UFA Reaches Contract Deal with New York City, Includes Pension Disability Agreement

The Uniformed Firefighters Association of Greater New York has reached an agreement with the city of New York on a new contract that will increase salaries by 11 percent through July 31, 2017 for roughly 8,000 firefighters and FDNY personal. The contract agreement would take effect retroactively, starting on August 1, 2010 when the UFA's old contract expired. 

As part of the agreement the city has also supported the pension disability reforms for new fighters, which means, pending approval from Albany, that first-year firefighters would receive the full 75 percent payment if permanantly disabled on the job. The pension benefits for new firefighters was significantly decreased following a veto from Gov. David Paterson in 2009.  Since then, first-year firefighters have only been eligible to collect $27 a day if they were permanently injured on the job.  

To offset the costs of the disability deal some new firefighters will pay 3% more for their benefits, increasing their total contribution to 6%. 

Under the deal, the UFA is also expected to drop its lawsuit accusing the City Council of a lack of transparency. 

In a press release, Mayor Bill de Blasio said, “Our firefighters keep this city safe every single day. Today’s agreement means that these brave men and women will receive the fair wages and disability protections they need and deserve, while ensuring New York City’s taxpayers are protected." De Blasio added, “We’re proud that 83 percent of our workforce is now under contract agreement – including 11 uniformed unions – reflecting the productive and respectful dynamic we’ve reestablished between the City and our employees.” 

Assemblyman Peter Abbate, Jr. told City & State that he expects the deal on pension disability will easily pass the state legislature in Albany. 

The UFA has had a staunch ally in their fight for pension disability reform in the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of New York City, but this deal will not apply to the PBA. The police union, who also has an outstanding contract with the city, will have to negotiate their own deal with the mayor's office.  

At a press conference Thursday, New York City Director of Labor Relations Bob Linn said he hopes that the city will be able to make a similar agreement with other uniformed unions including the PBA.

City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, who sponsored a resolution calling for newer FDNY and NYPD recruits to receive the same benefits as older members, said she was surprised to learn from the union that it had reached an agreement with the administration.

"This is a benefit that firefighters that risk their lives to protect New Yorkers deserve, and I'm pleased that they will now have this benefit," she said. "I advocated a long time to see this happen, and I'm pleased to see it will.”

Crowley said she believed the pending resolution may still be passed by the Council if the PBA comes to a resolution on disability while in binding arbitration. 

"I would think that this would lead them down the path to get their benefit as well," she said of the PBA. "They have parity on a lot of aspects of their contracts.”

The PBA could not immediately be reached for comment.