Release #343 -98

Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani today announced that a tentative settlement was reached with the 4,500-member Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA). Subject to ratification, the agreement will be retroactive to August 1, 1995 and will expire November 30, 2000. The SBA represents sergeants in the New York City Police Department.

If ratified, the 64-month contract will provide a wage rate increase of three percent effective August 1, 1997, a three percent increase on November 1, 1998 and a six percent increase on October 1, 1999. It also provides for Welfare Fund increases, Longevity increases and Annuity Fund increases. There are no wage increases for the first twenty-four months of the contract. Contract language concerning the "48 hour rule," which grants sergeants 48 hours before they can be interrogated, will be deleted. The agreement follows the uniformed pattern for this round of bargaining. The package was funded by monies set aside in the labor reserves.

Mayor Giuliani said, "Today's agreement reflects the City's steadfast commitment to fiscal prudence and the union's commitment to ensure fair treatment and compensation for its members.

"I would like to thank Deputy Mayor Randy Levine and Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley and his staff at the Office of Labor Relations on their hard work in reaching this agreement which has allowed us to move into new areas previously unattainable by this union," the Mayor added.

This settlement is consistent with the pattern established in all earlier uniformed and civilian settlements with the unions in this round of bargaining including the PBA, the UFOA, the UFA, COBA, USA, UFT and the Municipal Coalition of Unions. It reflects the City's ability and desire to adequately compensate its uniformed force workers for the critical and vital services that they perform.

The terms of the agreement (consistent with the pattern established for this round of negotiations with the uniformed unions, the Coalition of Municipal Unions and the UFT) provides for no wage increases for the first 24 month period of the agreement, and:

• a three percent rate increase effective August 1, 1997;

• a three percent rate increase effective November 1, 1998;

• a 6 percent rate increase effective October 1, 1999;

• an increase of $1,245 total to the current levels of longevity to be given in increments;

• an increase of $100 to the Welfare Fund for active and retired employees effective August 1, 1999 and an additional increase of $100 effective October 1, 2000;

• a daily increase of $.25 per employee to the Annuity Fund effective August 1, 2000, and an additional $.25 daily increase effective October 1, 2000.

The settlement is now subject to the union's ratification process. This settlement was reached through old-fashioned bargaining without resort to impasse and the parties were able to address the unique issues of Sergeants, truly a testament to the collective bargaining process.