New York City Labor Boss Criticizes Teacher Deal

An inter-union battle may be brewing in New York City as teacher union bosses attempt to obtain a bigger piece of the pie for teachers. Som of the “uniformed” union bosses are skeptical of a 9-year monopoly bargaining agreement currently being negotiated which may benefit teachers more than some of the other unions involved.  One boss has allegedly threatened a lawsuit over the proceedings.  Juan Gonzales explains in the New York Daily News.

Pay increases during the later years of the tentative contract are contingent on the city reaching agreement with the Municipal Labor Committee, which represents all city unions, to redirect a proposed $2 billion in savings in employee health care costs into wage hikes for all city workers, the sources said.
But opposition has surfaced from leaders of the city’s uniformed unions, who fear they may be asked for health care givebacks to fund teacher raises.

But at a heated meeting of the labor coalition Wednesday morning, leaders of the city’s police, fire and correction unions sought to derail the fast-developing deal, revealing a potential conflict with the “civilian” unions.

At one point in the meeting, Norman Seabrook, president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, threatened a lawsuit and blasted Mulgrew for orchestrating the deal to largely benefit teachers.
Each union will still negotiate its own deal with the city, Mulgrew said Wednesday night, but when it comes to the health care fund, all the unions must vote.