Philly trash strike evolving into political mess for mayor

State of play: The Parker administration is at an impasse with AFSCME District Council 33 (DC33) over salary increases and other benefits in a new contract for the union's more than 9,000 members.

• This weekend's Fourth of July celebrations, including the Wawa Welcome America festival, tested the Parker administration's mettle, especially after LL Cool J and Philly native Jazmine Sullivan canceled their performances in a show of solidarity with striking city workers.

The latest: City and union officials resumed negotiations on Saturday.

• The labor strike enters its seventh day Monday and becomes more of a "political powder keg" for Parker with each passing moment, Jay McCalla, a former city deputy managing director, tells Axios.

Catch up quick: The administration obtained court orders requiring scores of essential city workers to return to work. And the city set up dozens of trash drop-off locations throughout Philly.

• Even so, residents have been dealing with overflowing heaps of garbage — dubbed "Parker piles" by some.

Flashback: Philly's last major trash strike came nearly four decades ago.

• After almost three weeks, 45,000 tons of "stinking, maggot-laced garbage" had piled up at neighborhood disposal sites, per the Inquirer.

What we're hearing: That's not a bullet point any first-term mayor wants to have on their résumé, community and political observers say.

The other side: In a Facebook post latelast week, Parker defended the city's offer to the union as one that includes the "largest one-year raise for DC 33" in more than three decades.

• "This isn't just about pay," she wrote. "It's about respect. It's about building a future where our city's frontline workers thrive."

Between the lines: Community activist Terrill Haigler, aka Ya Fav Trashman, tells Axios his inbox has been flooded with complaints about private companies looking to capitalize on the crisis.

• Haigler, who runs a nonprofit, says he's also offering trash pickup but keeping his prices to $15 a house.
• About 100 residents had taken advantage, and dozens more are scheduled. "This is really bad timing," he says.

• The state Attorney General's Office hasn't received any complaints about price gouging.

What they're saying: The longer a strike like this goes on in a pro-labor city like Philly, former radio host and city resident Tonya Pendleton tells Axios, the greater the potential to alienate blue-collar voters.

• "As the temperatures increase, so does the pressure," she says. "You never pay attention to essential services until you don't have them."

Political analyst Larry Ceisler says Parker has done a better job sharing her message with the public than union leaders have, which will help her gain more understanding from disgruntled constituents.

• "You may have scenes of the mayor hauling trash bags and putting them into a dumpster," Ceisler predicts. "'Safer, cleaner, greener' has to be done where it doesn't put the city in a precarious financial situation. She has to be able to hold her fiscally responsible line."

While Parker may have felt like she needed to exude toughness early on in negotiations, the city has reached a "tipping point," McCalla tells Axios.

• "Labor strikes become a matter of machismo," he says. "It isn't a matter of money. It's a matter of will."

Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout.