Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 11, 2019

CONTACT: media@nycha.nyc.gov

NYCHA HAILS LANDMARK RATIFICATION OF NEW WORK RULES, SEVEN DAY A WEEK SCHEDULES

Changes to work rules expand hours and include weekend operations, ensuring more efficient responses to residents’ needs citywide, starting in April 2019.

NEW YORK — Following last month’s announcement, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) confirmed today that Teamsters Local 237 ratified the milestone work rule reforms, which will go into effect April 2019, benefitting public housing residents across the city.

For the last 50 years, the traditional work schedule requires staff on site Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The new work rules ratified by Local 237 members on Thursday secures Caretakers and Supervisors at developments seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. starting April 1.

“This newly ratified agreement allows NYCHA to directly improve the quality of life for both our residents and employees,” said NYCHA Interim Chair and CEO Stanley Brezenoff “We’re grateful to the de Blasio administration, our NYCHA team, and Local 237 for their commitment to the NYCHA community in achieving a successful agreement.”

“For the first time in decades, we will be able to help more residents with frontline staff members on site seven days a week,” said NYCHA General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo. “This historic agreement ensures fair wages for our staff and keeps with our commitment to becoming the better landlord our residents deserve. It also means new Caretaker jobs, for which we will be prioritizing NYCHA residents. I thank Local 237, NYCHA’s HR team, and the Office of Labor Relations for their dedication and diligence in making this deal a reality.”

“Today, our NYCHA members ratified an agreement that would increase their pay while also providing them with the flexibility of working 4 days rather than 5,” said Local 237 President Gregory Floyd. “In addition, the agreement gives preferential treatment to NYCHA residents to be hired for Caretaker positions.”

This spring, an Alternative Work Schedule (AWS) will be available for frontline staff members — which includes Caretakers, Supervisors of Housing Caretakers, Supervising Housing Groundskeepers, Assistant Resident Building Superintendents, and Resident Building Superintendents. Initially, NYCHA will seek volunteers to participate in the AWS.

Employees who opt into the AWS will receive a one-time $1,500 payment, and all employees will receive a 20 percent differential for working weekend hours as part of their regular workweek. Under the agreement, staff will be staggered across five schedules throughout the workday:

• A traditional schedule is five days a week (Monday through Friday) from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff will be assigned for weekend overtime.
• Schedule 1 is four days a week from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff will be assigned to work every other weekend as part of their regular work week.
• Schedule 2 is four days per week from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Staff will be assigned to work every other weekend as part of their regular work week.
• Schedule 3 is four days per week (Monday through Thursday) from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff will not be assigned mandatory overtime on the weekends.
• Schedule 4 is four days per week (Tuesday through Friday) from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff will not be assigned mandatory overtime on the weekends.

 

New hires may be assigned to an AWS shift, which also give employees more flexibility, such as the option of a compressed work week without losing hours. The number of employees assigned to each schedule will vary per development based on its staffing needs.

The new schedule for NYCHA’s frontline staff will be incrementally rolled out across the Authority’s portfolio, starting with 14 selected developments in Brooklyn and Manhattan:

• Clinton Houses
• Dyckman Houses
• Farragut Houses
• Fort Washington Houses
• Harlem River Houses
• Ingersoll Houses
• Marcy Houses
• Polo Grounds Towers
• Rangel Houses
• Riis Houses
• Saint Nicholas Houses 
• Stuyvesant Houses
• Tompkins Houses
• Whitman Houses

 

In December, Mayor de Blasio, Teamsters Local 237 President Greg Floyd, and NYCHA leadership announced the tentative agreement, which also includes a retroactive raise of 2 percent beginning May 30, 2018 for the more than 5,000 members who work with the Authority, as well as a scheduled 2.25 percent raise in August 2019 and a 3 percent raise in August 2020. Wage increases conform with the recent agreements made by the City with the District Council 37 and the United Federation of Teachers for the 2017-2021 round of bargaining.

The gross cost of this agreement is $82.7 million, some of which is offset by $24.4 million in healthcare savings for a net cost of $58.3 million. Per the previous announcement, the agreement will not require any additional funds to be added to the financial plan.

About the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)

NYCHA’s mission is to increase opportunities for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers by providing safe, affordable housing and facilitating access to social and community services. Over 390,000 New Yorkers reside in NYCHA’s 316 public housing developments and PACT/RAD developments formerly managed by NYCHA around the five boroughs. Over 190,000 receive subsidized rental assistance in private homes through the NYCHA-administered Section 8 Leased Housing Program. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/nycha, and for regular updates on NYCHA news and services, connect with us via  www.facebook.com/NYCHA and www.twitter.com/NYCHA.