Philadelphia strike enters Day 3, negotiations paused as union says it is "working on" new proposal to city
Negotiations are paused between AFSCME District Council 33 — Philadelphia's largest union representing trash collectors, police dispatchers and more — and the Parker administration as the municipal workers' strike continued into its third day Thursday.
DC 33 President Greg Boulware told CBS News Philadelphia that at this time, there's no scheduled time to return to the negotiating table Thursday. Boulware said it's the union's turn to bring a new proposal to the table.
The union is "trying to work on it," Boulware said.
DC 33 and Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration returned to the negotiating table Wednesday, as trash is already piling up and frustration grows during the biggest walkout in the city in nearly four decades. The negotiations ended without an agreement.
"Hopefully, they understand and they're empathic to our situation," Boulware said Wednesday, "and they understand that we're just asking them to side with us and show a sign of solidarity with us that our members have shown to Philadelphia for many, many years."
Talks lasted nearly 12 hours before both sides exited negotiations around 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
On Thursday, the city filed documents in the county Court of Common Pleas seeking an injunction to compel 31 union members in the Medical Examiner's Office to return to work. Boulware says the injunctions prove the union's point that the workers are essential. He said that if the city paid fair wages, it wouldn't have to file emergency legal action.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Thursday that state mediators are involved in the negotiations.
"I've communicated with the mayor multiple times. I know she has put an aggressive package on the table. I believe the best package that's been put on the table in decades," Shapiro said. "I have confidence in Mayor Parker to see this through and to find a way to resolve these differences, to pay a fair wage, and to ensure the good people of Philadelphia get the benefits of the great work that DC 33 members provide our city every day."
The union represents about 9,000 workers in essential services, including emergency dispatchers and sanitation, in Philadelphia.
What do workers in the Philadelphia strike want and what was the city's offer?
Union leaders are fighting for higher wages as well as health care benefits for all members.
Parker and city officials claimed they've already offered DC 33 a 7% to 8% raise over four years. The mayor again claimed that the city had put its best offer on the table Tuesday, and the union had not accepted it.
Parker claimed the city offered the union a 13% total over four years, which is a 3.25% increase each year. The mayor called it a historic offer.
Boulware said the union firmly believes the offer is not adequate.
"A 2% increase or a 3% increase is not the same as it is when you have a $100,000 salary. Not a little $40,000 salary. It doesn't work that way," Boulware said.
Some union employees court-ordered back to work, city claims some picketing activity illegal
City officials are alleging that union members are hindering the negotiating process.
On Tuesday night, a judge ordered over 200 employees, including police dispatchers and Water Department staff, to return to work amid the strike. The judge said the strike poses a serious risk to public health.
Approximately 200 Philadelphia Police Department officers had been taken off the streets to assist with answering 911 calls.
"These legal directives are crucial and must be adhered to without exception to ensure compliance with the law and to avoid any potential legal repercussions," . "Some members have been specifically ordered by the court to return to work. It is essential for those individuals to comply with this directive immediately to avoid any legal consequences."
"We implore all members to strictly adhere to these court-ordered rules that have been imposed," the union's post continued, in part. "Compliance is not only a legal obligation but also essential to ensure the safety and integrity of our collective actions. By following these injunctions, we uphold the principles of lawful protest and demonstrate our commitment to responsible activism."
City Solicitor Renee Garcia said the city has filed three injunctions to compel essential workers to maintain critical services. Garcia claimed there are reports of illegal picketing, including jammed locks at health care centers, blocked trash drop-offs and trucks prevented from delivering chemicals to water facilities.
"Preventing workers from getting into our water facilities. We were supposed to have a shift change at one of our facilities. The next crew was blocked from going in. They're blocking trucks from delivering chemicals to our water facilities," Garcia said. "At one of the locations, where we had employees locked inside, they shut off the water to this building from the outside and then parked their car over the valve. This is not legal action. This is in violation of injunctions. It needs to stop."
A 59-year-old man was charged with slashing the tires of a Philadelphia Gas Works truck on Tuesday.
"The insinuation is that it was our men and women that were doing it, but I have no reason to believe that's the case," Boulware said. "They should maybe stop asking contractors to come work on our city facilities that don't belong there. And those same contractors, they're paying them top dollar instead of paying our men and women."
Weekly garbage pickups on hold during strike, trash piles up
On Monday, the mayor asked Philadelphia residents to refrain from placing trash and recycling cans at the curb starting Tuesday. The city established for residents to dispose of their trash.
At one of the , crews were spotted Wednesday morning loading garbage from the sidewalk and dumpster into a truck. Throughout the morning, people have been dumping their trash.
"Not everybody has a vehicle in Philadelphia. There are people who rely on public transportation. That's going to back up the whole street," Vu Lamb, who lives in Southwest Center City, said. "Right now, I'm seeing in my neighborhood, it's piling up already. If everybody can't contribute, it's going to be a problem."
The city said in a statement that it's monitoring the drop-off sites to determine if additional dumpsters are needed in certain areas. They also stated that the dumpsters are scheduled to be serviced multiple times a day, but this process can take time, so they're asking for patience.
"The Department of Sanitation is working to increase capacity at dumpster site locations. Piles that may accumulate near the dumpsters are being monitored and collected separate from the dumpster removal. Staff are removing piles as quickly as possible at each location throughout the day. Our staff is also continuously monitoring the locations for excess volume and capacity and will be working to add more dumpsters and other resources as needed," the city's statement reads, in part.
"The dumpsters themselves are scheduled to be serviced multiple times throughout the day. Vendors will be swapping out full dumpsters with empty ones at each location. This takes time as vendors navigate through traffic, tightly dense neighborhoods and parking challenges. This is a fluid situation so there will be continuous assessment and evaluation of sites for possible relocation of dumpsters as needed."
