D.C. Workers Rally for Fair Budget and Living Wages Amid Cuts

Public Workers in D.C. Rally for Fair Wages Amid Budget Cuts

In a passionate demonstration to secure fair compensation, public service workers in the District of Columbia gathered last week to advocate for a budget that recognizes their vital contributions with a living wage.

Evita Pass, a member of AFSCME District Council 20, highlighted the growing challenges faced by her colleagues. "Turnover feels much higher now than when I started almost 10 years ago," she shared. As an education aide for the District of Columbia Public Schools, Pass noted, "Many of my co-workers simply can't afford to maintain the high level of care our students need as we are struggling to ensure our families have those same opportunities."

Pass expressed concern that proposed budget cuts could exacerbate these issues, reducing future raises and further affecting staffing levels. "With the high cost of everything — food, gas, housing, electricity — it’s going to be hard to find qualified professionals with the necessary skills for these jobs," she added.

Ernestine Miles, a trustee of District Council 20 and a health care administrator with the D.C. Department of Health Care Finance, echoed these concerns. "Investing in public service workers makes it possible for people like me — and so many other D.C. workers — to continue affording to do public service work in the city we serve," Miles stated.

The rally was staged outside the Wilson Building where union leaders, including Arthur Slade, vice president of AFSCME Local 2743, testified before the Committee of the Whole. They addressed the potential impact of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget cuts, which include $127 million in reduced funding for future collectively bargained raises for city workers. This budget decision poses a significant threat to thousands of D.C. government workers who are already contending with high living costs while striving to provide essential services.

In addition to union leaders, the rally featured speeches from other union figures and D.C. Councilmembers Robert White and Janeese Lewis George, as well as D.C. City Council At-Large candidate Dyana Forester, all advocating for a budget that supports the city's public workforce.