New York City reaches "historic" contract agreement with Police Benevolent Association

After the news Tuesday that New York City agencies were facing budget cuts, there was an agreement Wednesday to pay NYPD officers more.

Mayor Eric Adams has announced Wednesday he and the police union have come together on a new eight-year deal. It’s just the third time in almost 30 years that the two sides reached an agreement.

“This is acknowledgement that working people keep this city running,” Adams said.

The agreement is retroactive to 2017 and expires in 2025. It includes incremental year-to-year wage increases and introduces a program that will allow police officers to work more flexible hours.

“It’s for the quality of life. Yes, the money is always the most important so our families can live and thrive in the city we police,” said Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch.

“Today, we’re making it clear that New York City will support the men and women of the NYPD as they do one of the toughest jobs anywhere. We’re here to announce a new deal with the Police Benevolent Association that will do just that. This is a historic deal — only the third voluntary contract with the PBA in 30 years,” Adams said. “One that will make sure our officers get the benefits and compensation they deserve, allow them to work a more flexible schedule, build morale going forward and ensure that New York remains the safest big city in America.”

The mayor said the agreement also includes a pilot program that will allow some officers to work longer shifts.

“The new scheduling option will allow for much needed flexibility for our police officers, decrease travel time and, most importantly, improve morale,” he added. “As some of you know, this is something that our officers have felt for many years — a lack of morale, a lack of belief that the City of New York’s administrations supported the duties that they perform. I knew it too well as someone who wore the uniform for 22 years and had that badge pinned to my chest. This is important. This isn’t just another deal. This is acknowledgement that working people keep this city running.”

In total, the agreement will cost roughly $5.5 billion. The pay for officers who served over five and a half years will be over $130,000 – a more-than $40,000 a year increase. City and union officials both believe it will make hiring and retaining police officers easier. The deal would cover about 23,000 members of the city’s police force.

Last year, almost 4,000 officers resigned or retired, including the highest number of officers on record that quit before becoming eligible for retirement.

The agreement comes just a day after city agencies were informed of budget cuts. And while Adams was inside City Hall announcing an agreement to pay police more, City Council leaders and community activists were outside fighting for the opposite. They said they wanted money for health care, housing and schools – not police.

“We’re here asking the City Council to stand up to this mayor because apparently he doesn’t know the definition of safety after a pandemic,” said Anthonine Pierre, executive director of the Brooklyn Movement Center.

Adams insists that the upcoming budget cuts don’t mean layoffs.

The agreement represents the first contract deal with a union representing uniformed workers under the Adams administration.