Talks will resume over union contracts
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
By: Tom MacDonald
tmacdonald@whyy.org
Philadelphia union contracts expire in just over a week. Talks between the blue and white collar union workers and the city are expected to resume this morning.
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City workers know times are tight, but are worried more about their future. Terry Mill is a worker at the Philadelphia Health Department. He says he's ready to strike to protect his future.
Mill: Yeah, I'm ready, we need another contract. It's going to be tough for everybody a lot of people ain't got no money living week to week as it is, paycheck to paycheck so we don't have the money, people say they don't want to do it but we gotta do it, we gotta do what we've gotta do.
A strike would stop trash collection, close libraries and pools, and even prevent a couple from getting a marriage license among other things.
A strike vote is expected this week, but it is a formality. Leaders from both sides say they don't expect a strike when the contract expires.