Aurora City Employees Demand 'Fair Contract' in Picket Outside City Hall

Union members march and chant for better pay and benefits as contract negotiations stall with city officials.

Mar. 11, 2026 at 8:52pm

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A union of roughly 180 Aurora city employees, represented by Local 3298 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, picketed outside City Hall on Tuesday evening to demand a "fair contract" as their previous contract expired at the end of 2024 and negotiations have stalled with the city.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights the ongoing challenges facing municipal governments and public sector unions in negotiating competitive compensation packages, especially in the wake of budget shortfalls. The picket also shines a light on concerns over gender pay equity, as the union represents a workforce that is 75% women.

The details

Union members marched in a circle outside City Hall, holding signs saying 'Fair Contract Now' and chanting slogans like 'Union power' and 'Aurora is a union town.' They then went inside to sit in the audience and display their signs during the City Council meeting. The union is asking for a 4% pay increase each year for four years, as well as changes to contract language to minimize labor disputes. City officials say they have engaged in good-faith negotiations but that last year's budget shortfalls made the process challenging.

  • The union's contract with the city expired at the end of 2024.
  • Contract negotiations between the union and city have been ongoing since January 2025.

The players

Local 3298 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

A union representing roughly 180 Aurora city employees across various departments, including telecommunications, records, finance, customer service, building inspections, and animal control.

Jim French

Union President and Fire Inspector for Local 3298.

Jennifer Olman

Vice President of Local 3298, which represents a workforce that is 75% women.

Aurora City Council

The governing body of the city of Aurora, Illinois.

City of Aurora

The municipal government of Aurora, Illinois, which has been negotiating a new contract with Local 3298.

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What they’re saying

“It is 'disturbing' that her unit, which is made up of 75% women, has to fight for the same pay the city already gave other groups of employees made up of mostly men.”

— Jennifer Olman, Vice President, Local 3298 (News release)

What’s next

Negotiations between the union and city officials are at a standstill, according to union president Jim French, who said the union is not getting the response it would like from city staff. The next step will be for the City Council to decide whether to accept the union's contract demands.

The takeaway

This labor dispute reflects the broader challenges facing municipal governments and public sector unions as they negotiate compensation packages, particularly in the wake of pandemic-related budget shortfalls. It also highlights concerns over gender pay equity, as the predominantly female workforce of Local 3298 fights for the same pay as other city employee groups.