchers.
- Water Department service request delays.
- No street sweeping.
Worth noting: The city will open more than 60 temporary trash drop-off locations, which can be found on Philly's website.
Meanwhile, the city's Fourth of July festivities, including Wawa Welcome America's big 4th of July concert and fireworks display, will continue as planned.
What they're saying: Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a social media post that DC33 rejected the city's "best offer" during Monday's negotiations.
- She added that the the city remains "committed to reaching a fair and fiscally responsible contract" with DC33.
The other side: Greg Boulware, president of DC33, told the Inquirer that the union called the strike because "we could not reach terms that we felt were adequate for our members to move forward."
- The union did not immediately return Axios' request for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.