PHILADELPHIA — After nine days on the picket line, nearly 10,000 city workers in Philadelphia have reached a tentative deal with city leaders that could bring them a 14% pay raise over four years. The strike, led by District Council 33, disrupted curbside trash pickup, closed libraries, and impacted emergency services across the city.
“The work stoppage involving the District Council 33 and the City of Philadelphia is OVER,” Mayor Cherelle Parker announced Wednesday. “We have reached a tentative agreement with District Council 33, which must be ratified by its membership on a new three-year contract that, coupled with the one-year contract extension we agreed to last fall, will increase DC 33 members’ pay by 14 percent over my four years in office.”
Parker called it a “historic deal,” adding, “we’ll have much more to say about this historic deal” at City Hall.
District Council 33 is the largest union representing Philadelphia’s municipal workforce. Its members include 911 dispatchers, sanitation workers, and employees from the water department. Police and firefighters were not part of the strike.
Philadelphia workers shut down sanitation pick ups during July 4 holiday
The walkout began July 1 after contract talks stalled. Workers demanded stronger wages and benefits. In response, the city opened 60 temporary trash drop-off sites, but many overflowed as strikers urged residents not to cross picket lines. Most city libraries shut down due to the absence of support staff and security.
As the strike stretched through the Fourth of July holiday, courts ordered some essential workers, like those at 911 centers and the airport, back to the job.
On Wednesday morning, District Council 33 posted an update: “The strike is over! Details forthcoming.” Union President Greg Boulware told reporters, “We did the best we could with the circumstances we had in front of us.”
The tentative deal still needs to be ratified by union members.
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