Overview

• LL Cool J withdrew from the Wawa Welcome America Fourth of July concert in Philadelphia to stand with AFSCME District Council 33 strikers by refusing to cross their picket line.
• The municipal workers’ strike entered its fourth day without a deal, leaving trash piled throughout the city; court orders have sought to reinstate essential employees.
• The city’s three-year proposal includes raises totaling about 13 percent over four years, a figure union leaders say falls short after taxes.
• Greg Boulware, president of AFSCME District Council 33, praised LL Cool J’s cancellation as a powerful affirmation of workers’ rights that has catalyzed wider public support.
• LL Cool J remains in Philadelphia; he has said he will perform if negotiators reach a settlement before the city’s fireworks display begins.