AFSCME Council 13 applauds pro-worker budget proposal

HARRISBURG, PA – Members of AFSCME Council 13 are watching closely following Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2026-27 state budget proposal, which includes investments in education, mental health, workforce development, housing, and a $15 minimum wage.

While there is still considerable work to be done before a state budget is finalized, much of Governor Shapiro’s proposal is a statement of pro-worker values that would greatly benefit the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania if enacted.

Council 13 supports the long-overdue raising of the minimum wage to $15 per hour, as well as the governor’s revenue-generating proposals of the legalization of cannabis and regulation of “skill games,” which would benefit AFSCME members working for the Pennsylvania Lottery, the Gaming Control Board, and the Liquor Control Board.

As the union that represents workers on university campuses across Pennsylvania, Council 13 is calling on the governor and legislators to do better than the flat funding of higher education found in this proposal. To meet the academic and economic goals outlined by the governor, adequately funded higher education with a well-supported workforce is vital.

While the governor’s proposal is strong overall, the continued exclusion of a public-sector OSHA policy from the budget is deeply disappointing. In just the last couple of years, we have seen too many Council 13 members lose their lives while on the job. In their honor, we will not relent in our decades-long fight to enact legislation that finally provides public service workers with safety protections equal to those guaranteed to private-sector workers under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 

“AFSCME Council 13 members are the folks who dutifully deliver the public services to the residents of the Commonwealth that are funded through the state budget, and our voices will be heard throughout this process as legislators debate and negotiate,” said Council 13 Administrator Jim Howell.

“The state budget not only impacts services provided by employees of the Commonwealth, but also crucial services in our counties, municipalities, and school districts, all of which are powered by AFSCME members, and we will continue to stay engaged in this process.”

Find a full analysis of the governor’s proposal here.