Philadelphians take to social media to gripe about the DC 33 strike and the resulting ‘Parker piles’

On any given summer day, Philadelphia’s fragrance can be a little ... ripe. Add an almost week-old strike by city employees, including sanitation workers, and mountains of garbage lining the streets soon turn into an overwhelming scent.

Court orders directed some District Council 33 members, including 911 operators and Medical Examiner Office staff, back to work. With sanitation workers still on strike, Philadelphians are left to carry or drive their own trash to one of more than 60 drop-off sites set up for collection. Such challenges have contributed to a great deal of griping on social media. Here is a sampling of Philadelphians’ venting:

Despite being the largest city workers union, DC 33 members are the lowest-paid of Philadelphia’s four major municipal unions. Members earn an average of $46,000 a year. Leading TikTok user iammuli to say: “Cherelle is you cool? You need to pay them people cause we are not putting no trash in our cars and dropping it off nowhere.”

For many, putting trash bags in their car was less of a concern than crossing the picket line in a union town. Thread user ericasmith.educates faced the moral dilemma WWMSD (What would Melissa Schemmenti do.)

Schemmenti, an Abbott Elementary character, is a pro-union, no-nonsense kind of South Philly woman. She would “never take her trash to a Cherelle Parker approved trash site during a strike,” ericasmith.educates wrote.

Philly native and show creator Quinta Brunson has yet to do an Abbott trash strike episode (fingers crossed there will be one). But, if the SEPTA strike episode is any indicator, Schemmenti sure will be joining picketers outside the trash collection sites.

By the second day of the strike, #ParkerPiles became a hashtag on social media and some had already created a side hustle picking up people’s trash door to door in exchange for a fee.

Instagram user Djkevinkong had seen this before, in not one but two episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. “The Gang decides they’re going to become trash entrepreneurs. Because, you know, capitalism and delusions of grandeur are basically the fifth and sixth members of the crew,” Djkevinkong captioned the edit.

After Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s July Fourth speech, some on social media began questioning why she was willing to give herself a raise, but not agree to the salary increases DC 33 was seeking.

TikTok user raeonartez recorded himself laughing and counting money, as he pretended to put his windows up to avoid the trash smell. “The Mayor of Philadelphia after giving herself a raise and now garbage is all over the city,” he captioned it.

“Hide the money yall, it’s poor people around,” a user commented on raeonartez video.

The claim is not fully true. Parker didn’t give herself a 9% raise, although her pay has risen due to a cost-of-living increase, and her aides received significant raises.

Five days (and a holiday) later, the Parker piles were taking over full sidewalks. Some Philadelphians question the hierarchy of the city.

TikTok user Xavierdleau compared it to an episode of the ’90s show Living Single, using a clip with an actor saying: “So let me explain the hierarchy of the city to you.” As he explains, his hands keep moving up tier after tier: “Alderman, City Council, Mayor, (pause) garbage man, God (making the sign of the cross)”

“its like insulting a chef that’s preparing your food. you just don’t mess with certain ppl,” a person wrote in the comments.

Not everything has to stink. Local comedian Chris Rath is choosing to find the bright side of the strike in Gritty’s comfort.

“Gritty has affordable housing now, so obviously Gritty sleeps on better trash,” Rath said on TikTok.

Another positive point: the orange Flyers mascot won’t go hungry. “Gritty prefers, with his refined palate, spoiled milk, food, and vegetables. Now he has those in abundance,” Rath added.

Food and shelter aren’t the only upside. In Rath’s opinion, the trash piles provide a perfect setting for a family reunion.

“Oscar the Grouch is going to visit his cousin Gritty in Philadelphia ... now Oscar has a great excuse to go hang out and just vibe in some trash cans with Gritty”

Not all Philly mascots are pleased by the recent street menu. Instagram user Thephillycaptain recently told Iggy, the Phillie Phanatic’s friend, “We need you out in the city eating some garbage piles out there.”

Iggy‘s response: tail stands. (From one Ecuadorian to another, put down the trash, Iggy! You are already endangered for digestive issues.)

Until DC 33 and the mayor return to negotiations, one thing is certain, Philly has the best use of the “Pedro, Pedro, Pedro,” sound bite: