Residential trash collection in Philadelphia has been halted and other city services have been disrupted after the city’s largest labor union walked off the job early Tuesday morning.
About 9,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33 went on strike at 12:01 a.m. after their contract expired. They have been negotiating a new contract with city officials since January.
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For Philadelphia residents, this also means recreation centers will close early, 911 calls may have longer wait times and some health center services may be unavailable. District Council 33 represents an array of blue-collar workers, including employees who handle street maintenance, water department repairs, airport service and trash collection.
How trash collection is affected
During the strike, residential trash and recycling will not be collected. The city is asking residents not to put bags out at the curb. Beginning at 5 p.m. Tuesday, the city is opening 63 locations where residents can drop off their trash. The sites will be open Mondays through Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., but they’ll be closed Friday for the Fourth of July. Residents are advised to bring up to eight trash bags to these sites on the day that their trash is typically collected.
Recycled materials only will be accepted at the city’s six Sanitation Convenience Centers. The city is asking residents to hold their recycled materials for as long as possible to aid trash disposal efforts.
The city also encouraged people to take advantage of composting services during the strike and to refrain from disposing bulk items, if possible.
What other city services are disrupted?
The work stoppage also means that rec centers will close at 5 p.m. instead of 9 p.m., although summer camps will continue to run as normal. Spraygrounds will remain open, but only 24 pools will be available, because District Council 33 members handle maintenance. All cooling centers will remain open during extreme heat.
Wastewater and drinking water services are still in place, but residents may experience longer wait times for repair issues and water main breaks. The water department’s customer service line, (215)-685-6300, remains open but wait times for non-emergency calls will be longer. Only urgent water meter work will be conducted; some appointments may be rescheduled, and no new appointments will be scheduled.
The police department has taken over 911 call lines, but residents may experience longer wait times.
Some services at the city’s health centers may be unavailable or delayed due to available staffers. The city is contacting patients about the status of their upcoming appointments; some may be made virtual, and some people may be referred to other providers.
The Department of Streets is ensuring schools that had crossing guards for summer programs still will have crossing guard services, and prioritizing street repairs and maintenance to ensure roadways remain safe. For instance, potholes will be repaired as needed, but milling and paving operations have been halted.
A number of library branches are closed, as staffers are members of DC 33.
Philadelphia International Airport remains operational, but striking workers include several custodial, facilities and maintenance teams. Airport staff shortages are being temporarily filled by non-union workers when possible.
Despite the disruptions, Parker said the Wawa Welcome America concert and fireworks display will continue as planned Friday on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
“Keep your holiday plans, don’t leave the city, come out to the Parkway and enjoy us and bring the family,” Parker said at a news conference Monday.
Where do negotiations stand?
When negotiations broke down Monday, the city had offered an 8% raise over three years, the Inquirer reported. The union had wanted 8% annual raises for four years, but had lowered that ask to a 5% annual raise as of Monday night.
“The City of Philadelphia put its best offer on the table tonight; unfortunately, DC 33 did not accept it,” Parker said in a statement.
District Council 33 President Greg Boulware said union members have been undervalued for years, and that cost of living increases due to inflation are not reflected in employees’ paychecks. This is the first major strike of city workers since 1986, when District Council 33 went on strike for three weeks.
“I’m tired of our men and women being effectively the working poor of the City of Philadelphia, they deserve more than that, they need more than that,” Boulware said.