By Bill Parry
The city has reached a tentative five-year agreement with the union representing the majority of NYPD officers, bringing the entire uniformed union workforce under contract.
Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement with his nemesis, Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch, by his side Tuesday on the deal that will advance important policing reforms, including the outfitting of all NYPD patrol officers with the body cameras by the end of 2019.
“This agreement is the result of many hours spent negotiating between the city and the PBA, once again demonstrating the power of collective bargaining,” de Blasio said. “It doesn’t matter how far apart the parties start; it matters where they end up. This agreement provides compensation and benefits the world’s finest police department deserves, while outfitting the entire force with body cameras and delivering the transparency and policing reforms at the center of effective and trusted law enforcement.”
If ratified by the 23,810 rank-and-file officers, the PBA will be under contract for the first time in five years. The relationship between de Blasio and the PBA sank to its lowest depth as thousands of officers turned their backs on the mayor as he eulogized slain cop Rafael Ramos at the Christ Tabernacle Church in Glendale in December 2014.
“New York City police officers are no better than anyone else, but we are different,” Lynch said. “We perform the most difficult police job anywhere in the world, and the challenges and dangers we face each day continue to grow. The agreement that we announce today recognizes those challenges and continues to move New York City police officers towards a package of compensation and benefits that is equal to our status as the finest police officers in the nation. It has been a long and arduous process, but we are grateful that Mayor de Blasio and his team sat down with us and negotiated in good faith to achieve this agreement.”
Wage increase will be11.73 percent over seven years when combined with the previous two-year arbitration awards reached in 2015. Officers who take part in the community policing program will receive an additional 2.25 percent of their base salary and the average officer will receive $12,235 in retroactive pay according to negotiators.
Officers with 1 1/2 years of service will now make $42,500 and $85,292 after 5 1/2 years of service. The city and the PBA have agreed to jointly support state legislation which would provide 75 percent of salary in the event of disability and the PBA agreed to drop all litigation against the city.
“With this contract settled, the country’s finest police department can keep doing the great work the NYPD has long been known for,” Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill said. “Devoting all of our energy to fight crime, keeping the city safe, and continuing to build trust with the community.”
Because the tentative $336.7 million deal would be retroactive to 2012, the contract will expire in July, meaning the city and the PBA will be back at the negotiating table. No new talks have been scheduled, officials said.
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparr
