Unions file lawsuit against Philadelphia for mandating that full-time city workers return to the office

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Labor unions representing thousands of Philadelphia city employees filed a lawsuit seeking to block Democrat Mayor Cherelle Parker's requirement that full-time city employees return to the office five days a week starting this month.

District Council 47 of The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees alleges in the lawsuit filed Monday that the mandate violates its contract and will harm city workers, according to Reuters. The union, which represents 6,000 administrative and supervisory employees and negotiated remote work at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020, also filed an unfair-practices complaint with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.

Several local unions represented by District Council 47 filed the lawsuit against Parker on Monday in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. The lawsuit urges the court to issue a temporary order blocking any work policies that were not negotiated with the unions. The court will hold a hearing on that request on July 11, just days before city employees are required to return to the office.

Parker announced in May that hybrid work was coming to an end and that city employees must work in offices or on work-sites full-time beginning July 15. The mayor said working full-time in offices would improve communications between workers and promote «social connection along with collaboration, innovation and inclusion.»

PHILADELPHIA MAYOR ENDING REMOTE WORK POLICY FOR ALL FULL-TIME CITY EMPLOYEES

Mayor Cherelle Parker announced in May that city employees must work in offices or on work-sites full-time starting July 15, ending remote work. (Getty Images)

«Employee presence at the workplace allows for more personal