Statements at a City Council meeting Monday revealed a large gap between the wage demands of the city’s nonuniformed workers’ union and what the city is willing to pay.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local is asking for a raise of 12% per year over three years, while the city has offered 4% per year, according to Human Resources Director Christina Notarfrancesco, who spoke after a presentation from Scott Campanaro, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local.

The union is asking for so much “to make up what’s been lost,” due to inflation during the past several years that has reduced purchasing power by 25%, said Campanaro, citing estimates from a national financial magazine.

“It may seem like sticker shock,” Campanaro said. “But it’s not greed.”

A significant number of the nonuniformed employees are working two and even three jobs to make ends meet, Campanaro said.

Some workers at the meeting raised their hands to indicate that they were employed in multiple jobs.

“It’s a unique ask at a unique time,” Campanaro said of union demand.

But the city’s offer is “a fair response and sustainable,” Notarfrancesco replied.

Acceding to the demand of the union would likely result in a return of “state oversight,” Notarfrancesco said, referring to the city’s participation between 2012 and 2017 in Pennsylvania’s Act 47 distressed municipalities program.

Granting the union raise would be “fiscally irresponsible and an overburden for the taxpayers,” she added.

Per capita payroll costs for Altoona are low compared to peer cities in the states, according to Campanaro, citing the city’s recently completed comprehensive plan.

His workers’ wages are also lower than in the private sector, he said.

“It’s a big number,” Campanaro acknowledged of the requested increase.

“It’s a painful thing,” he said of the impasse.

The AFSCME contract expires at the end of the year.

The city’s contracts with the police and firefighters’ unions expire at the end of 2025.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.