Top Baltimore City leaders get new six-figure contracts, DPW workers wait for raises

The deaths of two Baltimore City DPW workers placed a spotlight on their unsafe working conditions and low pay, while top Baltimore leaders were approved for new six-figure contracts. 

Despite pleas some sanitation workers made to city leaders that they cannot feed their families on the low wages, the city has made no announcement yet on pay increases. 

The mayor unveiled his preliminary budget this week.

"I feel like I'm on welfare"

DPW worker Clarence Thomas said at a March 20 hearing that they are doing more work and getting paid at a minimum.

"I feel like I'm on welfare," Thomas said. "You've had guys behind that truck who were homeless doing the job I do right now."

Thomas was one of several workers who made emotional pleas to city council members for more money. 

"Y'all are getting a good salary. You can send your children to college. daycare. We can't do that. We can't do nothing like that, man," DPW worker Reginald Peaks said. "This is not right. This is not fair."

Preliminary budget 

The mayor's preliminary budget was unveiled this week with a $5 million increase for solid waste, including 15 additional crews and two new positions to "ensure employee safety." 

According to a city-provided summary, the Fiscal 2026 Preliminary Budget reflects:

• An overall increase of $5 million in funding for solid waste services. This funding will support six months of continued contractual solid waste staffing for the first half of Fiscal 2026 and creation of 15 additional solid waste crews for the latter half of Fiscal 2026.
• Additional funding ($125,000) for contractual cleaning services and to create two new positions, one in DPW and one in DGS, to mitigate hazards and ensure employee safety at eight solid waste facilities.
• Decreasing funding for tipping fees by $400,000 to reflect current spending trends.
• Decreasing funding ($795,000) for administrative non-personnel costs to reflect current spending trends.
• A net increase of 29 positions in the General Fund for Fiscal 2026. These positions include 10 Solid Waste crews that were created with ARPA funding in Fiscal 2024 and transitioned to the General Fund in Fiscal 2025.
• An overall increase of $34.9 million, or 5.82%, across the Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater utility budgets.
  This reflects anticipated rate increases for the Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Utilities.

Death exposes issues 

It follows the death of Ronald Silver II from heat exhaustion on the job in August 2024. 

The inspector general found, just days before he died, Silver became sick along his route, which contained 1,453 stops. 

The industry average is 950 stops.

In a separate report investigating DPW's culture, the city's inspector general said low pay is a big problem. 

The average solid waste worker earns $42,379 a year and 15 cents an hour for hazard pay.

"They've been getting the same amount of pay for almost 30 years," Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren last month. "We all have to step up and realize, especially now with all the budget cuts and everything, this is the time. We can't push this anymore. We have got to make this department a priority."

The workers face serious hazards on the job.

"I've had guns put in my face—big guns—.357 magnums. I've been bitten by a rat. Almost got jumped," DPW worker Clarence Thomas told the city council.

New contracts for top city leaders 

The AFSCME union representing the sanitation workers told WJZ Thursday they are currently in negotiations with the city, and nothing is final yet as far as a pay increase. 

This week, the city's spending board approved contracts for top city leaders, including :

• $311,000 annually for the police commissioner
• $275,000 annually for the chief administrative officer
• $259,000 annually for the city solicitor
• $224,000 annually for the fire chief
• $252,000 annually for the DPW director

"These salaries are very, very competitive, and we're always going to be looking to get the best talent. Give them, those who are working employees, the kind of salary they need to do the tough work that they do and allow them to stay here," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said during the city's spending board meeting this week, where the contracts were approved. 

The mayor said he closed an $85 million budget gap without reducing services and acknowledged tough economic times.

DPW workers hope there will be enough money to give them a raise.

"I can't even buy eggs," DPW worker Thomas said during the March council meeting. 

Victor Lee Bucks, a DPW worker since 1989, told lawmakers, "All I get from the city is a certificate saying thank you for your service of 35 years. I can't take that certificate to my landlord and pay my rent with that." 

Bucks continued,  "I'm 67 years old. Thank God I'm finally getting social security because without that, I'd be lost, man. I've got to struggle just to make ends meet. But I go to work every day because I got a family to take care of."

WJZ reached out to the mayor's office and will update when we hear back. Again, the union said negotiations are still underway.