New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Office of Labor Relations (OLR) Commissioner Renee Campion announced on Saturday, Oct. 21, that the City of New York has reached a tentative five-plus-year contract agreement with the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA). They said the agreement will cover approximately 6,400 municipal employees, bringing the total workforce under contract, once ratified, to approximately 88 percent.

 

According to City officials, the five-year, two-month agreement is retroactive, effective from Jan. 29 [2023] and will expire on March 29, 2028. They said it conforms to the civilian pattern established under the contracts with District Council 37 (DC 37) and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), with wage increases of between 3 percent and 3.5 percent. They said it would also provide a ratification bonus of $3,000 to all members, and annual payments each December to promote employee retention.

 

In the context of the announcement, Adams said, “I am proud to announce that the City of New York has reached a tentative five-plus-year contract agreement with the Council of Supervisors and Administrators that provides substantial wage increases for the people who support and safeguard our children, and significant benefits for our pupils as well.”

 

He continued, “This is a great deal for workers and fair to city taxpayers, and it wouldn’t have happened without the hard work and partnership of CSA President Henry Rubio, Office of Labor Relations Commissioner Renee Campion, [Schools] Chancellor [David] Banks and his team, and the dedicated members of this great union. This administration will always stand with working people. As a former union member and a city employee, I know how hard our educators work on behalf of all New Yorkers, and we are going to make sure our union members get the wages, rights, and respect they deserve.”

 

City officials said that to ensure the success of what they described as the City’s first-in-the-nation virtual learning program, introduced under an agreement with the UFT announced earlier this year, the agreement includes provisions to ensure principals and administrators play an integral role in program design and implementation. Furthermore, they said school-based and non-school-based employees would be given flexible schedules, in line with the work flexibility provisions in the DC 37 contract.

 

Additionally, they said the agreement increases payments for leaders of schools with the largest enrollment and increases pay equity among administrators, closing the gap between elementary principals and their peers.

 

The mayor’s comments were echoed by Campion who said, “This agreement provides important victories for our leaders in education and our students. I thank President Henry Rubio, as well as Chancellor Banks and their entire teams, for their leadership and partnership in negotiating this contract.”

 

Meanwhile, Rubio said, “This tentative agreement not only acknowledges the dedication of New York City school leaders; it represents a deep understanding of the pivotal role they play in shaping our city’s future.” He continued, “We thank Mayor Adams, Chancellor Banks, and Commissioner Campion for supporting our school supervisors and administrators, so they, in turn, can provide the best possible environment for our students to thrive. This contract delivers our members the salaries they deserve and flexibility they have earned, so that we can continue to recruit and retain top-tier talent to lead our public schools.” 

 

The news was also welcomed by Banks who said, “Our recent agreement with the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators marks a bold step towards equity, innovation, and the future of New York City’s public schools.” The schools chancellor added, “By valuing our school leaders appropriately, championing flexibility, and embracing virtual learning, we’re laying the foundation for generations to come. This isn’t just an agreement for the next five years; it’s a testament to our shared vision for a brighter educational horizon. Together with CSA, we are shaping the future of education in New York City.”

 

The agreement must be ratified by CSA membership, which is comprised of New York City public school principals, assistant principals, supervisors, and education administrators.

 

According to City officials, the total cost of the tentative CSA agreement is approximately $500 million through Fiscal Year 2027, and the agreement is fully funded in the Labor Reserve.

 

CSA members will receive the following compounded wage increases upon ratification:

• January 29, 2023: 3.00 percent
• June 29, 2024: 3.00 percent
• January 29, 2025: 3.00 percent
• January 29, 2026: 3.25 percent
• January 29, 2027: 3.50 percent

 

We will update this story with any reaction from UFT or District Council 37, upon the sharing of same.