Public Employee Press

Rent Inspectors upgrade earnings

About 10 state Rent Inspectors recently received salary boosts ranging from $3,300 to $6,500 thanks to the union’s push for title upgrades. Rent Regulation Services Employees Local 1359 successfully worked with management at the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal to convince the New York State Civil Service Dept. to agree to the upgradings.

For years, inadequate pay has caused trouble recruiting and retaining Rent Inspectors, whose ranks have plummeted over the past dozen years. “The Pataki administration never considered rent regulation a priority and let the jobs become less attractive,” said Local 1359 President Ralph Carbone. “With a new governor, we hope the agency will start to rebuild the workforce. It’s encouraging that management worked with the union to increase the salaries significantly,” Carbone said.

In arguing for the upgradings, Local 1359 cited the low pay and the growing complexity of the work. Inspectors now use digital cameras and scientific equipment that tests water moisture, temperature and air pressure.

As a result of the upgrading, the salary of Rent Inspector 1 will top out at $45,444 (compared to $38,590 before) and that of Rent Inspector 2 will reach $55,149 (rather than $45,444). The actual raises received by the Local 1359 members varied according to years of services, anniversary dates, longevities, salary increments and other factors. The upgradings were retroactive to April 6, 2006; in addition to their raises, the workers received several thousand dollars of back pay and many became eligible to take civil service promotional exams to advance even further.

“You couldn’t ask for anything more,” said 25-year veteran Kyriakos Cambos, a Rent Inspector 2 in Manhattan who was frustrated because he had ‘maxed out” on the pay scale with no prospect of earning more than contractual raises.

“In a few years, I will be retiring and this will boost my pension. This came right in time for Christmas.”