Philadelphia city workers end strike after winning 14% raises
They walked off the job on July 1 because they wanted better pay and benefits. Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the strike ended with a new three-year contract. Combined with an earlier raise, workers will get 14% more pay over Parker's four-year term.
"The work stoppage is OVER," Parker posted online. But union leader Greg Boulware grumbled, "We did the best we could" with a deal he still dislikes .
According to NY Times, the agreement came after all-night talks where both sides gave ground. Workers first demanded 8% yearly raises, a huge 32% over four years. The city offered just 7% over three years.
They finally settled on 9% over three years, adding to a 5% hike workers got last fall.
Parker called it a "historic deal" and the biggest first-term raise by any Philly mayor in 30+ years. Past mayors gave smaller hikes: Rendell (5%), Street (9%), Nutter (0%), and Kenney (11.5%). Boulware left the talks unhappy, stating, "The City has to do better" for essential workers.
Life got messy fast during the strike. Trash piled up on sidewalks when curbside pickup stopped. Overflowing bins at 60 city drop-off sites reeked as strikers urged residents not to cross picket lines.
Libraries shut down, pools closed, and rec centers cut hours. Even July 4th fireworks star LL Cool J canceled, refusing to "cross a picket line."
Judges ordered some workers back, like 911 dispatchers and water crews, to keep critical services running. The city even accused strikers of slashing truck tires and blocking health centers.
Workers are rushing back to clear the filth, though trash pickup may take days to restart fully. The deal isn't final until union members vote to approve it, a step Boulware warns might be rocky.
Parker vowed to "safeguard fiscal stability" while valuing workers. Water Department repairs, permit services, and meter work will also speed up now. "We'll have much more to say about this," Parker teased about a City Hall update. For residents, the relief is simple: garbage trucks rolling again after a long, smelly wait.
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