Gotham Gazette

The Place for New York Policy and politics

eyeopenerbw2

The de Blasio Administration and the city's main teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), are close to finalizing contract negotiations, those close to the talks say. It is likely to be a nine-year contract that includes the 4 percent raises for 2009 and 2010 that other municipal unions received and the UFT sought from the Bloomberg Administration. Raises would average 1.5 percent to 2 percent per year going ahead, much like the 11 percent raise over six years that subway and bus workers received earlier this year. The deal also may include substantial savings for the City on health coverage, with union members beginning to pay a portion of their premiums. There are likely to be changes to the teacher evaluation tool, whereby teachers are rated by a smaller number of factors than they are currently, and teachers could have more opportunities to make additional pay. The deal is also rumored to include a controversial proposal to encourage principals to take on teachers from the “absent teacher reserve.” It's been nearly five years since the UFT, with 75,000 teachers and 19,000 classroom paraprofessionals, contract expired. The impending deal will probably set a pattern for the roughly 150 other municipal unions, though the health savings could prove a stumbling block, as leaders of the city's uniformed unions are said to be opposed to the measure.

New from Gotham Gazette
Public Advocate Speak: Tish James Video Interview with Gotham Gazette
We recently spoke with James about policy issues she has taken up in her first few months as public advocate and how she has structured her office.

ICYMI from Gotham Gazette
The City Council Moves Forward On Reform
Kristen Meriwether examines the proposed changes to member item allocation.

Part 2: Resiliency Planning Post-Sandy: An Interview with Daniel Zarrilli
Gotham Gazette interviews the city's new director of the Office of Recovery and Resiliency
Part 1: Resiliency Planning Post-Sandy: An Interview with Daniel Zarrilli

Other Stories We're Following

Federal Prosecutors Subpoena State Ethics Enforcement Agency (WSJ)

Top State Judge Tightens Rules on Debt Collection (NY Times)

Most of City Receives Failing Grade in Air Quality Report (CBS News)

Test Prep Endures in City Schools, Despite Calls to Ease It (NY Times)

‘Denser City’: A Preview of de Blasio’s Affordable Housing Plan (Capital)

City Charters Get Record Number of Applicants (WSJ)

What Happened to New York’s Marijuana Initiative? (Capital)

Senate Approves More Speed Enforcement Cameras for City (Daily News)

30-Cent Surcharge OKed for Wheelchair-Accessible Cabs (Daily News)

Report on Workplace Injury Legislation Heightens Acrimony (Times Union)

City Creating Good-Paying, Middle-Class Jobs (Crain's)

If Pfizer Leaves City, Will It Start a Trend? (WNYC)