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Michigan City council approves 2% raises for police and fire after tense public hearings
Summary
After extended public comment and a contentious exchange over retiree-health contributions and bargaining process, the Michigan City Common Council approved a 2% salary increase for fire and police for 2026 and amended the fire ordinance to isolate the raise from other contract changes.
Michigan City Common Council on Dec. 16 approved a 2% salary increase for the city's fire and police departments for 2026, concluding weeks of public criticism and a neighborhood dispute over retiree health insurance and bargaining timelines.
Councilman Bridal Dabney, chairing the Labor Relations Committee, said the 2% increase was budgeted and that broader contract talks remain ongoing; he framed the amendment as a budgetary allocation, not a rewrite of collective bargaining agreements. Attorney Snow advised the council that a budgetary motion to allocate the wages was permissible while negotiations continue.
Union members and department representatives pressed the council in public comment. "When is enough enough?" asked Christopher, a firefighter representing Local 475, arguing that proposed contract changes would reduce retiree protections and that…
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