In a significant labor action, over 1,600 PECO workers have gone on strike across the Philadelphia region, marking the first work stoppage in the company’s 145-year history. The strike commenced around the Fourth of July amid soaring temperatures, after negotiations for a new contract ended without a resolution. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 614 announced the escalation following unsuccessful talks, and as the heat wave continues, the workers have taken to the picket lines. Both the union and the company are set to resume negotiations soon, as Mayor Parker urged both sides to find a resolution before the holiday weekend.