Memphis City Councilmember Yolanda Cooper-Sutton is facing criticism after using the word “rape” to describe how she believes employee groups approach city budget negotiations.
Her comments came during debate over a proposed 2% raise for Memphis firefighters.
The raise would restore the part of a two-year, 5% annual raise sequence that was reduced during this year’s budget cycle.
Firefighters received a 3% raise in 2025 instead of the agreed-upon 5%.
Their association later filed a lawsuit saying the city did not honor the 2024 memorandum of understanding.
The 2% under consideration would bring firefighter pay back to the level outlined in that agreement.
Cooper-Sutton said she believed the city’s finances were strained and criticized what she described as repeated demands from employee groups.
During her remarks, she said, “Everybody just wants, wants [to] rape this city. The same players, the same faces come here and you rape, and you rape, and you take, and you take.”
In a statement, the Memphis Fire Fighters Association said firefighters are only seeking the 2% that was removed.
The association said, “They don’t rape our city; they serve our city,” and described firefighters’ daily work as “service and sacrifice… second to none.”
The group said comparing the effort to restore a previously approved raise to rape was “shameful, reckless and unethical.”
The association also said the council “failed to honor its own vote” from 2024.
