Aurora highway workers call for fair compensation for essential work

AURORA, NY (10/22/2026) (readMedia)-- CSEA members employed by the Town of Aurora will hold an informational picket at 5 p.m. on Monday, October 26, before the Town Board meeting at Town Hall, 575 Oakwood Ave., East Aurora, NY 14052. They will call attention to the essential work they perform for the community and the need for fair compensation.

These are the workers who maintain Aurora's roads and plow them when severe weather hits. Their work helps residents get where they need to go and keeps roads passable during difficult conditions. The Unit has a residency requirement, so these workers live in the Town of Aurora and are taxpayers in the community they serve.

"Residents count on this crew when the snow is coming down and the roads need to be cleared so they can get to their own jobs," said Unit President Sean Chamberlin. "The work is demanding and important to this community. We're asking for an agreement that fairly recognizes the work this crew does for the Town of Aurora."

CSEA members voted against a tentative agreement on September 8. The proposal included annual wage increases, but members had concerns about the overall package, including the health insurance provision. Although the proposal would have increased the Town's maximum contribution toward premiums each year, that contribution would still be capped. If premiums rise faster than the cap, employees would be responsible for the difference, making it difficult to know what their share might be over the life of the agreement.

"As a representative for multiple bargaining units in Erie County, the Town of Aurora is the only one with a capped Town contribution toward health insurance. That leaves members exposed to rising costs above the cap, an unfair burden for the workers who serve this community year-round," said Bill Wilkinson, president of CSEA Erie County Local 815 and CSEA Region 6 third vice president.

The union is seeking a fair successor agreement that recognizes the employees' contributions to the Town. Community members are invited to attend the informational picket and learn more.