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Posted on 07/03/2025 2:49:55 PM PDT by DFG
On the third day of a union strike of municipal workers, garbage is piling up in Philadelphia, and some workers are resorting to threats and vandalism against residents who dare to break the strike.
The City of Philadelphia is negotiating with members of the AFSCME District Council 33 union, who are asking for a wage increase of 8% per year. The city has offered to increase wages by 7% over three years, which led to the worker strike beginning Tuesday.
Since then, residents are reporting that garbage is piling up and threatening their standard of living. "This is a nightmare," said Renee Dennis of West Philadelphia to WPVI-TV.
"I'm 55 years old, I have never seen nothing like this," said Dennis. "They say this happened back in '83. Don't remember. Don't want to remember!"
"The smell. It's unsanitary, it's unsafe, it needs to stop!" said another unidentified resident.
The city has set up dumpster locations, but union workers are demanding that residents respect the strike and ignore the garbage sites to pressure the city into caving to their demands.
Union president Greg Boulware said that no one anywhere has it worse than the union members in Philadelphia.
"Nobody understands financial constraints more than our members," Boulware claimed. "We're asking for a little bit of relief so we can loosen our belts just a little bit instead of continuously keep tightening them. There's no more left to tighten."
Residents are overwhelmed by the garbage piling up.
"All I can do is keep my own home safe and get up some air purifiers, just to keep the smell out!" said Justin Malamut of West Philadelphia.
The city obtained a court order preventing union members from getting in the way of city vehicles and harassing workers, but the city solicitor says some members have ignored that order.
On Wednesday, the second day of the strike, WPVI reported that police had to intervene when striking city workers blocked sanitation trucks from entering a sanitation center.
One striker was arrested for allegedly slashing the tires of a PGA worker on Tuesday. He also injured his hand in the process of stabbing the tire.
"This is not legal activity. This is in violation of injunctions. It needs to stop!" said Philadelphia city solicitor Renee Garcia.
Garcia said that union members had jammed locks at health centers, shut off water at a Water Department facility, and were harassing residents and workers over the strike.
"We're beyond disrespect. This is disgraceful. It is illegal," she added.
The union released a statement imploring members to follow the law during the strike.
"I saw there were some rats scurrying over here," said resident Giuseppe Mollo. "I don't know how long this can last."
Way to win friends and influence people.
This is the THIRD day of the strike? How can things be that bad in three days?
Excellent suggestion!
Or at THEIR homes.
Philadelphia Pride Week, to start off America 250. 3 days in and they can’t stand their own stench.
I think that is probably true. In the 70’s and 80’s, at least in Eugene OR, this one did not even pretend otherwise.
American cities are unlivable. The silicon chip and the technologies that it has spawned have made central business districts unnecessary. The next great battle in Congress and a major issue in most upcoming elections is just how much and for how long productive American taxpayers will subsidize these places.
Abolish the city refuse division and allow private trash companies and competition to flourish.
Fire them all. Sanitation is not optional in a city.
Very apropos. Saw that on stage a few times.
7% raise over three years is on par with what wokeebees in corporate America get.
Pulling this at the peak of Philly’s tourist season, AFSCME. Jackasses.
This is why our union contract has a no strike clause. I am required for public safety. None of the guys I work with would pull this crap, we would work with a skeleton crew but not do this crap. This is why people hate unions.
8% increase in pay for trash employees means 8% increase in fees charged to customers.
Drop it off at the union building. They will clean there first afterward.
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Your dumpster should hold at least twice the waste you normally produce in a week. That is what was known as "flex" back when I was helping businesses set up.
Apparently people are not building flex into systems any more and when things do not run just right there is no margin of error.
Remember, Philadelphia had a group of union members who called themselves “Those Helpful Union GuyS”. Or THUGS. I am not making this up.
I saw an interview with him where he was telling residents not to use the city provided dumpsters/dump sites, rather, just throw your trash on the streets and let it become rat, infested and diseased. That’s what I can never stand about them. They claim they care about the city and the residence and what not, then want them to live in filth and squalor because they want a 8% raise, and the city negotiated a 7% raise.
Public sector unions should not be allowed to go on strike. Ideally, they would be banned.
They’re also on strike because the city offered a 7% raise and they want an 8% raise. Also, if they work an entire “career“ if you will for the city, your retirement is basically guaranteed and you don’t have to worry about it. However, apparently, that isn’t good enough for them
I agree. Public sector unions should essentially be outlawed. You’re not negotiating with a for-profit company, you’re negotiating people’s tax rates.
I will make one exception to that rule and allow police/fire/EMS unions with a relatively limited scope to protect the members from things like Democrat city councils, who want to throw police officers under the bus for following protocol while the resting someone, but some activist wants to try to claim racism or what not.
Greed. They’re gonna kill their golden goose. Stupid and shortsighted.
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