(The Center Square) — Thousands of New York City workers will be getting retroactive pay raises and bonuses under a tentative five-year, $293 million contract between Mayor Eric Adams and one of the city’s major public employee unions.
The agreement with Teamsters Local 237, which the union’s rank-and-file membership must still ratify, covers about 9,000 city workers and would provide annual raises of 3% over the next three years, rising to 3.25% by 2026, according to the Adams administration.
The pay raises, which are retroactive to April 2022, would amount to a compounded 16.21% increase in compensation over the five-year term of the contract.
“This agreement provides for fair wage increases and a quicker route to top pay to ensure we continue to recruit and retain the top talent for the best workforce in the best city in the world,” Adams said in a statement.
The agreement also would give workers a one-time $3,000 “retention” bonus once the contract is ratified by the union’s membership, which includes municipal employees ranging from school safety officers to hospital security guards.
It also includes an enhanced salary schedule for school safety officers, allowing them to hit the top pay scale after five years of service instead of seven years.
The contract also covers custodians, bridge operators, New York City Department of Education food service managers, custodians, supervising special officers, evidence and property control specialists, taxi limousine inspectors, and stock workers.
Renee Campion, commissioner of the city’s Office of Labor Relations, said the tentative contract “takes important steps to improve the compensation of our school safety agents and special officers so we can better recruit and retain these valuable employees.”
Teamsters’ Local 237 President Gregory Floyd said the contract is a “victory” for workers that “underscores the importance of solidarity as union members.”
“Our members, who work tirelessly to help keep the city up and running, now know that their efforts are recognized and rewarded,” he said in a statement.
The collective bargaining agreement is the latest labor deal brokered by Adams, following approved contracts with District Council 37, the Police Benevolent Association, and the United Federation of Teachers.
The Adams administration said those contractual agreements cover roughly 80% of the city’s public sector workforce.
Critics have pointed out that the agreements don’t appear to include significant concessions from organized labor when the city is being forced to cut spending amid rising expenditures.
