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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 31, 2023

District Council 37 members overwhelmingly approve new Citywide Economic Contract

NEW YORK— Members of New York City’s largest municipal employee union voted 97.7% in favor of a 65-month-and-12-day economic agreement that will provide city workers their first pay raise since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The agreement raises the minimum rate for city jobs to $18 per hour, preserves premium-free healthcare benefits and establishes flexible work policies across agencies, including remote work.

“We thank our members for showing their confidence in this union,” said Henry Garrido, DC 37 Executive Director. “These were the most difficult negotiations we’ve experienced in decades, and we fought hard to secure a contract that provides fair compensation for city workers and support for the new challenges they face on the job and at home.”

Nearly 46,000 District Council 37 members participated in the ratification vote, which was conducted by the third-party American Arbitration Association (AAA).

The term of the agreement runs from May 26, 2021 to Nov. 6, 2026 and includes:

• Five compounded pay increases for a total of 16.21%;
• Retroactive pay to the first date of the agreement;
• a $3,000 ratification bonus;
• a Flexible Work Committee to develop policies that guide remote work, compressed schedules and expanded transit benefits;
• a Child Care Trust Fund to provide assistance for members’ child care expenses; and
• a Pandemic Response Joint Committee to improve the City’s response to COVID-19 or any future communicable disease outbreaks.

The citywide economic contract covers approximately 90,000 DC 37 members. More information on the terms of the agreement can be found here.