SERGEANTS BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
Update on Contract Negotiations
Dear Fellow Sergeant,
Yesterday the SBA negotiating team had our first mediation session with the State appointed mediator. The goal of mediation is to have a neutral third party review the demands of both sides and attempt to move toward a resolution.
The general wage increases have already been agreed to and will not be altered in any way by this process.
We have received inquiries related to 12-hour tours being mandated by this process. The answer to that question is an unequivocal NO!
The only issues discussed in mediation are the two items that have resulted in the SBA being at an impasse with the City. The first item is the wage disparity that exists between Sergeants promoted before and after August 1, 2023. We spent most of the session detailing how the City broke pattern and created a situation where Police Officers earn more than some Sergeants.
At no point would we agree to a contract that did not rectify this injustice. Most of the hours-long session was dedicated to attempting to convince the mediator the merits of our proposal and the polarizing and debilitating effects of the Office of Labor Relations (OLR) inflexibility on operations, morale and retention of SBA members. To that end, we believe we made significant progress during this session.
The second impasse issue is how to permanently correct the salary steps for newly promoted Sergeants going forward. The SBA’s position is that this situation was created by OLR’s bargaining tactics and pattern breaking deals with other unions.
The SBA is unwilling to pay for a temporary solution. OLR maintains that the SBA must pay with givebacks, even if the solution is temporary. The City has set the givebacks at 6.5 months of zeroes for all Sergeants and 2 chart days for the first 5 years for Sergeants promoted in the future.
OLR’s solution would be useless after August 1, 2025, when the PBA is due for another raise. Our position is quite simple; the SBA will only agree to a solution that ensures Sergeants will always make more than the Police Officers they supervise on a permanent basis.
Although the session ended without an agreement, we believe we have established the framework for future sessions going forward that will ultimately lead to an agreement.
Thank you for your continued support during these frustrating negotiations and best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season.
Fraternally,
Vincent J. Vallelong
President
Sergeants Benevolent Association
Article on SBA Pay Disparity in NY Daily News | November 20, 2024
Sanitation head Jessica Tisch appointed next NYPD commissioner
Active Sgt. Christopher Leap
Active Sgt. Christopher Leap
~NYPD Sergeant Tiffany Howell
Active Sgt. Christopher Leap describes hardships associated with SBA pay disparity. Watch video:
Fair pay isn’t just what we deserve, it’s what we’ve earned
Fair pay isn’t just what we deserve, it’s what we’ve earned
~NYPD Sergeant Tiffany Howell
Sergeant Howell is one of over 1,200 NYPD Sergeants, who are adversely affected by the ongoing pay disparity that has left them making less than the cops they supervise. The NYC Office of Labor Relations continues to turn their backs on these Sergeants, who keep our city safe. We are fighting for fair pay that reflects our supervisory responsibilities and the increasing demands on our Sergeants. Tell City Hall It’s Time to End the Wage Disparity for NYPD Sergeants NOW!
Sign the petition and send a message by visiting the link in our bio, share it with friends and family, and stand with us for what’s right! #SBA4FairPay #InvestInNYPDSergrants
@nycmayor
SBA President discusses pay disparity and contract impasse on Inside City Hall
Excellent article in The Chief-Leader on the SBA pay disparity and contract impasse.
SBA President discusses pay disparity and contract impasse on The Joe Piscopo Show
SBA Files Declaration of Impasse in Contract Negotiations
SBA Files Declaration of Impasse in Contract Negotiations
Dear Fellow Sergeant,
It has become glaringly apparent that we can no longer move forward without a mediator to correct the pay disparity between more than 1,200 Sergeants and Police Officers. As a result, we have been forced to file a Declaration of Impasse with the Office of Labor Relations (OLR).
We have submitted logical and economically prudent strategies to correct the compression issue, but OLR is steadfast in relying on draconian outdated ideologies when it comes to negotiations. It is obvious they have little respect for the rank of Sergeant, as well as little knowledge of financial accountability.
While smaller municipalities around the country prioritize the work of law enforcement in their communities, OLR does not seem to place any value on the negative impact of a disheartened public safety workforce. As a result, it is time for an outside entity to step in and do the job OLR is incapable of doing themselves.
OLR insists on us accepting a bad contract that includes givebacks to the City. No other union has been asked to do the same to finalize their deals. What makes this particularly galling and insulting is the fact that the compression issue is a problem of their own making.
The SBA Board has requested numerous times to rectify this problem once and for all. We understand the current political climate is teetering, but the City taxpayers, who are the most important stakeholders in this issue, deserve better than what they are getting. They deserve a hefty dividend when they invest in frontline police supervision.
We have made it clear that we are open to honest, good faith negotiation, and will never close the door to that possibility. We have rung the bell over and over. It is time for adults to answer the door and do the job they were hired to do . If not, we will need a New York State appointed mediator to step in so this egregious situation can be corrected. As the hardest working frontline supervisors in the world, we deserve nothing less. Thank you for your continued support during these challenging times.
Fraternally,
Vincent J. Vallelong
President
Sergeants Benevolent Association