PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s largest blue-collar union has voted to authorize a strike.
Greg Boulware, president of AFSCME District Council 33, said the vote “sends a clear message to the city administration that our members are united and prepared to take action if necessary.”
Boulware was joined by several council members, state representatives and leaders from several other unions during a press conference in front of supporters at union headquarters. Voting is still ongoing and a finally tally won’t be announced until Monday, but Boulware said the union has the votes for a strike if needed.
"The proposal from the city has been nothing but a long list of concessions that we certainly are not interested of giving up rights that we currently have or protections that we currently have," he said.
The union said the primary issues are salary increases, job security and health benefits. Among the concessions, Boulware said the city is asking for overtime to be merit-based instead of seniority-based, and a request by the city to change employee schedules at will.
He said the only agreement over the first six meetings is a 4-year contract.
"We're letting the city of Philadelphia know that we will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the clock is ticking," said Boulware. "The clock is ticking, and I'm tired of our people not getting what we deserve."
In terms of salary, the union is asking for an 8% percent increase. The city is offering 2%, which Boulware says amounts to $925 a year on average.
He said the average salary is between $45,000 and $46,000 a year.
DC 33 represents more than 9,000 public sector workers in Philadelphia. The union has been in negotiations with the city for months.
Contracts for all four of the city’s municipal unions expire at the end of June. DC 33 is the first to authorize a strike.
The authorization vote allows union leadership to call a strike if necessary.
Mayor Cherelle Parker said she is pro-labor and wants fair contracts for all four unions. She has asked City Council for a $550 million reserve fund to pay for raises in the new contracts.