Catherwood LibraryILR School

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and municipal unions once again preparing to square off in the latest round of New York City contract negotiations to take place in the midst of an economic downturn and a budgetary crisis that rivals the one that confronted the city in the 1970's (see WIT's for Sep. 6 and Nov. 14, 2002). Bloomberg's office has dropped its threats to lay off police officers, but relations between the city and such unions as the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association, Communications Workers Union Local 1180, and the largest municipal union District Council 37 remain tense, with the mayor still insisting on wage freezes and concessions. Whether there is any bite to the mayor's bark on not paying retroactive wages for contracts settled after the expiration of previous contracts, and not granting raises---even to help workers keep up with inflation---without productivity increases, remains to be seen, as he has already had to compromise both positions (see WIT's for Sep. 5 and June 11, 2002, and Jan. 7, 2003).