Mayor Announces Living Wage Increase For Seasonal Employees

Mayor Byron W. Brown today announced that City of Buffalo seasonal employees will receive Living Wage salary increases.  The action will affect 92 current employees in 6 city departments.  The Mayor today submitted a budget and personnel amendment to the Common Council, which will increase the affected employees’ salaries.

The City of Buffalo passed the Living Wage ordinance in July 1999, which calls for $11.11 per hour (without benefits) for the seasonal workers.

“My Administration was successful in the lifting of the state Control Board-imposed wage freeze for all City employees and, with the Control Board’s passage this past Monday of the Crossing Guards’ contract, I believe it is now time to give our City’s seasonal workers a salary increase that conforms to the Living Wage,” said Mayor Brown.

Mayor Brown called for the lifting of the state Control Board-imposed wage freeze on May 8, 2007, the Control Board voted to lift the wage freeze on June 5, 2007 and it took effect on July 1, 2007.

The Living Wage increase for the seasonal city employees will be retroactive to July 1, 2007 when the wage freeze was lifted.  The increase will cost $350,204.92, which is currently funded in the City’s personal services account and therefore does not require Control Board approval.

Seasonal City employees affected by the increase: