Philadelphia (AP) – A nearly nine-day Philly strike that disrupted key city services in Philadelphia, including trash collection and library access, has come to an end following a tentative agreement between the city and the union representing nearly 10,000 municipal workers.
District Council 33 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the city’s largest municipal union, announced the end of the walkout on Wednesday morning. The union includes a wide range of essential blue-collar workers — from sanitation crews and 911 dispatchers to water department employees.
The strike began on July 1 after negotiations between the union and the city over a new contract broke down. Workers had called for improved pay and benefits amid rising living costs and demands for safer working conditions.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker confirmed the end of the strike on social media, posting, “The work stoppage involving the District Council 33 and the City of Philadelphia is OVER.” She added that the tentative three-year deal, which must still be ratified by union members, would result in a 14% pay increase for workers over her four-year term.
In a Facebook post, the union celebrated the news: “The strike is over! Details forthcoming.”
The city had scrambled to manage services during the strike, opening roughly 60 temporary trash drop-off sites — many of which quickly became overwhelmed. Libraries across Philadelphia also faced closures as support staff and security joined the picket lines.
Police officers and firefighters, represented by separate unions, were not part of the strike and continued operations as normal.
With the agreement reached, city services are expected to return to normal in the coming days, pending ratification of the new contract by union membership.