TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa City Council is expected to discuss ratifying new contracts for city workers, including police and fire, that would raise wages by 18.5 percent during the next three years.

"It's the highest wage rate increase that we've ever had," said Stephen Simon, president and business agent for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1464, whose members would be among those impacted.

According to the city, a tentative agreement was also approved by the Police Benevolent Association, and IAFF Local 754 President Andrew Carter said firefighters approved their agreement earlier this week. The contracts provide for a 9.5% raise in the first year and 4.5% increases in the second and third years. The city said last week the agreements were reached months earlier than any time in modern Tampa history.

"This actually helps solidify the budget," Carter said. "Many times, we negotiate our contracts, and it takes so long that we're working without a contract. So, this is one of the first times in my roughly 15 years that we've actually reached an agreement prior to the expiration."

The city said it was a goal to finish the agreements sooner than usual so they could be considered as part of the next budget.

“We can’t achieve excellence as a city without excellent employees,” Mayor Jane Castor is quoted as saying in a city press release. “Inflation has hit Tampa Bay harder than much of the country, and I felt it was important to stand behind the men and women who serve our residents so well. While many people worked from home through much of the pandemic, City of Tampa employees remained on the front lines, fixing broken pipes, testing our water, collecting our trash and recycling and saving lives. To keep Tampa resilient, we need to be able to recruit and retain outstanding employees, so this raise is both necessary and well-deserved.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics's Consumer Price Index, prices rose 11.3% in Tampa Bay from May 2021-May 2022, more than the 8.6% increase seen nationwide during that same time period.

"Everyone loves the contract that we got," said Simon. He said ATU's members work in every city department, from water to human resources. "They're overwhelmingly happy to settle upon what we did, with the inflation rates having gone up so high, and they are willing to actually give us raises that coincide with the rate of inflation. It gives us a sense of security, also."

Carter said the raises are expected to help with recruiting and retaining workers, something he said is a nationwide challenge in the fire service.

"When it comes to living inside the city, it's a challenge, and we've seen it. Tampa Bay housing market has increased exponentially on their value. So, trying to afford to make ends meet, this helps. This is what the city has shown as a very employee first contract. It puts us first to allow us to cover the increases in rent, cover the higher-than-expected costs when it comes to fuel at the pumps to come to work," Carter said.

Thursday's city council meeting begins at 9 a.m.