The COVID-19 pandemic brought the term “essential worker” into widespread use, highlighting the work and workers necessary to keep society functioning. But many workers experienced a gap between how they were talked about and how they were treated. They were called essential, but regarded as disposable.
In June 2020, at the height of the pandemic, hundreds of Philadelphia sanitation workers and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 33 members rallied to demand hazard pay and personal protective equipment. It was a sign that these workers from one of Philadelphia’s largest unions, who are underpaid and do exceptionally dangerous work, understood their real worth to society.
Five years later, AFSCME DC33 is on strike for a contract that reflects the sacrifices they’ve made for the public. The strike could cause a major disruption to the city’s Fourth of July festivities planned for this weekend.
It’s hard to leave the house without experiencing the work that DC33 members do. With nine thousand members, the union represents blue-collar city workers in a wide range of departments, including sanitation workers, water department employees, school crossing guards, police dispatchers (911 operators), and many more. The union’s slogan, “Philadelphia Works Because We Do,” is more than just rhetoric.
Despite their essential role for the city, the average salary for DC33 members is only $46,000, and many are eligible for public assistance. “It’s been increasingly difficult for our members to find affordable housing inside the city of Philadelphia,” union president Greg Boulware told the Philadelphia Inquirer. Unlike police officers or firefighters, DC33 members are required to live inside the city limits.
The city’s measly starting offer of 2 percent annual raises would do nothing to address this problem, amounting to only an extra $925 per year. The mayor gave herself a 9…
Auteur: Paul Prescod
