Philadelphia City Workers Strike Ends After Tentative 14% Pay Deal

Philadelphia's AFSCME District Council 33 and city leaders have reached a tentative agreement, ending a strike that lasted over a week and disrupted essential services including trash pickup, 911 dispatch, and water department functions. The new deal includes a three-year contract with a 14% pay increase for union members over the next four years, coupled with a one-year contract extension agreed upon last fall. Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the end of the strike and called the agreement a win for both the workers and the city's fiscal stability. However, District Council 33 President Greg Boulware expressed dissatisfaction with the deal, stating the city needs to better prioritize its workers. Picketers are expected to return to work immediately, though city officials have yet to outline plans to address the accumulated trash crisis. The agreement now requires ratification by the union's membership before it is finalized.