Aurora has taken steps towards reaching an agreement with a group of unionized city employees after more than 20 months of negotiations.
The Aurora City Council Finance Committee on Thursday recommended approval of a measure that would give a group of unionized city of Aurora employees a 7% total wage increase over the next two years, if given final approved by the City Council. That’s a 4% increase for the 2025 pay period and a 3% raise for the 2026 pay period, said Michele Clark, Aurora’s chief human resources officer.
Those wage increases would cost the city around $1 million, said Clark.
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The union, Local 3298 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, is made up of around 180 Aurora city employees across various departments. The union had its contract with the city expire at the end of 2024 and has been in contract negotiations with the city since January 2025.
The union’s leader, Jim French who is also a fire inspector, has prevoiusly said he opposed a two-year contract because he said it would expire in a few months.
“Then we’ll all be right back at the table,” he said at a City Council meeting in August.
But Clark said Thursday that a two-year contract could help the city better evaluate its budget position and return to the bargaining table with “fresh eyes towards what’s happening with the budget.”
She said the union has advocated for higher wage increases.
French has also previously said that the union is asking for a 4% pay increase each year for four years.
The union demanded higher wages and other changes to improve quality of life and workplace accommodations at an Aurora City Council meeting in August.
City officials have previously told The Beacon-News that the city is committed to reaching a “mutually beneficial contract” but that budgetary challenges that have mounted over the last few years have complicated negotiations.
The local union’s members range from engineers, facility workers, accountants, inspectors, account clerks, customer service representatives and more, according to local Vice President Jennifer Olman, who is also on the contract negotiation team. She previously said her unit is made up of 75% women.