Rush-hour traffic on Downer Place had some extra background noise Tuesday as roughly 180 Aurora city employees clustered on the steps of City Hall, hoisting signs that read "Fair Contract Now" and chanting for better pay. The workers, represented by AFSCME Local 3298, came from across City Hall operations, including the 911 call center, police records, finance, customer service, building inspections and animal control. Organizers said the informational picket was designed to call out stalled talks at the bargaining table and the pressure they say that puts on frontline city services.
Union Pushes For 4% Annual Raises
Local 3298 is pressing the city for a 4% pay increase each year for four years. Union president Jim French told the Aurora City Council, "We do not want to be treated as less," as he urged officials to accept the proposal. The union says negotiations have been underway since January 2025 and that members intend to keep public pressure on the council until they see what they consider to be a fair offer, as reported by the Aurora Beacon-News. Members emphasized that Tuesday's event was an informational picket, not a work stoppage, and said a key goal was to rally support from residents who rely daily on city services.
Contract Lapsed At End Of 2024
According to city records, the bargaining unit's most recent contract expired on Dec. 31, 2024, which has left Local 3298 negotiating without an active agreement while talks continue. A city council resolution and attached agreements in the Aurora Legistar system lay out the unit's past contract rollovers and the union's recognized bargaining status for clerical, technical and professional staff. Those official documents also spell out the formal municipal bargaining framework the city and union are now using, per the City of Aurora Legistar.
City Says Talks Continue
City officials told reporters they are bargaining in good faith and remain committed to landing a contract that both sides can accept, according to the Aurora Beacon-News. The city has also moved to beef up its legal and human resources bench this year by naming an Assistant Corporation Counsel III to handle employment and labor matters, a change city leaders say should help keep negotiations moving, according to a City of Aurora news release. Both sides said bargaining is expected to continue in the coming weeks while workers keep holding informational actions outside City Hall at 44 E. Downer Place in Aurora.
What Comes Next
Union leaders said they plan to stick with informational pickets and community outreach as long as there is daylight between the two sides at the table, and they did not announce any strike authorization. City negotiators said they expect to keep meeting with Local 3298 and to return to the council with updates as talks progress. For now, both the city and the union are talking up their commitment to continued bargaining while the public contract fight plays out on the steps of City Hall.
