What happens to trash pickup in Philadelphia with city workers on strike? What to know as DC 33 strike starts
Employees with AFSCME District Council 33, Philadelphia's largest blue-collar workers union, went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning after union representatives and the city failed to reach a deal.
That includes many Department of Sanitation workers who pick up trash from Philadelphians' homes.
With the workers on strike, Mayor Cherelle Parker said city residents should not put their trash and recycling out on the curb.
Residents can take their trash to one of 63 temporary locations during the strike.
on the , and officials say residents should bring their garbage on their regular collection days. Parker said the city will open more locations if needed.
To find drop-off locations near you, enter your address and then click on the street to get the information to pop up.
The temporary trash sites will open Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. They will open at 6 a.m. the rest of the week, according to the mayor's office. The temporary trash sites will be open every day until 10 p.m. except Sunday.
Residents can also take trash to that are open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
Sanitation centers and the temporary trash drop-off locations will be closed Friday for the Fourth of July holiday.
Only bagged trash will be accepted, and residents can bring up to eight bags of trash.
"Obviously, this is the topic that is on everyone's minds today. How will the city dispose of my trash if there's a work stoppage? If there is a work stoppage, the Department of Sanitation will be operating on what we refer to as a modified capacity," Parker said during a press conference Monday. "There will be no residential trash collection or recycling effective Tuesday, July 1. We encourage residents, and we ask you to please refrain from placing any trash or recycling out for curbside collection until further notice."
Street sweeping, bulk collection and clean block Saturdays will also stop during the strike, officials said. Recycling will only be collected at sanitation convenience centers. A list of .
DC 33 includes about 9,000 blue-collar city workers from the streets, water and sanitation departments, as well as police dispatch and airport operations. The union is seeking an 8% pay increase every year for four years and health care benefits for all employees.
Parker claimed over the weekend that the city offered a more than 12% wage increase over her four-year term to the table — and kept health care coverage intact. She said the city will continue to come to the table.
Photos from the last time this union went on strike in 1986 show trash piled up in the street.
