Public Employee Press

1% Pay Hike

Productivity cost savings to fund
additional increase

Close to 100,000 members will see an extra
1 percent in their paychecks beginning this summer under an agreement concluded June 28 between District Council 37 and the city.

Later that day, Executive Director Lillian Roberts announced the pact at a special gathering of local presidents and to enthusiastic applause at the regular monthly meeting of the DC 37 Delegates Council.

The agreement with the Bloomberg administration calls for implementing the additional 1 percent increase that the 2002-2005 economic contract provided on the condition that a joint union-city committee could find sufficient productivity savings. Roberts and Deputy Mayor Mark Shaw led the joint effort.

“It has been a long hard struggle to achieve this
1 percent, but we were confident we could do it,” said Roberts. “I am pleased that the administration listened seriously to our proposals. Ultimately, both sides were able to agree on a way to fund this additional pay increase without any givebacks. We also gained in our campaign to have public jobs done by public employees,” said Roberts.

Higher pay starts this summer
The June 28 agreement, which capped more than six months of discussions, came at a meeting between Roberts and city Labor Relations Commissioner James Hanley. The increase should go into regular paychecks over the summer, probably in August. Payments retroactive to July 1, 2004 are targeted for September.

“The agreement reflects the fact that we presented a package of identifiable and measurable cost savings and productivity initiatives,” said DC 37 Research and Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan.

The savings sources identified in the agreement include increasing civilianization in the Police Dept., replacing outside contractors with city employees in many clerical and computer positions, and mutual efforts to reduce the use of paid sick leave.

Union-city discussions on the extra 1 percent payment intensified as the contract expiration date of June 30 approached. At the union’s mayoral forum on May 19, hundreds of members cheered as Bloomberg said that within a few weeks he and Roberts would be making an announcement that would please members.

DC 37 has already sent the city a formal request to begin negotiations on a new economic agreement. Meanwhile, the terms of the 2002-05 pact will remain in effect.

2004 increase now totals 3%
The implementation of the extra 1 percent increase does not require a ratification vote, because the raise is part of the economic pact that members ratified by an 89 percent yes vote in 2004. The 2002-2005 contract included a $1,000 bonus upon ratification, a 3 percent raise retroactive to July 1, 2003, and a 2 percent raise on July 1, 2004. The additional 1 percent brings the July 1, 2004 total to 3 percent.

In addition to Roberts and Sullivan, the union team in the talks included Associate Director Oliver Gray, Assistant Associate Director Henry A. Garrido, Associate Director Evelyn Seinfeld and Assistant Director Michael Musuraca of the Research and Negotiations Dept. and Director Eddie Demmings and Associate Director Mary O’Connell of the Legal Dept.

How much is it?
The additional 1 percent raise will be calculated based on June 30, 2004, salaries. For a Clerical Associate now making $24,155 a year, the 1 percent will add approximately $235 to annual pay, according to the DC 37 Research and Negotiations Dept. For a Patient Care Technician at $28,981 the raise will be $281. A Betting Clerk at $35,188 will get $342, an Assistant Engineer at $46,763 will get $454, and an Architect at $55,511 will get $539.

The 1 percent will apply to base pay, minimums and maximums, incremental salary levels and additions to gross pay, such as uniform and other allowances; assignment, night shift and other differentials; advancement increases; longevity increments and recurring increment payments — but it will not apply to the $800 15-year longevity increments.

Who is covered?
The 1 percent raise will go to DC 37 employees covered by the economic agreement at mayoral agencies, the Health and Hospitals Corp. and the Off-Track Betting Corp., the Dept. of Education, Housing Authority, cultural institutions and the three library systems.

The union is seeking similar agreements for payment of the 1 percent at agencies that have separate contracts with 1 percent provisions, such as the Transit, School Construction and Triborough Bridge and Tunnel authorities.

Not covered are TBTA Maintainers, employees at the City University of New York and in the state court system and the state rent unit.