Philadelphia’s largest city workers' union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, went on strike Tuesday after negotiations with the city reached an impasse. 

The union represents more than 9,000 city employees from several city departments, including Water, Recreation, Sanitation, Streets and Health, and seeks an annual 8% pay increase over the next four years, plus cost of living increases. 

With the union on strike, city services will be impacted, including trash and recycling pickup. The city urges residents not to leave their trash and recycling on the curb and instead utilize temporary waste drop-off locations.

Northwest Philadelphia drop-off sites include: Queen Lane and Germantown Avenue, 6201 Germantown Ave., and 1400 East Tulpehocken Ave. A full list is at www.phila.gov/documents/temporary-waste-drop-off-sites. 100 E. Mermaid Lane was initially listed as a drop-off site, but it has since been removed from the list.

In their 2025 contract demands, the union wrote that city workers “are entitled to the respect properly due to all those who faithfully provide valuable services to the citizens of Philadelphia, regardless of weather, pandemic, threats to their health and safety, and other adverse conditions they face each and every day.” 

The statement continued, “No one can say that the job of any District Council 33 member is any less important, in serving the citizens, than the jobs of other unions’ members. … Our children deserve the same education and medical care as children of members of other unions.” 

This story has been edited to reflect that 100 E. Mermaid Lane is no longer a drop-off site.