September 30, 2025
Milwaukee Mayor Shielded From Questions by Police Union During Arbitration 
The city of Milwaukee Mayor has been shielded from questioning by the Milwaukee Police Association 
Published September 29, 2025

Last Monday, the Milwaukee Police Association entered into arbitration with the city of Milwaukee ahead of the expiration of their 2023-2025 contract. 

The union that represents the Milwaukee Police, Milwaukee Police Association (MPA), has now entered into arbitration for a new contract after repeated delays from the city since early summer of this year, to sit down and talk. MPA President Alex Ayala said the union and the city agreed to pause negotiations until after Act 12 was passed in June 2023.

In an effort to get some more questions answered, the MPA requested to speak with the mayor directly. Particularly about the lack of a pay raise in the past 3 years. 

However, the city denied their request. The city cited that the MPA was merely looking to attack the mayor instead of participating in productive dialogue. (RELATED: Fatal Attack on ICE Agency Building In Dallas)

“The City has serious concerns that the MPA wishes to call the mayor as a witness in an attempt to harass and embarrass him, not elicit relevant testimony,” the city claimed according to Wisconsin Right Now

According to WRN, the MPA also tried to subpoena Mayor Cavalier Johnson to “submit to an examination” by the MPA before the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. However the arbiter in charge of the case, allowed the city to crush the subpoena allowing Mayor Johnson to appear only voluntarily. (RELATED: Waukesha’s Rat Problem Persists as Mayor Reilly Leaves Office With Key Issues Unresolved)  

The city of Milwaukee and Mayor Johnson have been in the crosshairs of State Senator Wanggaard lately as well as the Senator accusing the city of misappropriation of funds. These misappropriations, Wanggaard points out, come at the expense of the police. Not only have the wages not seen an increase, but the Police has only assumed a 11% budget increase paling in comparison to the average 35% increase in other city operations. 

There is a chance that a new contract is not decided on by 2026, however unlikely. The City and the MPA have agreed to not engage in negotiations 45 days after the arbiter has made their decision.