Akron Mayor Shammas Malik has put forth legislation aimed at securing funding for new contracts with two prominent unions in the city, as detailed by a recent announcement from the City of Akron. The groups in focus are the Akron Firefighters Union (Local 330) and the Civil Service Personnel Association Union (CSPA). These negotiations follow the financial framework established in earlier deals with the Akron Police.
Under the proposed contracts, employees affiliated with both Akron Fire and CSPA would receive a wage hike identical to that of the Akron Police—5% in 2025, followed by a 4.5% raise both in 2026 and 2027. Alongside wage increases, there are also slated changes to health insurance policies, which would start in 2026. These changes aim to modestly raise the employee contributions, aligning them with those made by other city employees.
In a statement obtained by the City of Akron, Mayor Shammas Malik expressed his administration's view and justification for the compensation enhancements, saying, "We deeply value our employees and are proud to have negotiated these compensation packages with our Fire and EMS personnel as well as our civil service personnel. These benefits reflect our respect for the service of City of Akron employees across the board."
The mayor underscored the delicate balance required to accommodate these increases, pointing out that to maintain the city's financial stability, a reduction in overall city budget spending would be essential. "In light of the significant wage increases that have been bargained for over the past year, this will require reducing spending across our city budget in order to ensure the sustainability of city operations and not quickly deplete our city’s financial reserves," he explained. Detailed outlines of the financial strategy are expected to be disclosed with the city's 2026 Capital Budget in January and Operating Budget in March, as officials work towards a sustainable equation for city staffing, services, and fiscal reserves.
