PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The first day of the District Council 33 strike saw problems at some collection centers where residents have been asked to bring trash. But the city also won a victory, getting a court order for some employees to return to work.
A Common Pleas judge temporarily granted the city’s request to order 911 dispatchers and water department employees who perform critical functions to return to work. The judge also issued a temporary injunction against mass picketing at city facilities.
“Members of DC 33 have engaged in unlawful blockage to city facilities, going so far as to park personal vehicles and city fleet vehicles in front of entrances to water treatment facilities, sanitation facilities and health care facilities,” assistant city solicitor Andrew Richman said.
A visibly angry Mayor Cherelle Parker criticized what she called “vandalism” by striking workers, including opening fire hydrants.
“The strategy behind that, which is reckless, is to hope that the city of Philadelphia’s water pressure is lowered,” she said. “Did we not just watch what happened on the West Coast where access to water was a matter of life and death and saving property? That is the kind of reckless behavior that we won’t tolerate.”
The mayor repeated her appreciation for DC 33 members, but said what was on the table when they walked out — 8% in raises over a three-year contract — was the city’s last offer, and the best the union received in more than 30 years.
District Council 33 did not respond to a request for comment.
While the walkout continues, the city will open only 25 pools instead of the 60 they had planned on and recreation center hours are curtailed.
Officials said the workers’ actions stymied the city’s efforts to get all 63 collection sites for residential trash up and running but they promised all of the locations would open soon.
Clean and Green Commissioner Carlton Williams urged residents to help neighbors without cars get their trash to collection centers, acknowledging it’s not an ideal situation. “This is not something we want to do, but this is the only option we currently have,” he said.