Houston Mayor John Whitmire has reached a tentative agreement with the Houston Organization of Public Employees Local 123 Union.

What you need to know

HOPE is a labor union that represents approximately 11,000 of the city’s municipal employees, ranging from public works and solid waste crews to human resources and parks and recreation.

The organization has been in negotiation talks with Whitmire’s administration since April, looking to make changes to the union’s upcoming contract renewal.

During a news conference Sept. 23, Whitmire announced the terms of the new three-year contract.

  • The city’s minimum wage will increase from $15 to $18 over the next two years
  • Retirees over the age of 60 will be able to retain city insurance for five years or until Medicare eligibility
  • First-year workers will see a $3,000 salary increase
  • All employees will see a 3.5% raise in 2025 and 2026
  • Employees will also see an increase in pay for bilingual skills and longevity
Whitmire said the costs accrued for the first round of pay raises is included in Houston’s budget for fiscal year 2024-25, which was approved in June. For the rest of the contract term, Whitmire said it will be met year by year.

“This agreement will significantly improve the lives our city employees and their families," he said. "It’s a really exciting day to get a settlement on a new contract that treats all Houstonians fair, but particularly emphasizes the importance our municipal employees play in this great city."

What they’re saying

HOPE President Sonia Rico said the new contract is a huge win for all municipal employees.

“We work every emergency and we respond sometimes before even fire and police can do their job,” she said. “We are the unsung heroes in the background and we have been left behind for so long, but with our new mayor we have made some huge changes... we have a lot of confidence that the best is yet to come for us.”

Hany Khalil, Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation executive director, congratulated HOPE and Whitmire’s administration for creating a fair deal.

“City workers are the engines that drive our city,” he said. “They have come together, they have organized, they have planned and they have worked hard to bring reasonable proposals to the administration and this administration listened. This is a good contract.”

Next steps

The tentative agreement will need to be approved by the majority of HOPE members and then by Houston City Council’s Labor Committee before appearing to city council for the final vote.

If approved, the contract will go into effect immediately. The three-year contract will expire in the summer of 2027.