Monday, March 9, 2026, 1 p.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 2
Committee: Committee on Civil Service and Labor
0:14 Good morning good afternoon
0:14 and welcome to the New York
0:18 City committee on civil
0:19 service and
0:20 . Labor please place your
0:21 phone on silent mode thank you
0:24 for your cooperation
0:25 . She'll be all ready to beging
0:30 of the New York City Council's
0:32 committee on civil service and
0:34 labor I'm Council Member
0:36 charlie De ball chair of this
0:37 committee today we will be
0:40 considering introduction 692
0:42 sponsored by Council Member
0:42 Carmen De La Rosa which seeks
0:45 to address pay disparities for
0:47 power paraprofessionals within
0:48 the department of education
0:52 paraprofessionals are
0:53 essential to ensuring that our
0:55 schools are inclusive
0:57 supportive learning
0:57 environments for all students
0:58 they work one on one with
1:00 students with disabilities
1:02 assist teachers in managing
1:03 classrooms and often serve as
1:05 the critical link between
1:07 students families and schools
1:10 despite their importance
1:11 paraprofessionals
1:12 professionals have
1:12 historically been among the
1:14 lowest paid employees of the
1:16 doughy the starting salary for
1:18 power professionals is just
1:19 above $32000 a year well below
1:23 the estimated true cost of
1:24 ncityg I
1:27 . Paraprofessionals have have
1:28 testified that as a result of
1:30 low pay they struggled t
1:32 oafford food and rent and
1:34 sometimes work additional jobs n
1:38 acceptable status quo for
1:39 individuals who provide much
1:41 needed and structured
1:44 instructional behavioral and
1:45 physical support to students
1:46 and who play such a critical
1:47 role not only in the lives of
1:49 students in schools but in the
1:51 cities overall wellbeing with
1:54 Mayor mamdani and governor
1:55 hopeful's plan to strengthen
1:58 and expand universal three k
1:59 we expect an increase in the
2:03 demand for paraprofessionals
2:03 as soon as this fall.
2:06 As of February 2025 there
2:07 were over 1000 pound
2:10 professional vacancies and we
2:12 cannot risk letting this
2:12 shortage get any greater
2:14 . Today we'll hear from the
2:15 office of labor relations and
2:18 other stakeholders our goal at
2:19 this hearing is to take a
2:21 closer look at how to advance
2:23 pay equity so that
2:25 paraprofessionals are
2:25 adequately and properly
2:27 compensated we hope to gain a
2:29 better understanding of how
2:30 this legislation would ensure
2:32 that paraprofessionals who who
2:33 make our schools work every
2:35 day are treated fairly and
2:39 respectfully
2:39 . I'd like to thank bank
2:40 committee staff senior policy
2:42 analyst nina rosenberg senior
2:46 legislative counsel ri a o
2:50 hmaureen.
2:51 A market pat node for their
2:53 hard work in preparing for
2:55 this hearing I'd also like t
2:57 othank my chief of staff sophia
2:58 brown for all the work you do
3:00 for our district.
3:01 I would like to recognize
3:03 that we've been joined by
3:05 council members Frank Morano
3:08 Council Member Gennaro
3:11 . Council Member santos uso
3:13 . Council Member Narcisse and
3:15 Council Member De La Rosa.
3:17 On the alterna ll turnover
3:19 over to councilmember De La
3:21 Rosa for her opening statement
3:24 . Good afternoon and thank you
3:25 chair for your leadership and
3:26 to the committee for holding
3:28 today's hearing on intro 692
3:30 better known as the respect
3:32 check we introduced this bill
3:34 because behind every
3:34 successful classroom in our
3:35 City there are often powerful
3:38 professionals making that
3:40 learning possible.
3:40 There are these are the
3:42 workers who sit one on one
3:44 with students with
3:45 disabilities help children t
3:48 ocommunicate regulate and learn
3:49 and make sure every student
3:51 can fully participate in our
3:53 schools.
