Less than two weeks before Election Day, Mayor Bloomberg struck a deal on the last major union contract facing the city, announcing an agreement with firefighters that gives them a 17.1 percent pay hike over 50 months.
The contract substantially cuts starting pay for new recruits, as was done with the NYPD, but firefighters will see it climb quickly after they finish basic training and be in better financial shape after five years than they currently would be.
“There has never been any question that these brave men and women deserve a raise,” Bloomberg said at the announcement, in City Hall’s Blue Room, of the contract with the Bravest, who have been working without a contract since June 2002.
If ratified by the nearly 9,000 rank-and-file firefighters, the new contract would immediately pump an average of $15,000 to wallets of the approximately 8,700 firefighters, fire marshals and other department employees, officials said.
“Because this is a contract that is overwhelmingly retroactive . . . all of the increases kick in,” said city Labor Relations boss Jim Hanley.
The lump sum comprises a 5 percent hike effective June 2002; another 5 percent increase retroactive to June 2003; 3 percent effective August 2004; and 3.15 percent effective August 2005.
The 50-month deal covers a period that expires next July.
By next year, the contract will cost the city an additional $168 million.
The FDNY union got a much-sought-after continuation of a five-year staffing agreement to increase the number of five-man companies from 60 to 64, but also made concessions.
The union agreed to lower starting salaries from the current $36,000 to $25,100, give up a 15-hour leave tour, and FDNY officials retain the right to assign firefighters to non-firefighting duties.
On the plus side for union members, after five years their minimum pay would go to $63,309 from the current $54,000.
Uniformed Firefighters Association President Steve Cassidy said that while negotiations were strenuous, the union had made great strides.
“I don’t believe that New York City can ever pay firefighters what they’re truly worth, but certainly today we took a step in the right direction,” he said.
“For the next five years, the City of New York will be adequately protected with five-man engine companies. We’ll be better protected than we were yesterday,” Cassidy added.
Meanwhile, there are still several smaller municipal unions still without contracts, including unions that represent police detectives, lieutenants and captains, as well as higher-ups in the Correction and Sanitation departments.
Nurses and principals also don’t have contracts yet.
“The vast bulk of the city’s 300,000 employees – assuming these contracts get ratified – will be receiving checks,” the mayor added.
In the past month, the Bloomberg administration has reached labor agreements with the teachers union, sanitation workers and police sergeants.
An arbitration panel awarded police officers a 10.25 pay increase and also reduced the salary of police recruits to $25,100.
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Climbing the pay ladder
Key points of the new FDNY contract:
* 17.1 percent pay hike over 50 months
* Increases number of five-man engine companies
* Raises cleaning allowance to $100
* New hires get additional $1,150 annuity
* Lawsuits on staffing withdrawn
* Firefighters can be assigned to non-firefighting duty as needed
Recruit
Old: $36,878
New: $25,100
Senior (mininum)
Old: $54,048
New: $63,309