Thousands of city workers are threatening to strike Tuesday — a move that could disrupt the Philadelphia’s Fourth of July celebrations.
The city was continuing to negotiate Monday afternoon with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, which represents about 9,000 employees in the city’s streets, sanitation, water and other departments. The union’s contract expires at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. The workers have vowed to walk off their jobs if a new three-year deal isn’t in reached by then.
AFSCME District Council 33 is the city’s largest blue-collar workers union.
In the event of a stoppage, Mayor Cherelle Parker said trash collection would operate at a modified capacity. That means no residential trash or recycling collection would happen as of Tuesday. To handle waste, 63 drop-off locations will be available for residents starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday. They then will be available Mondays through Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Additionally, only 25 pools will be in operation, because District Council 33 employees handle maintenance. Recreation centers will close at 5 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. Drinking and wastewater services will still be in place, but Parker said residents should expect longer response times for issues such as water main breaks, open hydrants and other repairs.
A strike would take place three days before the Wawa Welcome America July 4 concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The event brings thousands of people to Center City. Wawa employs the festival workers who put on the July 4 concert and fireworks show, a Wawa Welcome America spokesperson said. But a strike could impact services needed for the event, including trash collection.
However, Parker said the concert and fireworks will continue on as planned, and encouraged residents to attend.
District Council 33, which represents also police dispatchers, crossing guards and some airport workers, said a work stoppage would increase wait times for police and fire dispatchers, curtail trash collection over the weekend, shut down the city’s health centers and disrupt maintenance at Philadelphia International Airport, leaving bathrooms uncleaned and runways unmanned.
After the union authorized a strike last fall, it reached a temporary, one-year agreement for fiscal year 2025 that included a 5% salary increase and a one-time bonus of $1,400 for its workers. Parker said it was the largest pay increase the union had received in 30 years.
Negotiations resumed in January to reach a multi-year deal for fiscal year 2026, which starts Tuesday. But earlier this month, the union again voted to authorize a work stoppage.
On Saturday, Parker discussed contract negotiations in a video posted to social media, saying the city’s contract proposal provides more than a 12% salary increase over four years and does not take away from health care coverage. Parker said this was higher than first-term contracts signed under former Mayors Ed Rendell, John Street, Michael Nutter and Jim Kenney, and suggested a deal would be reached before Tuesday.
“I wholeheartedly believe we can and will reach a fair and fiscally responsible contract within our city’s fiscal constraints and I am confident that we will do so.”
That same day, a union post said there had been progress on minor issues, but that key items were not adequately addressed in the city’s offer.
“The lack of progress on critical matters such as fair wages and comprehensive healthcare benefits remains a significant concern,” the union wrote. “These issues are at the core of our negotiations, and we are committed to making sure they are not overlooked.”