‘Give us a 35 per cent increase’: Inside Workers’ Union leader on City Council’s pending pay hike

As CTV London’s Daryl Newcombe reports, city councillors are poised to earn a 35% pay increase. But there is opposition.

The President of CUPE Local 101, who represents London City Hall’s inside workers, says his members deserve the same pay increase that city councillors are considering for next term.

“Give us a 35 per cent increase, I’m more than willing to accept that!” Steve Holland told CTV News.

Holland said this week’s recommendation by the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) that the base pay for a city councillor rise from $69,783 to $94,222 after the 2026 election, sets new expectations for his membership’s compensation.

“Our contract ends next year. So yes, absolutely that would be something that we would bring up,” he said about upcoming collective bargaining.

“If it’s good for the goose, it’s good for the gander.”

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis rejects Holland’s argument about parity.

“We don’t have all of the benefits of union rights. We don’t even have E.I. (like) union members do. We’re not covered by WSIB and those sorts of things,” Lewis explained.

“So frankly, he’s comparing apples to watermelons.”

The deputy mayor added, “They are two very different roles, one is the governance and management of a $1.3 billion a year corporation, and the other is the individual jobs that implement that direction to make those things happens.”

Lewis suggested a better comparison can be made with the compensation paid to council members in other Ontario municipalities.

“We’re still below Hamilton, Burlington, Brampton, Ottawa, Toronto. When you look at the single-tier municipalities, London councillors will still be among the lowest paid,” he said.

“We’re underpaid,” countered Holland.

“We aren’t paid as much as other (municipalities’ unionized employees). So, if you really want to use that argument, then when we bring it up in collective bargaining, please also support us then.”

Lewis has his own thoughts about equivalent pay increases during upcoming collective bargaining.

He doubts CUPE Local 101 members would accept all of the same employment conditions as city councillors.

“I’d be open to having that discussion with CUPE 101 provided they are coming to the table understanding this not just about the pay increase, but their collective bargaining rights would go out the window, every four years they can be replaced at our discretion, and their severance is capped at four weeks,” Lewis said.

On Tuesday, a majority of SPPC members supported an independent task force’s recommendation to boost a Councillor’s base pay from the median (50th percentile) full-time employment income in London to the 70th percentile, plus four per cent more for chairing a Standing Committee and eight per cent more for councillors appointed to the Deputy Mayor and Budget Chair positions.

However, they disagreed with the task force’s recommendation not to provide politicians with severance pay.

Instead, a motion by Coun. Elizabeth Peloza proposed that a councillor who fails to be re-elected receive one week’s additional pay for every year of service on council, to a maximum of four weeks.

Councillors who do not seek re-election or who vacate their seat for any other reason would not be eligible for severance.

But Holland pointed out that councillors put their name on a ballot knowing they might lose.

“This is an elected position. You don’t stay in it forever. So, I think that (severance pay) is overkill,” Holland said.

The final report from the task force describes the position of a councillor as a full-time service role but acknowledges there is no legislation requiring a minimum number of hours of work, nor are they prevented from working an additional job.

“It is a part time gig. It will still continue to be a part time gig,” said Holland.

“There are some (councillors) who barely do it as a part-time gig, so I think we really need to look at that.”

Lewis believes candidates in the 2026 municipal election should be prepared to leave their full-time jobs if elected.

“This is a full-time responsibility and a full-time job,” he said.

“Yes, I do expect people who put their name on a ballot to make a full-time commitment for the next four years to the City of London.”

“I appreciate where he’s coming from, but it’s a part-time job,” said Holland.

“Maybe some of the issue is that there are some councillors who are not doing as much work, and there are some that are overperforming.”

Lewis said he’s received very little negative feedback from the public regarding the changes to council compensation.

“Almost none. Very little,” he said.

“There’s a lot of residents out there who recognize this is a tough job, that it is a full-time job, and that it needs to be paid accordingly.”

Council will make a final decision about Councillor compensation and severance pay on Nov. 4.