A strike by nearly 10,000 city workers in Philadelphia stretched into a third day Thursday as trash piled up in some areas and more than 30 Medical Examiner’s Office staffers were ordered back to work because of a growing backlog of bodies in storage.
The latest talks between the city and leaders of District Council 33 — the largest of four major unions representing city workers — ended late Wednesday without a deal, and no new talks were scheduled for Thursday. Both sides have said they were willing to continue negotiations.
The union represents many of the city’s blue-collar workers, from trash collectors to clerks to security guards. Police and firefighters are not on strike.
Economic matters remain the major issue, but District 33 President Greg Boulware has said there are also “a lot of work rule situations that we still have not worked through.” The union also seeks some flexibility on the city residency requirement for workers.
The city has offered a three-year contract with annual raises of about 3%, which the union said amounts to little more than $1,000 after taxes for members making $46,000 a year on average.
Mayor Cherelle Parker has said the city has “put its best offer on the table.” She stressed that the effective 13% pay hike over her four-year term -- including last year’s 5% bump – along with a fifth step on the pay scale would be the best contract the union has seen in decades.
Legal wrangling over the walkout also continued Thursday, when Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas-Street approved the city's request to have the medical examiner's office staffers return to work because bodies have been piling up there in storage, posing a health and safety risk. Those workers include death and forensic investigators, forensic technicians and clerks.
The order came a day after the judge ordered some emergency service dispatchers and essential water department employees back to work.
Mounting trash piles in some parts of the city were also still causing grief for residents and officials, who on Thursday strongly urged residents to follow the collection guidelines imposed when the strike began Tuesday. They also urged residents to report problems at the trash collection sites, and noted trash is being cleared as fast as possible and the city is working to open more sites.
A woman drops off trash at a garbage collection site, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Trash piles up at a garbage collection site, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
A man tosses trash at a garbage collection site, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
HANOI, Vietnam--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 13, 2026--
FPT, through its global IT services subsidiary FPT Software, has achieved ISO/IEC 42001:2023, the first global standard for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Management Systems. With this milestone, FPT became the first company in Vietnam and the second in Southeast Asia to earn this recognition, underscoring its commitment to responsible AI development and deployment with consideration for fairness and impartiality, privacy and security, safety, quality and robustness, governance, transparency and explainability.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112494011/en/
The certification was issued by the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company SGS and qualified by ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) - a leading U.S. accreditation body with global recognition. ISO/IEC 42001 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving AI management systems, allowing organizations to effectively manage risks and opportunities associated with AI, balancing innovation with compliance.
Achieving ISO/IEC 42001:2023 reflects FPT’s capability in AI governance, encompassing ethics, risk management, transparency, compliance, and ensuring alignment with both business goals and societal values. It also strengthens FPT’s position as a trusted technology partner for global organizations, especially those in highly regulated industries such as banking and financial services, automotive, healthcare, energy, and the public sector. The milestone further solidifies FPT’s position as an AI-first company, strengthening its foundation for scaling AI responsibly while helping clients navigate evolving regulatory, ethical, and operational challenges associated with AI adoption.
“As an AI-first company, we pledge to prioritize safety, ethics and accountability at every stage of our AI lifecycle. By continuously governing AI development and implementation processes, we provide our clients and partners with the assurance that our solutions are built with responsibility, transparency and adhere to international excellence,” said Dao Duy Cuong, FPT Software EVP and Chief Digital & Technology Officer, FPT Corporation.
FPT actively promotes responsible AI development as a founding member of the AI Alliance led by IBM and Meta, and the Vietnam Ethical AI Committee. The company is committed to embedding rigorous AI governance across its global operations and solution portfolio, including its flagship AI platform FleziPT, which boosts productivity by 30%, accelerates development by 60% and reduces 50% in rework. The company also maintains co-creation partnerships with global leaders like AWS, Microsoft, SAP, and NVIDIA to deliver tailored solutions for industry-specific challenges. Supporting these efforts is a workforce of over 25,000 AI-augmented, globally certified engineers, and world-class infrastructure including cutting-edge AI Factories in Vietnam and Japan, which have been ranked among the world’s Top 40 fastest supercomputers. Expanding its AI footprint, FPT is developing a new Research Center in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, which is expected to become a critical component of its global AI development network, supporting high-quality talent cultivation for both the local community and the nation.
About FPT
FPT Corporation (FPT) is a globally leading technology and IT services provider headquartered in Vietnam, operating in three core sectors: Technology, Telecommunications, and Education. Over more than three decades, FPT has consistently delivered impactful solutions to millions of individuals and tens of thousands of organizations worldwide. As an AI-first company, FPT is committed to elevating Vietnam’s position on the global tech map and delivering world-class AI-enabled solutions for global enterprises. FPT focuses on three critical transformations: Digital Transformation, Intelligence Transformation, and Green Transformation. In 2024, FPT reported a total revenue of USD 2.47 billion and a workforce of over 54,000 employees across its core businesses. For more information about FPT's global IT services, please visit https://fptsoftware.com.
FPT received ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification during the certification award ceremony in Hanoi, Vietnam
