DC 33 Members Ordered Back to Work After City Grants Additional Injunction Request
Contract negotiations between Philadelphia city officials and the leadership of District Council 33 (DC 33), the city’s largest municipal union, resumed on Tuesday amidst ongoing issues with trash accumulation on the streets. As discussions continued without a resolution, the situation was further complicated by legal actions related to the strike.
On Tuesday, a ruling from Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas-Street mandated the return of eight additional members of the DC 33 to work. These workers play a crucial role in staffing the emergency response system at Philadelphia International Airport and Northeast Philadelphia Airport. This intervention comes after Judge Thomas-Street had previously issued orders for other members to return to work as well.
The judge’s decision was driven by concerns over public safety; non-union airport staff had been stretched thin, working 12-hour shifts to fill staffing gaps in the emergency dispatch system. According to city attorney Samuel Ritterman, the fatigue experienced by these substitute workers was hindering effective emergency response. Last year, the dispatch system handled over 2,500 emergency calls, underscoring the critical nature of maintaining adequate staffing levels.
Judge Thomas-Street emphasized the importance of readiness in emergency situations, reflecting on the potential risks associated with inadequate staffing in aviation services. She ordered the eight dispatchers to report back for duty starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.
As tensions continue to rise, the city has also scheduled a hearing for a petition filed on Monday, which seeks to hold DC 33 and its president in contempt for allegedly violating a previous court order that limited picketing activities. This legal strategy reflects a broader trend in labor disputes where injunctions are becoming a preferred method to enforce compliance amid work stoppages.
Currently entering its eighth day, the DC 33 strike is notable for being the union’s first major work stoppage in nearly four decades. The ongoing strike has already created significant disruptions, particularly in sanitation, as trash piles become increasingly visible throughout the city.
Despite attempts by the city government to mitigate the impact of the strike, including the use of non-union staff and sanitation trainees, the accumulation of trash continues to prompt concern among residents and city officials alike. City Councilmember Anthony Phillips reported inconsistencies in waste pickup, indicating that promised multiple daily collections were not being met.
The union and the city have not publicly addressed the timeline for resolving the strike or the state of ongoing negotiations. The union leadership characterized their negotiations as stagnant, with key issues such as wage increases and health benefits remaining unresolved. As the situation persists, the implications for public health and city sanitation are becoming increasingly pressing.
