Talks are expected to resume on Saturday, July 5, between AFSCME District Council 33 and the town of Philadelphia because the union enters day 5 of their strike. This is what we all know thus far.
What providers does DC 33 present?
DC 33 represents 9,000 employees who present a number of metropolis providers, together with sanitation, the water division, police dispatch, road upkeep, and libraries.
What does DC 33 need and what’s the metropolis of Philadelphia providing?
So far as the sticking factors, DC 33 has requested for an annual 5% enhance in pay. Town, in the meantime, is providing the union a 2.75% enhance this yr and a 3% enhance over the subsequent two years. The two.75% increase the town is providing the union is barely under what can be wanted to maintain up with inflation. Costs within the Philadelphia metro space are up 2.9% over final yr, according to the Consumer Price Index.
DC 33 can also be asking for higher advantages for its members, together with elevated contribution from the town to their healthcare and pension plans. DC 33 members who had been employed previous to 2019 are all in outlined profit plans, which implies the town is funding most of their future pensions. Nevertheless, staff employed after 2019 are in a hybrid plan that splits the price of contributions between members and the town. DC 33 desires that to vary so that everybody can take part within the outlined advantages plan. These plans enable for some longtime employees to retire incomes extra in pension funds than they did whereas working for the town.
“Our outlined profit pension is one thing that could be a factor of the previous in lots of different jurisdictions,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker stated. “However I’m very happy with the truth that right here within the metropolis of Philadelphia, after you’ve labored the requisite variety of years and also you get vested with the town of Philadelphia, we assure you an earnings for all times. Not by way of a DC plan, an outlined contribution plan, however an outlined profit plan proper right here within the metropolis of Philadelphia. I’m happy with it. I’ll at all times combat for retirement safety for our municipal workforce.”
How a lot do Philadelphia sanitation employees make?
In Philadelphia, sanitation employees make $39,000 to $42,000 a yr, which comes out to about $18 to $20 an hour. According to research out of MIT, the residing wage for a Philadelphia household with one little one is roughly double that quantity. They’d must make almost $39 an hour to keep up a traditional lifestyle, in accordance with the examine.
How a lot do staffers within the Philadelphia mayor’s workplace make?
The continued strike has raised questions concerning the wage of Mayor Parker and her workers. The NBC10 Investigators took a have a look at the numbers by evaluating the town working funds of 2026 with the funds from 2025.
Based on the budgets, Mayor Parker acquired a 3.1% increase. Whereas many of the mayor’s personal workers didn’t see a increase, whole workers salaries in her workplace elevated 47% with a complete of greater than $3.9 million and 9 positions added, together with senior advisors and government assistants.
Town funds additionally exhibits the typical wage for an worker within the mayor’s workplace is greater than $135,000 a yr. That quantity is greater than 3 times what the typical wage is for DC 33 union members.
For additional comparability, former Mayor Jim Kenney’s wage was roughly $240,000. That wage elevated to $261,000 throughout his ultimate month in workplace, which was almost a 9% enhance.
