Trash Strike officially ends – The Rat Boys can finally rest

The Trash Strike is over. We survived the war zone, the garbage avalanches, the vigilante water sabotage, and the city-wide descent into a post-apocalyptic stink-fest. Mayor Cherelle Parker and AFSCME District Council 33 finally came to terms, ending the 8-day standoff that turned Philadelphia into a giant, overflowing dumpster.

It wasn’t pretty.

The trash strike brought the city to its knees. Trash bags blocked sidewalks, seagulls partied like it was South Street on a Saturday night, and people took full advantage of the chaos by dumping everything they owned that sparked no joy.

Sanitation workers, along with water department staff, 911 dispatchers, crossing guards, and airport employees, were all off the job. The union originally pushed for a 24% wage increase over three years and settled on 9% — closer to the city’s original 8.75% offer. Throw in a previous one-year 5% bump, and workers will get a 14% total raise under Parker’s term. Not a win for either side really, but at least the trash is getting picked up again.

Trash Strike Fallout: The Rise of Rat Boys Trash Co.

If you were here with us from Day 1, you know this wasn’t just a labor standoff, it was a movement. It was about trash, yes, but also about resilience, capitalism, and making a quick buck off civic dysfunction. Out of the chaos came Rat Boys Trash Co., a proud, not-actually-operational beacon of hope.

Did we have a truck? No.

Did we move any trash? Also no.

Did we sell a few t-shirts and ask people to Venmo us $25 to maybe haul a bag or two? You’re damn right we did.

Get your Rat Boys Trash Co. shirt here

We were never in it for the glory. We were in it for the grind. For the hustle. For the opportunity to say, “Yeah, we tried to clean up the streets while City Hall played tug-of-war over a few percentage points.”

But now that the Trash Strike is over and the real trucks are rolling again, we can officially retire the Rat Boys — at least until the next inevitable collapse of basic city services.

What’s Next?

For starters, the city says workers will begin returning immediately, and cleanup will start right away. That’s great. Let’s just hope Philly remembers to double-bag it this time.

As for us, we’ll keep the shirts going. Not because we’re still in business, but because they’re a badge of honor. A reminder of what we lived through. A souvenir from the week the city almost drowned in its own banana peels and broken Ikea furniture.

Until the next collapse of society: Stay scrappy, stay salty, and always keep a Rat Boys tee in the rotation. You never know when Philly will need us again.

Trash Strike 2025 – never forget.