Mayor Cherelle Parker discusses details of tentative agreement with professional services union

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker outlined details of the tentative deal to avoid a potential strike by the union representing the city's professional service workers on Wednesday.

That union, District Council 47, represents about 6,000 workers, including librarians, social workers, assistants and administrators.

The tentative deal includes a three-year contract and a one-year extension.

Following a one year extension with a 5% pay increase, the new contract looks like this:

Year 1 includes a 2.5% pay increase and a $1250 bonus. Year 2 and Year 3 offer 3% pay increases.

The total cost of this contract is $92 million.

This announcement comes one week after Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration struck a tentative deal with DC33, which represents some 9,000 employees, including sanitation workers, 911 dispatchers, medical examiner employees and custodians.

That deal came after an eight-day-long strike.

If ratified, DC 33's package will cost the city $115 million.

It's at a time when the administration has to make a number of financial decisions with its unions that make the city run.

The contract for the Philadelphia police union, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #5, expired on June 30.

There are ongoing negotiations between the union and administration now, discussing pay increases, vacation benefits, oversight and transparency.

The United Steelworkers Local 286 union is up for a new contract as well.

Mayor Parker says it makes for tough decisions and scrutiny.

"I don't apologize, Philadelphia. That's who I am. That's who you elected as mayor. But we do what we have to do to do right by our municipal workforce because they keep the city of Philadelphia running," she said.