Philadelphia strike ends as city workers reach tentative deal

Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 33, Philadelphia’s largest municipal union, reached a tentative new contract agreement with the city Wednesday, ending a labor strike that began July 1, CBS News reports.

The union represents workers across multiple city departments, from city sanitation workers who collect weekly waste pickups to police dispatchers to maintenance workers and more.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker says the deal includes 3 percent raises for each year of a three-year contract and adds a new fifth step to the salary scale of 2 percent that will benefit union workers with long enough records of service.

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The salary scale increase will take effect immediately, and half of the DC 33 membership qualifies for it, Parker says. By the end of the three-year deal, 80 percent of the union’s members will be eligible for the step increase.

DC 33 had sought a 15 percent wage increase over the next three years, which would have meant a 5 percent raise each year.

The deal also comes with a $1,500 bonus in the first year, according to the report.

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Parker says in a news conference that regular waste collection is scheduled to resume Monday.