City Council employee union nearly official

The City Council is on the brink of recognizing a new union of staff workers, empowering the group to seek better contracts and working conditions for the first time.

Council Speaker Corey Johnson’s office is set to meet with the Association of Legislative Employees in the coming days to iron out the details.

Both sides confirmed Wednesday they’re meeting soon to “to discuss how we can finalize the path towards voluntary recognition for Council member aides.”

“We look forward to collaborative conversations as we work to certify ALE,” they added in their statement.

A majority of Council members recently signed a letter saying they support the union. Lawmakers are expected to vote on the matter to make recognition of the group official.

The talks come some four years after Council staffers — among the lowest-paid members of the municipal workforce — began unionization efforts, which gained steam amid revelations of repeated abuse of staff by former Councilman Andy King (D-Bronx). He was expelled from the body last year.

A majority of the roughly 400 staffers who worked for specific members committed to unionizing at the start of 2020.

Amid delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, their cards expired and a second vote had to be taken. A number of Council members left office in the meantime, with staffers exiting, too. But the aides recommitted to the union near the end of the year.

Along with employees who work for members, about 350 people who work at the Council’s central staff are eligible to join the union, too.

The Association of Legislative Employees is the first organization of its kind in the state, organizers said.

“We were told this probably was impossible, and now here we are and we stuck it out,” said organizer Sarah Crean, who works for Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan).

The new group could spark similar movements outside NewYork City.

“There are so many legislative workers all over the region, let alone the country, who are dealing with a lot of the issues that we’re dealing with,” Crean added.