City workers and unions urge 6.5% pay increase in 2026 budget

City employees, union leaders and retired city workers urged the Milwaukee Common Council at a public hearing to include a 6.5% wage increase in the proposed 2026 city budget, saying low pay undermines recruitment and service delivery across departments.

At the lectern, Ian Gunther, chief steward of AFSCME Local 47, said city workers have ‘‘come to the conclusion that we are well past due for compensation’’ and described long-term shortfalls. He said the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission recommended nearly 17% in raises since 2023 to keep up with the market but that the city had given only 3 to 4% in recent years. ‘‘Today, we humbly demand that only a quarter of what we deserve, 6 and a half percent,’’ Gunther said.

The union message was repeated by several city employees. Pam Fent, president of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, told the council that general city employees ‘‘deserve a higher raise’’ than recent increases and noted rising health-care premiums will further squeeze take-home pay. Dane McNeil, a Department of Neighborhood Services employee and AFSCME member, said the department’s work ‘‘is critically important to keeping private properties and our neighborhoods safe’’ and asked for the 6.5% increase to be placed in the 2026 budget.

City technical staff and operators described operational consequences of low pay. Jackson Williams, an electrical engineer in the Bureau of Electrical Services, said the city lacks enough field and engineering staff to maintain infrastructure, forcing the city to pay third‑party contractors whose work often requires city staff rework. ‘‘We do not currently have the field staff nor the engineering staff to keep up with, much less improve the state of our infrastructure effectively,’’ Williams said.

Several long‑tenured employees and retirees framed the raise request as a matter of dignity and retention. Emma Stamps, a retired city employee, said retirees who ‘‘have dedicated so many years to building this community only ask for the ability to retire with some comfort.’’ Petra Athens, a program assistant with the Department of Neighborhood Services, and other clerical and permit staff also asked the council to fund the 6.5% increase.

City inspector Juan Perez said many employees work second jobs to make ends meet and argued that better wages would attract younger workers and close gender pay gaps that government employment helps to narrow. ‘‘A lot of my fellow brothers and sisters in the union…need this help,’’ Perez said.

Speakers tied the raise discussion to service outcomes. Nate, a water plant operator, said low wages drive recruits away and result in greater reliance on contractors and delayed projects; that, he said, ultimately costs the city more. Union advocates argued a modest raise would reduce turnover, improve service continuity and lower contractor costs.

No formal council action or vote occurred during the public comment period. The hearing was a chance for residents and employees to present priorities before the finance committee and council considered formal budget amendments.

Speakers asked the council to consider funding tradeoffs and emphasized the human impacts of pay decisions on public safety services, water and electrical operations, code enforcement and permit processing. The council closed the hearing after announcing an additional community listening session on the proposed budget to be held Saturday, Oct. 18, 09:30–11 a.m. at the MLK library.

The public hearing provided input for council members and the mayor as they refine the proposed 2026 budget.