Latest news with #DC33
Fast Company
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Fast Company
Why did 9,000 of Philadelphia's municipal workers go on strike?
On July 1, more than 9,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)'s District Council 33 in Philadelphia went on strike. The work stoppage entered its second week with no end in sight, but a marathon bargaining session resulted in a 4 a.m. tentative agreement between the union's leaders and the city on Wednesday, July 9. While Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has tried to spin it as a win for the workers (and has embraced it as a victory for her administration), some union members' public reaction to the deal has been far from positive. On Monday, July 14, they'll vote on whether to ratify the new contract, and the outcome is currently anyone's guess. The union—known better as DC33—represents the city's blue-collar municipal workers, who handle a wide range of job descriptions—from 911 dispatchers to library assistants to water department employees. Perhaps most notably, it also represents thousands of sanitation workers, and it's that group in particular that became the most visible symbol of the strike due to the nature of their work—and the visceral ramifications of their work stoppage. As the sixth-largest city in the U.S., Philadelphia generates a lot of trash. And with the trash collectors on strike, things quickly got ugly. Enormous piles of trash popped up all over the city once the workers walked out, spilling out of the city's designated temporary drop-off centers and onto the city's streets and sidewalks. In an unflattering homage to Mayor Parker, who became the face of the city's fitful negotiations with the union, some residents dubbed the garbage heaps 'Parker piles.' Thanks to soaring temperatures, spiking humidity, and heavy rain, residents complained that the stench was becoming a serious problem before the agreement was reached. So how did the city get here? DC33's most recent contract expired at midnight on July 1, following a one-year extension that the union agreed to at the beginning of Parker's term in 2024. While the mayor's office indicated a willingness to continue bargaining, the union's leadership decided to call a strike, determined to secure a meaningful economic boost for their members. This marks the first time DC33 has hit the bricks since 1986, when workers stayed out for three weeks, and 45,000 tons of garbage towered over the streets. The primary issue is money: Members of DC33 are the lowest paid of the city's four municipal unions, as well as the only one with a predominantly Black membership; the other three include AFSCME DC47, which is made up of white-collar city workers, and the unions representing the city's police officers and firefighters. The average salary among DC33 members is only $46,000 a year, which workers have decried as poverty wages. (Sanitation workers, by the way, generally take home about $42,000 a year, and Philadelphia's sanitation workers are among the lowest-paid employees in the country despite serving a city of more than 1.5 million residents.) Those numbers place them well below a living wage for Philadelphia, which the Massachusetts Institute of Technology calculated as $48,387 for a single adult with no children. The union was most recently asking for a 5% yearly wage increase over a three-year contract, but the city refused to budge from its own proposal of 2.75%, 3%, and 3% increases over that same period—only inching up to a 3% first-year raise in the tentative agreement. The city of Philadelphia currently has a budget surplus of $882 million, from which the mayor budgeted $550 million to cover all four city workers' union contracts. The cost of the proposed DC33 contract will be $115 million over its three years. In contrast, Parker's current budget proposal has already bookmarked $872 million for the Philadelphia Police Department, a $20 million increase that includes $1.3 million for new uniforms. City officials touted their lowball offer to DC33 as a sign of fiscal responsibility, but even now that bargaining has ended, union negotiators and their membership remain adamant that it's just not enough. There were other issues at play, too. Unlike other city employees like police and firefighters, DC33 members are required to live inside the city of Philadelphia—which, given the rising cost of living, only adds to the economic pressures they face. The union sought to remove the residency requirement in order to give their members more flexibility, but the city ultimately shot down their request. In addition, the union fought to preserve and improve members' healthcare and pension plans, and saw some success. With an embattled mayor facing criticism over her own staff's lavish salaries and mixed results on her campaign promise to make the city ' safer, cleaner, greener,' the city took an increasingly combative posture toward the union. Multiple injunctions forced certain strikers (like those at the airport, the medical examiners' office, the water department, and the 911 dispatch center) back to work, while the city paid private contractors to clear the trash drop-off sites and called in non-union workers to perform union labor. Meanwhile, DC33 maintained picket lines outside libraries, sanitation centers, and city buildings during a week of sweltering heat. Workers danced, sang, marched, set up impromptu cookouts, and waved signs at passersby. The Wawa Welcome America concert on the Fourth of July lost both of its headliners, LL Cool J and Jazmine Sullivan, who both canceled their performances in solidarity with the strikers. There was also tragedy: Two striking DC33 workers, one of whom is pregnant, were the victims of a hit-and-run last week when an intoxicated individual drove into their picket line; Tyree Ford, a sanitation worker and father of four, sustained serious injuries and is still in critical condition. Ultimately, the city's strong-arm approach led to the current tentative agreement, which falls far short of what the workers wanted and is not guaranteed to survive the membership vote. Union leadership has been open about its own disappointment, too. 'The strike is over, and nobody's happy,' Greg Boulware, president of DC33, told The Philadelphia Inquirer as he left the marathon bargaining session. 'We felt our clock was running out.'
New York Post
10-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Philadelphia workers and city reach deal to end strike that halted residential trash pickup
A union representing thousands of city workers in Philadelphia and the city have reached a deal to end a more than weeklong strike that halted residential curbside trash pickup and affected other services, officials said Wednesday. Nearly 10,000 blue-collar employees from District Council 33 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees walked off the job July 1, seeking better pay and benefits after negotiations with the city failed. The tentative agreement gives workers a 3% raise in each of the next three years, far from the union's quest for 5% annual pay hikes. Advertisement 6 Piles of garbage pile up at a collection site in Philadelphia on July 9, 2025. AP Half of the members will get an additional 2% raise through an added level on the pay scale, Mayor Cherelle Parker said, and most members will qualify by the end of the contract. Residential trash collection will resume Monday, according to Parker, who asked for 'grace' as pools, libraries, recreation centers and other services get back to normal. Advertisement District Council 33 is the largest of four major unions representing city workers. Its membership includes 911 dispatchers, trash collectors, water department workers and many others. Police and firefighters weren't part of the strike. Parker said that over her four-year term, DC33 workers will have received a total pay bump of 14%, including a 5% one-year hike she gave all four unions after taking office last year. Many residents seemed to support boosting the pay of DC33 workers, even as trash piled up in neighborhoods. 6 A woman drops off trash at a garbage collection site on July 3, 2025. AP Advertisement 6 A man throws a bag of garbage into a bin as trash piles up on the streets of Philadelphia during the strike. AP The union says they earn an average $46,000 a year. Union members must still ratify the agreement. Rich Henkels, an actor who just moved into the city, called the settlement 'disappointing.' Advertisement 'The announced raises do nothing for the workers and their families, as the increases will be less than the rate of inflation,' said Henkels, 64. 6 Trash overflows into the streets of Philadelphia on July 8, 2025. AP 6 A front-end loader was brought in to clean up the collection sites overflowing with garbage in Philadelphia on July 7, 2025. AP 6 Garbage fills up a container as the Philadelphia skyline is seen in the background on July 3, 2025.. AP The settlement was announced early on the ninth day of the strike, a period that included the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Some of the 60 drop-off centers that the city had designated for residential trash were overflowing. Most libraries and some pools across the city were closed, and recreation centers operated on reduced hours. Advertisement Last week, judges had sided with the city in ordering some critical employees back to work at the city's 911 centers, water department and airport. 'We did the best we could with the circumstances we had in front of us,' union President Greg Boulware told reporters in brief remarks Wednesday morning.
