8 city unions ink contracts
Eight of the city’s uniformed unions have inked a three-year contract with the de Blasio administration that will guarantee their members a roughly 8% pay increase across the life of the deal, the Daily News has learned.
The uniformed unions are part of a coalition that began quietly negotiating with the city’s Office of Labor Relations several months ago. The coalition includes the Correction Officers Benevolent Association as well as two other Correction Department unions covering captains and wardens.
Also part of the joint effort are the police unions covering captains and lieutenants as well as the Uniformed Fire Officers Association and two unions covering sanitation workers.
The terms largely follow the economic raises included in deals City Hall reached with civilian unions — 2.2%, 2.5% and 3% annually — but it also includes a 1% differential for the uniformed workers, said Correction Officers Benevolent Association President Elias Husamudeen, who serves as the coalition’s spokesman.
“This deal contains no zeros, and no givebacks,” the union leader said. “It’s roughly 8% in pay increases and once we negotiate for longevity, annuities and other things, it will probably be worth more.”
The deal will be retroactive for each of the eight participating unions and covers salaries only. Each union will individually continue to bargain with City Hall over issues unique to its members.
The coalition initially formed with 13 unions some months ago, but several, including the Detectives Endowment Association, chose to drop out. The Police Benevolent Association, representing the city’s rank-andfile cops, was never part of the group.
The PBA is headed for arbitration next month to try to force a contract deal with the city after months of unresolved talks.
The coalition members chose not to wait for the PBA ruling and move ahead with the city to get terms of their own.
Mayor de Blasio’s team initially pressed for a 43-month deal, which would have meant seven months of zero raises, said Husamudeen.
He shot that down and the coalition managed to get the 1% differential above the civilian deal, which Husamudeen successfully negotiated to start on day one of the retroactive deals.
“It’s a good way for all our members to start the holidays,” he said.