D.C. 33 president says his opponent started the physical altercation at the union hall this week

The head of one of Philadelphia’s largest municipal unions said this week that he got into a physical altercation with the man running to replace him earlier this week, but that it was his rival who initiated the fight at the union hall.

Omar Salaam, interim president of the 9,000-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33, said in an interview that Greg Boulware, who is running against him, refused to leave the offices of the union’s health and welfare fund Tuesday morning.

Salaam said Boulware, the business agent of Local 394, which represents Water Department workers, was not authorized to be in the offices of the health and welfare fund.

“I asked him to leave three times,” Salaam said. “Then he stood up, we were hollering back and forth, he reached to grab me, he scratched me on my shoulder and tried to wrestle me. ... After he tried to grab me, I did catch him with a good punch, and he went down on the ground.”

Salaam’s recounting stands in contrast to how Boulware describes what happened. Boulware said the office of the health and welfare fund is open to members and leadership. He said Salaam initiated physical contact, telling Boulware “keep my name out of your mouth,” then, without prompting, punching him once above the eye.

» READ MORE: Police responded to AFSCME District Council 33′s offices after union leaders allegedly got into a fight

Philadelphia Police confirmed that officers responded to the union’s office Tuesday morning, but that no one was arrested. Both men said they gave statements to detectives, and the case remains under investigation.

The fight between two of D.C. 33′s top leaders was the culmination of a months-long showdown over the future of the union that represents most of the city’s blue-collar workers. Salaam took over control of the union in February after former president Ernest Garrett, an ally of Boulware’s, was ousted by the international. Garrett filed a lawsuit to reverse the decision.

Salaam is now running for a full term. He and Boulware advanced to a runoff, which is an ongoing mail ballot election that ends June 11.

On Wednesday, Salaam said Boulware’s allies have engaged in unsavory campaigning tactics, including posting personal information and attacking him on social media. Boulware said he has not spoken ill of Salaam on the campaign trail.

Salaam said the members of the union “deserve so much better.”

“All we want to do is make sure people are treated fairly, that the rules aren’t being broken,” Salaam said. “Our focus is to unite, and we always prioritize our membership. This will pass. We’re going to move forward together and better in a strong direction.”

Inquirer staff writers Sean Collins Walsh and Ellie Rushing contributed to this article.