Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a tentative five-year agreement between CUNY and three unions. The move will cover over 10,000 employees, including custodial staff, college assistants, IT and public safety officers.
“From public safety officers and nurses keeping our campuses safe and our students healthy to the custodial staff, clerical workers and IT experts that keep our facilities running, staff employees are part of the backbone of the CUNY system,” CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said.
Pending approval by the CUNY Board of Trustees and ratification by the unions, the agreement is set to provide wage increases of 14.9% over the contract duration, a ratification bonus of $3,000 and an increase in minimum wage to $18, according to CUNY.
The agreement also promises an annual per person increase in welfare fund payments, supporting critical employee benefits such as dental insurance, vision coverage and tuition reimbursement for active and retired employees.
All three unions will receive 2.5% annual raises for the first two years at the start of the contract in 2021. In 2023 and 2024, there will be 3% raises, followed by a 3.125% increase in 2025. The specific dates differ among the unions: Teamsters Local 237, District Council 37 and SEIU Local 300.
Teamsters Local 237 and District Council 37 aim to address retention issues among campus peace officers.
Before the pandemic, CUNY staffed about 900 campus peace officers and 600 campus security assistants across 25 campuses, according to The Chief. By 2022, the number decreased to 600 peace officers and half the number of campus security assistants.
The shortage is attributed to low pay, leading some campus peace officers, who can make arrests, to seek employment in other law enforcement roles.
Teamsters Local 237’s agreement, effective from Sept. 19, 2021, to July 15, 2027, shortens the time for campus peace officers to reach the top salary from seven years to five years. The top salary is set to increase from $42,085 to $58,516 by the end of the contract, according to the union.
“This was a difficult negotiation, but with the collective efforts of Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams and CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodríguez, we have reached an agreement to bring to our members,” Teamsters Local 237 President Gregory Floyd said.
The agreement for District Council 37 and its eight locals commences on June 1, 2021 and concludes on Jan. 9, 2027.
“Our members in the CUNY system demonstrated their unwavering resiliency during the pandemic and deserve a contract that reflects their efforts,” District Council 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido said.
The pact of SEIU Local 300, which represents purchasing agents and associate purchasing agents in the public university system, will last from Mar. 1, 2021 to June 19, 2026.
“New York City is nothing without its workers,” said SEIU Local 300 President Jim Golden.
