Judge orders 911 operators back to work as thousands strike in Philadelphia

Negotiations resumed Wednesday between a union representing city workers and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration after contract discussions stalled earlier this week. The previous contract with AFSCME District Council 33, Philadelphia’s largest city workers union, expired Monday night and thousands of workers walked off the job. It is the largest city workers strike in Philadelphia since 1986. The union represents more than 9,000 city employees including 911 dispatchers, trash and recycling collectors, water department staff, airport maintenance staff, and more. Mayor Parker said the city would continue to provide essential services during the strike. Meanwhile, some city pools, libraries, and recreation centers are closed or have reduced their hours.

What about first responders? City leaders said the fire department would continue to respond to emergencies and police and firefighters were not part of the strike. A judge on Wednesday ordered all 911 call center employees to return to work after the city argued that their absence posed a threat to public health and safety. The judge also ordered water department employees to return to work and prohibited participants in the strike from blocking or obstructing access to city buildings.

What are the union’s demands? The union is seeking an 8% pay increase for each year of a four-year deal and health care benefits for all employees. It also asked for hazard pay, cost of living increases, and a bonus for employees who continued working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dig deeper: Read Travis Kircher’s report about the end of a dockworker strike last year.