DC workers unite to support Fair Compare Act

Union leaders representing District administrative workers, nurses, firemen and police all came together Wednesday to testify in favor of the Fair Compare Act, which seeks to make DC government worker wages more nationally competitive. Councilmember Elisa Silverman chaired the hearing, which also included testimony from Ventris C. Gibson, Director for the DC Department of Human Resources. Gibson spoke in opposition to the legislation, which would allow District bargaining units to compare salaries to similarly situated urban cities like Philadelphia, Seattle, and New York during contract negotiations. Current regulations require comparison only to workers in the region, which the union leaders say keeps wages artificially low. Favorable comments by Labor and Workforce Development Councilmember Silverman sparked optimism for passage of the bill.
​- David Stephens; photo: representatives of the Metro Washington Council, AFSCME Council 20, MPD FOP, IAFF 36, NAGE