The Hill
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Philadelphia workers and city reach a deal to end strike that halted residential trash pickup
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A union representing thousands of city workers in Philadelphia and the city have reached a deal to end a more than weeklong strike that halted residential curbside trash pickup and affected other services, officials said Wednesday. Nearly 10,000 blue-collar employees from District Council 33 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees walked off the job July 1, seeking better pay and benefits after negotiations with the city failed. The tentative agreement gives workers a 3% raise in each of the next three years, far from the union's quest for 5% annual pay hikes. Half of the members will get an additional 2% raise through an added level on the pay scale, Mayor Cherelle Parker said, and most members will qualify by the end of the contract. Residential trash collection will resume Monday, according to Parker, who asked for 'grace' as pools, libraries, recreation centers and other services get back to normal. 'This is a very significant investment in our employees while at the same time ensuring that we as a city are living by our means,' Parker said at a news conference. District Council 33 is the largest of four major unions representing city workers. Its membership includes 911 dispatchers, trash collectors, water department workers and many others. Police and firefighters weren't part of the strike. Parker said that over her four-year term, DC33 workers will have received a total pay bump of 14%, including a 5% one-year hike she gave all four unions after taking office last year. Many residents seemed to support boosting the pay of DC33 workers, even as trash piled up in neighborhoods. The union says they earn an average $46,000 a year. Union members must still ratify the agreement. Rich Henkels, an actor who just moved into the city, called the settlement 'disappointing.' 'The announced raises do nothing for the workers and their families, as the increases will be less than the rate of inflation,' said Henkels, 64. The settlement was announced early on the ninth day of the strike, a period that included the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Some of the 60 drop-off centers that the city had designated for residential trash were overflowing. Most libraries and some pools across the city were closed, and recreation centers operated on reduced hours. Last week, judges had sided with the city in ordering some critical employees back to work at the city's 911 centers, water department and airport. 'We did the best we could with the circumstances we had in front of us,' union President Greg Boulware told reporters in brief remarks Wednesday morning.
CBS News
07-07-2025
- CBS News
DC 33, city to resume negotiations Tuesday as Philadelphia strike continues
Negotiations are set to continue Tuesday between AFSCME District Council 33 and Philadelphia city leaders, the union told CBS News Philadelphia. It's still unclear where and when the negotiations will take place, which will be Day 8 of the Philadelphia strike. One week into Philadelphia's largest municipal workers' union strike, and both sides remain dug in. DC 33 is fighting for higher wages and health care benefits for all its members. The union represents nearly 9,000 blue-collar city workers and is the largest blue-collar worker union in the city. Members of DC 33 work within the sanitation and water departments, as well as in roles, including 911 dispatchers, crossing guards, morgue employees, airport staff and more. But it's not just DC 33 union workers and city leaders who are frustrated. Philly residents are frustrated as trash continues to pile up across the city's neighborhoods. During a press conference Monday, Carlton Williams, the city's director of Clean and Green Initiatives, said the city is working to provide more services at the sanitation convenience centers by clearing the garbage piles that have accumulated around the sites. Williams said the city is working to expand the centers and implement more staff after hearing complaints from residents about overflowing dumpsters and people placing trash around the sites. Residents are asked to use the dumpsters when they're open and not put trash outside the facilities, since it slows down the collection processes, Williams said. "When bags are placed outside the dumpsters, they cause major delays and additional complications," he said. Williams emphasized that these centers are not a free pass for illegal dumping, adding that they are a temporary solution for Philadelphia residents to dispose of their trash. The city said they've received numerous reports of people taking advantage of the dumpsites by disposing of their material items. Williams referenced a business that brought rotten chicken and unused oil to a dumpsite in the city's Logan neighborhood. He said the person was arrested and will be fined for the misconduct. Residents were reminded again during the press conference not to place their garbage out for curbside pickup, as the service is temporarily suspended due to the DC 33 strike. Philadelphia strike negotiations recap Both union leadership and the Parker administration met Saturday and failed to reach an agreement. Mayor Cherelle Parker said the city's offer totals a 13% pay raise over four years and has called it historic. DC 33 President Greg Boulware disagrees, saying the city is including a 5% raise from a separate extension deal last year. The city's latest proposal includes a three-year contract, with basically a 3% wage increase in the next three years. The union wants 5% annual raises over the next three years. On Monday morning, CBS News Philadelphia spoke with a climate group that delivered bags of trash from the Piccoli Playground in North Philly to City Hall. They are demanding that Parker meet the union's demands. "This trash is piling up in our playgrounds and our parks and our rec centers. And they're creating hazardous conditions for children, for citizens who want to use our green spaces," Sultan Smalley, a member of Sunrise Movement Philadelphia, said. "She's stiffing workers, and it's not right, so we have to communicate that Philadelphians will not accept this any longer."
