Sanitation strike looms large as Durham holds final community budget meeting

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The City of Durham is holding its final of four Community Conversation meeting to get the public's opinion on issues important to them in the upcoming budget.

Tuesday's meeting is virtual and scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

A Durham spokesperson said between 75 and 100 people have attended the previous meetings and topics at those meetings have ranged from affordable housing to public safety.

The gathering comes after tense moments in the Bull City, which brought one city service to a standstill.

Firefighters and sanitation workers have been some of the strongest voices in pushing for wage increases.

Sanitation workers ended up walking off the job in September. More than 88,000 households were impacted.

City leaders had to turn to contractors to handle some trash pickup duties.

Eventually, workers returned to the job and they, among other city employees, were given a one-time bonus ranging from $500 to $5,000 based on salary.

City workers rallied for better wages again two weeks ago on MLK day and asked specifically for workers to make at least $25 an hour.

"That's not too much to ask when they just gave (themselves) a $10,000 (salary) increase. We're asking for $25. C'mon now," UE150 Durham City Worker Union Financial Secretary Donald Quick said.

Quick is referring to the 2021 decision when the Durham City Council voted to give themselves a raise of $10,000.

At the time, they said increasing the part-time salary of the mayor to roughly $41,000 and $35,000 for council member salaries would enable more people to run for office.