3:53 The reality is that people
3:55 doing this essential work are
3:57 among the lowest paid
3:57 employees in our school system k
4:00 paraprofessionals can learn as
4:01 low low as $32000 a year and
4:07 many experienced powered
4:07 professionals still make under
4:09 50000 annually in one of the
4:10 most expensive cities in the
4:12 country with large gaps in our
4:14 paraprofessional workforce the
4:16 consequences continue to grow
4:17 in our schools New York City
4:18 has faced thousands of
4:21 paraprofessional vacancies in
4:22 recent years leaving
4:23 classrooms without the support
4:24 that students are legally
4:25 entitled to and putting
4:26 additional strain on teachers
4:28 and school staff these gaps
4:30 also translate to lawsuits and
4:32 a revolving door of outside
4:34 contracting that cost the City
4:36 and the state hundreds of
4:37 millions of dollars the
4:39 respect check is about
4:41 stabilizing this workforce it
4:43 recognizes that although long
4:44 term compensation should
4:45 ultimately be addressed
4:46 through collective bargaining
4:47 our schools and our students
4:48 cannot wait while this
4:51 workforce remains in crisis
4:52 and while this crisis grows at
4:54 its core this legislation is
4:56 about dignity and recognition
4:58 if we believe that every child
4:59 deserves support in the
5:00 classroom that we must also
5:02 believe that workers providing
5:03 that support deserve wages
5:04 that allow them to live with
5:06 stability and respect in the
5:07 City where they serve
5:09 . I look forward to hearing
5:10 from paraprofessional
5:11 advocates and our agency
5:13 partners today about how we
5:14 can close this gap and build a
5:17 school system that truly
5:19 values people who make it run
5:20 thank you chair thank you well
5:24 . Well now here a a
5:28 representative from the um
5:30 office of liberal ations oh on
5:36 hold on I'll turn to mis
5:41 srosenberg to administer the
5:42 oath for this panel of this
5:45 individual would you please
5:46 raise your right hand do you
5:48 afor to tell the truth the
5:49 whole truth and nothing but
5:50 the truth before this
5:51 committee and to respond
5:52 honestly to Council Member
5:54 questions yes thank you ah
5:56 good afternoon chair elder ble
5:58 members of the civil service
5:59 and labor committee I'm daniel
6:02 pollack first deputy.
6:03 Commissioner at the office
6:04 of labor relations thank you
6:05 for this opportunity t
6:07 otestify today on in truth 6
6:09 900 to establishing a New
6:11 workforce stabilization
6:12 payment for paraprofessional
6:14 employees employed by the
6:15 department of education
6:17 insured 6 90 would require the
6:18 dough to provide eligible
6:20 school paraprofessionals
6:21 . With annual non pensionable
6:23 workforce stabilization
6:24 payments of $10000 the payment
6:26 will be provided to a lump sum
6:27 and would be suffered a
6:30 desperation.
6:30 Under the legislation the
6:32 requirement for this payment
6:33 would be deemed repealed upon
6:35 execution of a collective
6:36 bargaining agreement
6:37 . That increases the total
6:38 annual compensation of
6:40 paraprofessionals by amount
6:41 equal or greater to the
6:43 proposed workforce
6:44 stabilization payment this
6:46 legislation is an updated
6:47 version of intro 1261 which
6:49 similarly sought to create a
6:50 payment for department of
6:52 education paraprofessionals
6:53 . So I'd like to start by
6:54 saying that the administration
6:55 fully appreciates the intent
6:57 behind this bill
6:58 paraprofessionals
6:59 professionals work every day
7:01 alongside other New York City
7:02 public school staff to help
7:04 educate our children and we
7:06 understand the motivation
7:07 behind efforts to provide them
7:10 with increased compensation
7:11 however we have significant
7:13 legal practical and fairness
7:14 concerns with an approach that
7:15 would provide a substantial
7:16 pay increase frey's employees
7:18 through local legislation this
7:20 bill like it's predecessor is
7:22 inconsistent with state law
7:24 governing collective
7:24 bargaining in the public
7:26 sector since 19 67 the City
7:28 has been obligated under the
7:29 New York state public
7:31 employees fair employment act
7:32 known as the taylor law to
7:34 bargain wage rates with
7:35 municipal unions the parents
7:37 contemplated by this
7:38 legislation like other pay
7:39 items in terms of conditions
7:42 of employment are mandatory
7:43 yeah excuse me are mandatory
7:44 subject of collective
7:45 bargaining under the taylor
7:47 law and therefore must be
7:49 negotiated between the City
7:50 and the department of
7:50 education and the union
7:53 representing these members
7:54 these benefits do not be
7:55 imposed by local law then
7:57 you're court of appeals made
7:59 this principle clear in Mayor
8:00 of the City of New York versus
8:02 council of the City of New
8:02 York the 2007 case stating
8:05 that the taylor law prohibits
8:06 local legislative bodies from
8:08 usurping the executive's
8:09 prerogative to agree with
8:10 unions on terms and conditions
8:14 of employment separately the
8:15 proposed bill is preempted by
8:17 state law because it would
8:19 serve the authority of the
8:21 over personnel matters
8:22 involving do employees beyond
8:25 the legal concerns we believe
8:26 collective bargaining process
8:30 and turn the rights of both
8:31 the City as an employer and
8:33 the unions that represent
8:34 their members the City has a
8:36 hundred 50 collective
8:37 bargaining units represented
8:38 by almost a hundred different
8:41 unions
8:41 . Both the City and its the
8:42 ins must have confidence that
8:44 when an agreement is reached
8:45 it's terms will govern its
8:49 compensation changes in other
8:50 terms of conditions of
8:51 employment could be changed
8:52 through legislation outside of
8:54 the bargaining process why
8:55 makes a deal at all so they
8:57 would be unable to budget
8:58 responsibly if the wage
9:00 increases.