CBS News
06-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Philadelphia strike hits Day 6 as negotiations between District Council 33, Parker administration pause again
As strike hits Day 6, Philadelphians hope it comes to an end soon As strike hits Day 6, Philadelphians hope it comes to an end soon As strike hits Day 6, Philadelphians hope it comes to an end soon Negotiations between the Parker administration and AFSCME District Council 33, Philadelphia's largest municipal workers' union, are paused once again on Sunday as the strike continues on Day 6. DC 33 and the Parker administration negotiated for hours on Saturday but were unable to reach an agreement. There's been no word on when the two sides will return to the negotiating table. DC 33 represents multiple city departments, including police dispatchers, sanitation workers and more. Saturday's talks between DC 33 and the Parker administration marked the second time the two have met amid the strike, which has left trash piling on city streets. Before Saturday, the two sides met last Wednesday into Thursday. Talks lasted nearly 12 hours before they walked away without an agreement. The strike has led the city to file court injunctions to bring some employees back to work, and two sanitation workers were injured in a hit-and-run while picketing last week. What is DC 33 asking for amid Philadelphia strike? DC 33 is fighting for higher wages and health care benefits for all members. Mayor Cherelle Parker and city officials have said they offered DC 33 a 13% pay increase over four years. DC 33 President Greg Boulware has disputed the 13% offer that Parker has touted as historic. Parker and the city had proposed a three-year deal with a 2.75% increase in the first year, with 3% raises each of the next two years. According to Boulware, the deal includes the extension with the 5% salary increase that the two sides agreed to in November 2024. "This 13% ideology needs to go. If the mayor wanted to hold onto that position, then the mayor and her team should have signed the four-year deal that we asked for back in the fall," Boulware said last week. "They asked for the one-year extension. Not us. You can't lump that in now with this current term of negotiation. That's not how things work." DC 33 President Greg Boulware (left) and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker (right). Boulware has previously said the union has set its plateau number at 5% over three years and added the city is currently at 8.75%. Before meeting on Saturday, Boulware said they made some compromises to their proposal to the city, but it's unclear what those changes were. "The last several changes we've made to our proposal have been significant in many different ways," Boulware said, "and we don't feel like the city is budging at all. My men and women are out on this line to see substantial change in regard to their wages." Trash continues to pile in Philadelphia, with city workers on strike The trash piles in Philly have gotten so high on some corners that residents have begun to call them "ParkerPiles" on Reddit. Last week, a mountain of trash was seen in Northeast Philly's Mayfair neighborhood, and it had an "unbelievable" stench, one resident said. The pile of trash was so large that it forced the city to tape it off before it was cleaned up. Along Market Street in West Philly, another massive pile of trash was spotted, and it's frustrating nearby residents. A massive pile of trash spotted along Market Street in West Philadelphia. CBS News Philadelphia "It's so bad out here, I don't know what to do," Andre Morgan said. "Just riding down, the street, the smells. And the weather next week is coming, it's going to be so hot out, so it's really going to be crazy." Amid the strike, the city established 63 temporary drop-off locations for residents to dispose of their trash. Philadelphia strike impacts Wawa Welcome America Wawa Welcome America went on during the strike, but the Fourth of July event along Benjamin Parkway was missing its two headliners: LL Cool J and Philadelphia native Jazmine Sullivan. LL Cool J and Sullivan each pulled out of performing on the Parkway, citing the ongoing strike. "There's absolutely no way that I can perform, cross a picket line, and pick up money when I know that people are out there fighting for a living wage," LL Cool J said in an Instagram post on July 3. Sullivan said she was choosing to "stand with Philly's DC33" in her announcement to remove herself from the event. With LL Cool and Sullivan not performing, Wawa Welcome America featured Álvaro Díaz, JoJo, as well as Mr. HOLLYWOOD DJ and DJ Ghost & Friends.
