Results of DC33 vote expected to be released Monday morning

(WPHL) — After a week-long strike, and a tentative deal with the City of Philadelphia, District Council 33 is set to release the results from its new contract vote on Monday morning.

The city and its largest union landed on a tentative agreement stipulating a three-year contract with 3% annual raises, a 2% base pay increase for longtime employees, and a $1,500 bonus for each member.

Before reaching a deal, the union went on strike for the first time in 40 years. For eight days, beginning on July 1, DC33 members picketed outside of their place of work, disrupting sanitation, water services, 911 dispatch, and more.

The strike also foiled Fourth of July events.

While several members have expressed their disappointment with the terms of the new contract, including the union’s president, who negotiated the deal, the president warned members that not finalizing the contract would send them back to the negotiation table in a weaker position than where they were before. 

Throughout the past week, all 9,000 members of DC33 cast their votes, choosing to approve or disapprove the tentative contract.

On July 9, DC33 and the City government agreed on the following tentative deal:

• Three-year contract:
  • The new deal will deliver a 14% pay increase over Mayor Cherelle Parker’s first term, building on an earlier 5% raise awarded in 2024 in the one-year contract extension.
• Annual raises:
  • Workers will receive 3% annual pay increases, significantly less than the 8% annual raises DC 33 initially sought.
• Historic 5th Step increase:
  • Half of the DC 33 members will get the 2% increase immediately, 80% will receive the 2% increase by the end of the contract.
  • According to the City of Philadelphia, the 5th Step will give long-term union employees greater earning potential.
• Tentative nature:
  • The agreement still requires a vote by union members before being finalized.

Mayor Cherelle Parker called it a win for both workers and the city’s fiscal health: “We’re valuing our workforce and safeguarding our city’s hard-earned fiscal stability at the same time.”   

DC 33 President Greg Boulware said he wasn’t satisfied with the deal but wanted his members to know that union leadership fought hard for what they believed they deserved.

President Boulware later encouraged his members to vote “yes” to approve the deal.

If the deal is not approved, Union leadership and the City of Philadelphia will go back to the negotiating table, which could lead to another strike.