De Blasio announces labor deal with NYC uniformed superior officers

Worked without a contract since Bloomberg administration

December 10, 2014 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Mayor de Blasio announced a tentative labor deal with the city’s uniformed supervisors, who have been without a contract since 2011 and 2012. Photo screen-captured from Mayor’s Office livestream

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Mayor Bill de Blasio gathered late Tuesday with the heads of the city’s uniformed departments to announce that New York City has reached a tentative contract with the Uniformed Superior Officers Coalition (USOC), eight unions representing 12,000 uniformed supervising officers.

These police, fire, sanitation and corrections supervisors have worked without contracts since 2011 and 2012.

“On January 1 the entire city work force was not under contract,” he reminded reporters at City Hall for the 8 p.m. press conference. “When I hired [Commissioner of the Office of Labor Relations] Bob Linn, I said, ‘Get me to 50 percent by the end of the year.’”

When the agreement is ratified, “71 percent of the city’s work force will be under contract,” de Blasio said.

The deal reflects that the work done by the agencies “is difficult, complex, sensitive and dangerous,” he added.

Captains Endowment Association President Roy Richter said the agreement “was marked by a sense of fairness and the ability to communicate. It acknowledges the service and sacrifice members of this coalition give to the city every day.”

Richter said he was confident that members would ratify the contract.

The tentative agreement reflects previous contracts and adds a one percent raise in December of the first year. The agreement also reflects the health care savings agreed upon with the Municipal Labor Committee.

Under state law, the terms of an expired contract continue until a new agreement is reached; newly negotiated rates are retroactive.

The USOC represents eight unions: the Detectives Endowment Association, Uniformed Fire Officers Association, Lieutenants Benevolent Association, Sanitation Officers Association, Correction Captains Association, Captains Endowment Association, Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Warden Association and Uniformed Sanitation Chiefs Association.

Following the press conference, de Blasio tweeted, “Tonight’s agreement shows that when management and labor approach each other with mutual respect, you get results.”

The proposed seven-year contract would begin, retroactively, on dates ranging from March 2011 to July 2012, and expire after seven years.

The city said the deal would save $3.4 billion in health care costs through Fiscal Year 2018, and $1.3 billion in savings every year thereafter.

The net cost of the tentative settlement will be $413.7 million through FY2018, which is $145 million over previous budget projections.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg had effectively eliminated from the city budget the reserve the city would normally set aside to pay for minor raises. This means the city must pay for the raises and retroactive amount as a lump sum.