Mayor Cherelle Parker orders all city workers back to the office

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker ordered all city employees to go back to in-office work this summer during an announcement held at City Hall on Monday.

On Monday morning, Parker held a special meeting with members of the press in order to explain the need for workers to return to the office five days a week.

"In alignment with my administration's goals of creating a more visible and accessible government, I have notified all city workers that they will be transitioning to full-time in office work," she said.

She said she's going to require all city employees to return full time to the office effective Monday, July 15, 2024.

"Employee presence at the workplace allows for more personal and productive interactions," Parker said. "It facilitates communication. It promotes social connections as well as 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 this ruling "establishes generally" that all work will be done on-site and it will sunset the city's virtual work policy that was put in place in 2021.

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As the city works toward that July deadline, Parker said they are working with managers to prepare office space, equipment and other supports to prepare for employees to return.

"Our workforce is the only way that Philadelphia truly becomes what I promised to the people, that is the safest, cleanest, greenest big city in America, with access to economic opportunity for all," she said.

According to the City of Philadelphia, the city employs at least 25,000 people. Parker said Monday that about 80% of this workforce have been working fully on-site since last year. Of the remaining 20%, Parker said, city employees worked between 31 to 75 hours per-pay-period on site.

However, a reporter in the room on Monday pointed out that there were no leaders of the unions that represent city workers on hand for the morning announcement.

"I cannot affirm that any of the union presidents for the City of Philadelphia have embraced this," Parker admitted.

Though, Parker said union leaders have been notified of the return to work demand.

In a statement release following the mayor's announcement, David Wilson, president of AFSCME Local 2187, a union that supports municipal workers, said he was "disheartened" by the mayor's decision.

"We are disheartened to hear that the mayor decided to unilaterally implement returning my members to work 5 days a week on July 15. This to us, is a mandatory subject of bargaining to which the city clearly doesn’t," he said in a statement. "Making such an impactful change in the middle of summer or in general, directly harms our members, their families and creates chaos. It has become clearer than ever that the mayor doesn’t not care for her city work force. Her actions speak louder than words."

Earlier this year, Parker called senior city employees back to work. That started on March 4.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.