PBA contract talks with NYC at impasse, state labor board finds

A state labor board said Wednesday that it has found that the NYPD’s largest police union and City Hall are at an impasse in new contract negotiations and has appointed two mediators to move talks along.

In a short announcement, the New York State Public Employment Relations Board agreed with the Police Benevolent Association's claim that contract talks were stalled and said two of PERB’s mediation officials have been appointed to attempt to bring the negotiations forward.

The PBA, which represents close to 20,000 rank-and-file NYPD officers who have been working without a contract since August of last year, said that in four bargaining sessions with City Hall — two under former Mayor Eric Adams and two under Mayor Zohran Mamdani — the city had not made any contract offer.

The PBA filed with PERB for an impasse finding last month. City Hall countered by saying that any finding of an impasse would be premature, noting that just two bargaining sessions had taken place under the Mamdani administration.

The PBA is looking for unspecified increases in the annual base starting police salary of $55,700 and an 11.13% percent increase in the minimum five-year base pay rate, which would raise salaries from $109,352 to $121,522 and on par with New York State Police salaries.

In a statement to NYPD rank-an-file officers, PBA president Patrick Hendry informed his members of the development and said it was an important step in moving negotiations to a possible settlement.

"The action from PERB is an important step forward in our contract process," said Hendry. "As you know, our goal is to reach a negotiated agreement that works for our members. Our hope is that this outline intervention will motivate the City to come to the table with a fair proposal and negotiate with us in good faith."

Matt Rauschenbach, a spokesman for Mamdani, said the city was committed to good faith bargaining and has been throughout the entire process.

Under PERB rules, if mediation doesn’t bring an agreement, the case will go to binding arbitration which can result in a two-year contract, compared to the normal seven-year pact reached historically through negotiations. The last police contract was in arbitration and was on the brink of a ruling when the city and union reached a settlement.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.