PHILADELPHIA — Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, joined by City officials, held a press conference today to announce the conclusion of the AFSCME District Council 33’s (DC 33) strike that began on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. After negotiations, both parties have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract that will bring stability back to City services and ensure fair compensation for municipal employees.
“We are pleased to announce that the dedicated employees of AFSCME District Council 33 will return to work following a period of negotiations that highlighted the need for fair compensation and a supportive work environment,” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker stated. “We value our City workers and appreciate their commitment to serving our community.”
Key provisions of the tentative agreement include:
- A 14 percent salary increase over the four years of Mayor Parker’s term, with a three (3) percent pay increase for each of the next three years of the tentative agreement.
- A $1,500 bonus, in year one of the tentative agreement.
- Historic 5th Step increase of two (2) percent. Half of DC 33 members will get it right away, 80 percent will receive it by the end of the contract. The 5th Step will give long-term DC 33 employees greater earning potential.
This comes in addition to the five (5) percent pay raise increase that DC 33 members received last November in the one-year contract extension. The tentative agreement would cost $115 million over the five-year plan.
During the work stoppage, City officials worked diligently to maintain essential services and minimize disruptions. Mayor Parker emphasized the importance of collaboration and dialogue throughout this process. “This agreement reflects our shared commitment to the City’s workforce and the residents we serve. I am grateful for the patience and understanding of our community during this challenging time,” Mayor Parker added.
All City departments are now preparing to resume normal operations and continue providing essential services and real time updates to the residents of Philadelphia.
The City has announced the following updates today:
Sanitation Department: Trash & Recycling Collection
- Normal curbside trash and recycling collections resume on Monday, July 14.
- Temporary dumpster sites are being transitioned out and shut down on a rolling basis. Residents can stay updated on the list of sites at phila.gov/sanitation.
- Residents are urged to use the six Sanitation Convenience Centers. The centers will be open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, they will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beginning Monday, July 14 they will resume normal operations, Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Dumpster sites will be staffed with trash compactors and crews temporarily as the residual trash and debris is cleaned up.
- Citizens should report illegal dumping locations outside of temporary sites to 311.
- All regular sanitation services will resume, including:
- Mechanical street sweeping (reminder to move vehicles during the times posted on No Parking signs)
- Bulk item collection
- Clean Block Saturdays
Health Centers
- City of Philadelphia Health Centers are open and operating at full capacity.
- Appointments that were missed or canceled will be rescheduled.
Free Library of Philadelphia
- More than half of the Free Library branches are open today as we resume normal library services. Some are open at special hours. Check the hours and locations list to find the hours for your neighborhood library.
- The due dates for currently due library materials have been pushed to Tuesday, July 15 to give people time to return materials.
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation: Pools, Spraygrounds & Rec Centers
- Philadelphia Parks and Rec is working to have all the pools that were drained during the work stoppage, refilled by Monday.
- Recreation Centers will resume normal summer hours, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Department of Streets
- Department of Streets crews and staff will resume normal operations over the coming days and be fully operational by Monday, July 14.
- Help keep our crews and crossing guards safe. Pay attention, slow down, and follow all detours and directions while traveling.
- Check for posted «NO PARKING» signs for street resurfacing and other roadwork.
- Call 911 for urgent issues, like damage to traffic signals.
- Call 311 for non-urgent issues, like damage to the roadway, traffic signs, street lights, or unsafe traffic conditions.
“We welcome our employees back and are ready to continue the great work we’d previously done as we restore our city back to normal operations,” said Carlton Williams, Director, Clean and Green Initiatives. “We know we could not get any of this done without you. I would also like to thank Sanitation Commissioner Jacobs Shipman and her team for continuing to manage operations during these challenging times. Most importantly, we want to express our continued gratitude to the residents of Philadelphia for your patience and cooperation during this process.”
“Philadelphia Parks and Recreation is grateful to be in a position to fully restore our summer programs and extended hours at recreation centers across the city. Through the weekend, we are refilling our pools and preparing to welcome families back for the summer pool season,” said Susan Slawson, Commissioner, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. “Thanks to our hardworking staff returning to their posts, families can enjoy open pools and a complete range of summer activities once again. We remained committed to keeping programs running for our young people, and now we’re proud to offer them the full experience they deserve, without limitations.”
“The people of Philadelphia continued to have clean water throughout this stoppage because nearly 200 of our staff who were cross-trained in preparation for this situation left their families and staffed our critical facilities and services around the clock. They are heroes, and truly dedicated water professionals,” said Randy E. Hayman, Commissioner, Philadelphia Water Department. “We kept three drinking water plants and three wastewater treatment plants fully operational 24 hours a day for the duration of the strike. We responded to water main breaks to ensure residents and businesses had water service restored. And the Water Department and the Fire Department, together, responded to dozens of reports of open fire hydrants – successfully shutting them off to ensure the City could maintain its firefighting abilities.”
Stay Informed
The City will release additional updates as they become available and continue to update the what you need to know about the city work stoppage blog on the City’s website with the latest information.
- For the latest updates from the City, follow @PhilaOEM on X (Twitter) or Facebook.
- Other City X (Twitter) accounts to follow for developments, response, and service information: @PhiladelphiaGov, @PhilaStreets.
