Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker sued over return-to-office policy by union group that represents city workers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A coalition of unions that represent thousands of Philadelphia city employees announced a lawsuit against Mayor Cherelle Parker over her return-to-office policy.
The civil suit was filed Tuesday in the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia County.
In May, Parker announced that all city workers would be required back in the office effective July 15, 2024, a policy change said to affect about 4,700 workers across all departments.
"Employee presence at the workplace allows for more personal and productive interactions," Parker said at a May press conference. "It facilitates communication. It promotes social connection along with collaboration, innovation and inclusion. It also delivers on my promise of an accessible workforce that is best situated to serve the people of Philadelphia."
Parker said a return to the office will result in "work environments where equal opportunity and diversity, equity and inclusion are truly realized."
The policy was said to sunset a virtual work policy enacted in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March, all cabinet members, directors and direct reports in the Office of the Mayor returned to work in the office five days a week.
Representatives for AFSCME District Council 47, which describes itself as a coalition of nine local unions, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
AFSCME posted on multiple social media platforms about the lawsuit.
"We have worked very hard to build a long-standing tradition of negotiating w/past @cityofphiladelphia administrations to build better city government.. why throw that away @phillymayor??? Philadelphians deserve 21st-century city services!" the union posted on X on Tuesday.
In a video posted on Instagram, union leaders said they were offered a contract extension from the city and agreed to a 30-day extension, but would be contesting the return-to-office mandate in court.
"On the topic of alternative work schedules and the return to office, Local 2187 and Local 2186 remain ever clear: that this is a mandatory subject of bargaining," said David Wilson, President of AFSCME District Council 47 and Local 2187.
"We are placing this decision in the hands of a judge and asking that no one be returned to the office until this disagreement is processed through the proper channels highlighted within our contract," Wilson added.
Gennifer Reed, president of Local 2186, said in the video that the unions will have a court date within the next several days.
In a March interview with CBS News Philadelphia, Wilson said many union members have become accustomed to a flexible work schedule, and many aren't willing to give that up.
The union also shared criticism of the return-to-work policy in May, arguing that the city already boasts strong occupancy rates in local offices. According to the 2024 State of Center report from the Center City District, Philadelphia ranked second behind only Midtown Manhattan in office occupancy rates, with a rate of 80%.
"We're already back," AFSCME said in the May post discussing the report. "These are the facts and figures while we city workers of Center City have maintained alternative work schedules with hybrid and remote work. We can continue to bring vibrancy to downtown while also maintaining the flexibility we need to do our jobs and support our Philadelphia neighborhoods."
The CCD report noted that nearly 4 million square feet of vacancy was added to the market since the COVID-19 pandemic — or four Comcast Centers worth of empty space.
A spokesperson for the Parker administration said the city's lawyers just received the lawsuit and that Parker's position on the subject has not changed.
