The first sector of New York City Council staffers have been voluntarily recognized as a union, which members say makes it the first legislative staff union in the state.
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson recognized 23 financial analysts as a part of the newly formed Association of Legislative Employees (ALE) earlier this month, according to an announcement released Thursday. The recognition comes following at least two years of organizing by council staffers.
"This is a historic event because we will be the first legislative union in New York State," Daniel Kroop, a core committee member on the union and senior legislative financial analyst, said in a phone interview. "We think that the investment that the union will help us make will ensure institutional and fiscal knowledge stays at the Council. This is about enhancing the ability of the City Council to be an equal partner with the mayor, as we negotiate a $92 billion budget."
About 400 staffers requested that Johnson recognize the union back in January. Most of those employees, the Council's aides, have not been formerly recognized as union members yet. The COVID-19 pandemic and complexities with how aides' employers are defined across 51 councilmembers has spurred delays, according to Kroop. But he says the union expects Johnson's support to continue.
"This is a down payment towards building what will be America's largest legislative staff union," Kroop added.
The two titles recognized this month are central staffers who work as legislative financial analysts and senior legislative financial analysts. The City Council recognized ALE with the NYC Office of Collective Bargaining on December 7th and the bargaining unit will be certified come January, according to the union.
"I am told that it is rare to have a City governmental entity file a voluntary petition of recognition for employees seeking to unionize but I believe that it is important to practice what you preach, especially when it comes to workers’ rights," Johnson said in a statement. "That’s why I am so proud to have filed this petition on behalf of our Central Staff Legislative and Senior Legislative Finance Analysts."
The City Council has been rattled with labor issues among workers over the past year. Ousted City Councilmember Andy King was expelled this fall after accusations he made misogynistic remarks towards staffers and misused Council funds. Former Councilmember Rafael Espinal resigned from his post to become the executive director of the Freelancers Union, sending staffers into months of uncertainty. By June, Espinal's staff was fired, leaving East New York without council representation during the COVID-19 health and economic crises.
A Politico analysis found that the average salary among councilmembers' offices was $47,784 as of July 1st, 2019. But there were vast differences between different offices. Some staffers made between $27,300 to $35,100, the analysis found.
The union says the bargaining process would address issues from salaries and scheduling to harassment and grievance procedures. The pandemic has heightened the need to ensure staffers "have a collective voice which empowers them to advocate for their safety and well-being," the union said in a release.
"We are proud to serve the people of New York City and join the ranks of other unionized City employees," a legislative financial analyst and core committee member with ALE, Monica Pepple, said in a statement. "We look forward to collaborating with the Speaker and the Council to ensure voluntary recognition for Councilmanic Aides next."
