Mayor Adams, OLR Commissioner Campion Announce Tentative Contract Agreement With United Probation Officers Association for Over 600 Municipal Employees

August 16, 2024

Video available at: https://youtu.be/Eh0HpsWkxC4

Agreement Provides Substantial Wage Increases to Members, Secures Fair Deal for NYC Taxpayers, Improves Recruitment and Retention

Agreement Conforms to Pattern Established With DC 37 and Other City Unions

Administration Has Now Settled Contracts with Unions Representing Nearly 97 Percent of Municipal Employee

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Office of Labor Relations (OLR) Commissioner Renee Campion today announced a tentative five-and-a-half-year contract agreement with the United Probation Officers’ Association (UPOA). This agreement will cover approximately 600 probation officers who work with individuals on probation to help provide them with opportunities to forge new pathways so that they can move out and stay out of the justice system.

The tentative agreement is retroactive — beginning on November 28, 2020 — and expires on June 12, 2026.  It conforms to the pattern established by dozens of other unions over the last 18 months. The agreement includes wage increases of 3 percent for each of the first four years of the contract and 3.25 percent in the fifth year. The agreement also includes a lump sum ratification bonus of between $3,600 and $5,080, depending on the employee’s title, for all UPOA members who are in active payroll status on the date of ratification.

“Protecting public safety and making our city more affordable means investing in hard-working New Yorkers like our probation officers, who work tirelessly to keep our city safe by helping justice-involved people get back on — and stay on — the right path,” said Mayor Adams. “We’re proud to have secured well-earned and long-overdue wage increases for hundreds of thousands of dedicated public servants while ensuring that our labor contracts are fair deals for taxpayers as well. With the dozens of contracts we have negotiated, we are creating a fairer and more equitable city, delivering on our vision for a more affordable and livable city, and ensuring that New York City is not only the greatest city in the world to live, but also one of the greatest places to work.”
“New York City’s hardworking public servants, like our probation workers, deserve fair contracts, and I’m proud to be a part of an administration that is delivering for them,” said City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg. “My thanks to Mayor Adams, Commissioner Campion, and UPOA President Dalvanie Powell for coming to this agreement, which secures a good deal for these vital public safety workers and a fair deal for New York City taxpayers.”

“Our dedicated men and women — the majority women of color — at the New York City Department of Probation work tirelessly to help individuals find the path to a better life, moving and staying out of the justice system,” said New York City Department of Probation Commissioner Juanita N. Holmes. “I thank Mayor Eric Adams, Deputy Mayor Philip Banks, City Hall Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg, OLR Commissioner Renee Campion, and UPOA President Dalvanie Powell for working on this agreement. This contract exemplifies the collaborative efforts between Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayor Banks in advancing their unified vision of increased public safety in New York City and recognizes the invaluable work our officers do every day, from helping our clients rebuild their lives to ensuring the safety of our communities. By crafting personalized interventions and offering tailored educational and employment opportunities, our probation officers transform lives and play a crucial role in keeping our fellow New Yorkers safe. Probation officers are on the frontlines of justice, crafting personalized interventions, providing essential support, and fostering positive change; this new contract helps recognize them for their hard work to keep New York City safe.”

“I am extremely happy that the parties have reached this agreement, which provides significant wage increases for our hardworking and dedicated probation workers, who work tirelessly each day to assist individuals on probation and to help keep New York safe,” said OLR Commissioner Campion. “I would like to personally thank UPOA President Dalvanie Powell for her leadership and professionalism during these negotiations.”

“We are proud to have reached a tentative agreement on what we believe is a fair contract for our members,” said Dalvanie K. Powell, president, UPOA. “Probation is the heartbeat of our criminal justice system, working tirelessly to keep our communities safe while giving individuals under our supervision a second chance. We negotiated this contract with a clear focus on addressing the historic pay disparities that our members — who are mostly women and people of color — have faced, as well as improving working conditions and benefits. Our Executive Board approved this contract today and we will be meeting with our members to discuss the terms over the next week before this is put to a vote of our full membership. Our union remains committed to advocating for our members and ensuring that they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. We look forward to continuing to build on this agreement and advancing the interests of New York City’s probation officers.”

The tentative agreement — which must be ratified by the UPOA membership — also creates a new 11-year step pay plan for probation officers and supervisors, replacing the current salary ranges. Effective November 28, 2024, probation officers’ starting salaries will be $61,386 and the top pay will be $81,000. Supervising probation officers’ starting salaries will be $86,500 and the top pay will be $95,100. Employees who would earn above these pay rates with the pattern wage increases will be kept whole.
The total cost of the tentative agreement, through Fiscal Year 2028, will be approximately $52 million, which is fully funded in the financial plan.

UPOA members will receive the following compounded wage increases:

• May 28, 2021: 3.00 percent
• April 2, 2022: 3.00 percent
• November 28, 2022: 3.00 percent
• November 28, 2023: 3.00 percent
• November 28, 2024: 3.25 percent

In the last 18 months, Mayor Adams has successfully negotiated contracts with unions representing nearly 97 percent of the city's workforce. These agreements with District Council 37, Communications Workers of America Local 1180, the Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association, the Uniformed Sanitation Workers' Union Local 831, the United Federation of Teachers, the Police Benevolent Association, the Uniformed Officers Coalition, the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, Teamsters Local 237, and dozens of other unions, including the agreement with UPOA, have all included wage increases, including retroactive wage increases for employees that had not received a raise in years. Additionally, many of these contracts included dedicated funding to address retention and recruitment challenges and other important benefits.

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