Philadelphia aims to control trash pileups ahead of holiday weekend as city workers strike continues

A strike by nearly 10,000 city workers in Philadelphia stretched into a third day Thursday as trash piled up in some areas and more than 30 Medical Examiner’s Office staffers were ordered back to work because of a growing backlog of bodies in storage.

The latest talks between the city and leaders of District Council 33 — the largest of four major unions representing city workers — ended late Wednesday without a deal, and no new talks were scheduled for Thursday. Both sides have said they were willing to continue negotiations.

The union represents many of the city’s blue-collar workers, from trash collectors to clerks to security guards. Police and firefighters are not on strike.

Economic matters remain the major issue, but District 33 President Greg Boulware has said there are also “a lot of work rule situations that we still have not worked through.” The union also seeks some flexibility on the city residency requirement for workers.

The city has offered a three-year contract with annual raises of about 3%, which the union said amounts to little more than $1,000 after taxes for members making $46,000 a year on average.

Mayor Cherelle Parker has said the city has “put its best offer on the table.” She stressed that the effective 13% pay hike over her four-year term — including last year’s 5% bump – along with a fifth step on the pay scale would be the best contract the union has seen in decades.

Legal wrangling over the walkout also continued Thursday, when Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas-Street approved the city’s request to have the medical examiner’s office staffers return to work because bodies have been piling up there in storage, posing a health and safety risk. Those workers include death and forensic investigators, forensic technicians and clerks.

The order came a day after the judge ordered some emergency service dispatchers and essential water department employees back to work.

Mounting trash piles in some parts of the city were also still causing grief for residents and officials, who on Thursday strongly urged residents to follow the collection guidelines imposed when the strike began Tuesday. They also urged residents to report problems at the trash collection sites, and noted trash is being cleared as fast as possible and the city is working to open more sites.