NEW YORK (PIX11) — Nearly 100,000 911 operators, school lunch servers, social workers and many more New York City workers are getting a raise — and some will even get to work remotely.
Mayor Eric Adams said he has struck a tentative deal with the DC 37 union, which represents about a thousand different types of employees across the city with a wide range of salaries.
“It’s a great deal for workers, and fair to city taxpayers,” Adams declared.
The agreement, if ratified, will include four annual 3% raises retroactive to 2021 and then a fifth raise of 3.25%.
It will raise the minimum wage for union members to $18 per hour and includes a $3,000 signing bonus.
The city and DC 37 will also create a $3 million annual child care fund, as well as a $70 million “equity” fund to hire and maintain workers in positions that have been difficult to retain.
However, union members, unlike most in the private sector, still will not have to contribute to their health care plans. The 3% raises are more than the mayor’s office had tentatively budgeted for — other unions will expect similar.
DC 37 is promising to continue to work with the mayor’s office to cut costs through building health care relationships with doctors and hospitals and cutting prescription drug deals.
Finally, the mayor, who has been opposed to remote work in general, will begin to allow it. He agreed to a committee to explore best practices and a pilot program beginning in the spring.
The agreement really sets the stage for what will likely be more contentious battles with other unions, especially police officers.
The NYPD rank-and-file have been without a contract since 2017 and are in state-sponsored arbitration with the city. A new police contract will likely cost the city big bucks, and a sizeable progressive faction of the City Council is opposed to new police dollars.
