Philadelphia City Workers End Trash Strike

The union representing thousands of Philadelphia city workers has come to an agreement to resume trash collection, effectively ending a strike that had disrupted various city services for over a week.

Around 10,000 blue-collar employees from District Council 33, which is part of the U.S. State Federations, County, and City Employees, sought better wages and benefits after their previous contract expired on July 1. This disagreement with the city led to the strike.

The interim deal was announced just as the strike reached its ninth day. Mayor Sherrell Parker confirmed the agreement on social media, stating, “The suspension of work involving District Council 33 and the City of Philadelphia is over.”

The agreement includes a temporary settlement that will be ratified into a new three-year contract. There’s also a one-year extension from a previous agreement made last fall, along with a planned 14% wage increase for union members over four years.

District Council 33 represents several essential city employees, including 911 dispatchers and garbage collectors, although police and firefighters were not part of the strike.

The end of the strike had been eagerly anticipated as rubbish was accumulating across the city. Garbage collection sites designated by the city were starting to overflow, which is, of course, a sight that isn’t welcome. Many support workers and security guards also left their posts during this time, resulting in library closures and other service disruptions.

Finally, the union’s Facebook page announced, “The strike is over! Details are coming soon,” which likely gave hope to many residents eager for a return to normalcy.