Public Employee Press

Why DC 37 members need and deserve a raise

Since 2007, the city has generated $6.2 billion in savings by carrying out 11 rounds of cuts in its ongoing deficit-reduction plan, known as the Program to Eliminate the Gap. Through this program, the city has managed to balance the budget. But this has occurred at a great cost: thousands of jobs lost through attrition and layoffs and a marked decline in frontline services provided by DC 37 members.

Key reasons for a pay increase

• Inflation: Since March 2009 - the last time our members had a major increase - the Consumer Price Index has increased by 7.9 percent. Members need an increase just to keep up with the rising cost of living.
• Productivity: Layoffs and attrition have reduced the city workforce by thousands over the past few years, forcing members to do more with less. Members have consistently risen to the challenge, delivering the same or even more services with fewer coworkers.
• Overtime: The city spent $1.2 billion on overtime in fiscal year 2012. Better management of overtime and a reduction in excessive overtime would provide substantial savings to help fund a raise.
• Privatization: The city spends billions of dollars annually to employ consultants to do the work of our members and other public employees. Many contracts have annual cost escalators. But DC 37 member haven't received a raise in 3½ years. Cancellation of the contracts and bringing the work in house would provide savings to help fund raises.
• New revenue: In recent years, DC 37 has provided the city with several proposals to bring in extra revenue by collecting unpaid taxes and fees and tapping new funding sources. The city itself estimates the hiring of more than 60 auditors will generate $350 million between fiscal year 2012 and fiscal year 2014.

The city wants to use the state's five-year contract with three years of zeros as a model for the new economic agreement for municipal employees. But its proposal amounts to comparing apples to oranges. State workers receive annual step-pay increases even when they don't get collectively-bargained raises. Our members do not.

Source: DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept.