Over two days in early March, AFSCME Local 1279 brought to a vote a new multi-year contract with their employer, the city of Jacksonville, Florida. For years, too many years, the city’s budget had been balanced on the backs of working families. Though their commitment to serving their communities never wavered, it was tough to keep up with the rising cost of living when their pay never moved for almost eight years. And the strength of the Local suffered along with the members.