9:00 Established in collective
9:02 bargaining agreements were not
9:03 the final compensation
9:06 obligations similarly unions
9:07 would have less confidence in
9:07 the agreements they negotiated
9:10 or equitable
9:10 . Relative to those reached by
9:13 other unions knowing the
9:13 additional compensation for
9:14 later be obtained through
9:15 legislation outside the
9:17 bargaining process
9:17 . This isn't a theoretical
9:19 concern in the most recent
9:21 round of bargaining or the
9:23 City reached agreements with
9:24 unions representing 98.5% of
9:26 City workforce covering
9:28 approximately 350000 employees
9:32 addressing paraprofessional
9:33 pay through legislation
9:34 outside of that bargaining
9:35 process would be unfair to the
9:36 many unions that sell their
9:37 contracts with the
9:39 understanding of the
9:39 established pattern would
9:42 govern
9:42 . Many of whom used funding
9:44 available in those agreements
9:46 to fund targeted wage
9:47 increases for certain titles
9:49 . It would also be unfair t
9:50 oall the City workers who
9:51 performed difficult valuable
9:52 work but did not receive this
9:54 extra payment outside the
9:57 bargaining process some argue
9:58 that pattern bargaining
9:59 prevents low paid workers from
10:01 receiving fair increases but
10:02 history shows us that the
10:03 pattern can be pattern
10:05 bargaining can be flexible and
10:06 can be used to address those
10:07 issues over many years ole r
10:09 has worked with unions to find
10:11 flexibility within each
10:12 bargaining rounds pattern t
10:13 oaddress specific titles in the
10:15 last round we had concert
10:17 called the the fund which
10:18 created funding that could be
10:20 used for a specific
10:23 recruitment retention issues
10:24 or other issues related
10:27 compensation for example
10:28 district council 37 used this
10:29 funding to provide additional
10:32 increases for title facing
10:33 recruitment and retention
10:34 challenges including 9 11
10:36 operators lifeguards and other
10:38 titles well are remains ready
10:39 to work with the uft to use
10:41 funding within a collective
10:43 bargaining agreement t
10:44 oincrease compensation for
10:46 paraprofessionals while the
10:47 bill characterizes this
10:47 payment as separate from
10:50 collective bargaining and
10:50 states it does not affect
10:53 collective bargaining
10:53 bargaining rights cannot do so
10:55 simply by declaring it
10:57 payments to employees are
10:59 compensation determine
10:59 condition of employment under
11:00 the taylor law and therefore
11:02 must be negotiated between the
11:03 employer and the union
11:04 representing those employees
11:06 no one would argue that
11:08 legislation reducing
11:10 compensation or eliminating
11:14 benefits secured through
11:14 barton and would be consistent
11:15 with the bargaining process
11:17 the same principle applies
11:19 here thank you for the
11:21 opportunity to testify and I
11:22 will just any questions you
11:25 might have
11:25 . Thank you for your testimony
11:28 Council Member do you have any
11:30 questions before you
11:30 . Have to I do thank you thank
11:34 you deputy commissioner not
11:35 only for your testimony but I
11:37 appreciate the administration
11:39 acknowledging the important
11:42 role that paraprofessionals
11:42 play in our schools it was
11:43 just out of school this
11:44 morning and I could see how
11:47 hard all these paras are
11:48 working we hear constantly
11:51 about recruitment and
11:53 retention challenges in these
11:55 positions from the
11:57 administration's perspective
11:58 how serious is the current
12:01 staffing shortage for
12:02 paraprofessionals in New York
12:03 City schools the chair
12:05 indicated there were over a
12:08 thousand vacancies for paris
12:08 is that what you're seeing is
12:10 it more is it less
12:12 . Thank you for the question
12:13 councilmember member my from
12:16 doe is that and that's about
12:18 right you know maybe a little
12:18 more than a thousand but you
12:20 know my understanding is there
12:21 are approximately 25000 full
12:22 time para professionals and
12:23 you know a little over a
12:28 thousand
12:29 . The administration's main
12:31 defense here seems that the
12:34 council can't legislate
12:34 compensation and this is very
12:35 familiar to me because I have
12:37 another bill that wants t
12:39 ogive City workers a day off if
12:40 they donate an organ and
12:42 they're mounting a similar
12:44 objection and it is a little
12:46 frustrating but I'm very
12:48 attuned to the argument for
12:50 that reason you argue that
12:53 this legislation conflicts
12:54 with the taylor law because
12:57 compensation is a mandatory
12:58 subject of bargaining is it
13:00 your position that the City
13:02 council has no ability
13:04 whatsoever to establish
13:07 compensation policies
13:08 affecting municipal employees
13:10 through legislation
13:11 . Yes councilmember that is