In a move praised by city-employed physicians, Mayor Eric Adams and the Office of Labor Relations Commissioner Renee Campion have reached a tentative agreement with the Doctors Council SEIU, guaranteeing wage increases for an estimated 500 physicians, encompassing roles within NYC Health + Hospitals, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). Confirmed via an official statement on the city's website, the contract is retroactive from June 28, 2021, ending on December 27, 2026, and aligns with previous union contracts over the past 22 months.
Mayer Adams expressed his recognition of the critical work city doctors and medical examiners perform, describing them as "the unsung heroes of our city." According to the official press release, Adams emphasized “Our doctors and medical examiners are the unsung heroes of our city, providing New Yorkers with the care they need and the answers they deserve in their most difficult times, and through this agreement, we are ensuring they receive the fair pay they deserve.”
The union members can anticipate salary enhancements, with planned increases of 3 percent annually for the first four years, and a slightly higher 3.25 percent rise for the final year. Embedded in this new contract is a $3,000 lump sum ratification bonus for employees who are actively on payroll and occupy titles covered by the agreement. Additionally, the City Medical Examiner Teaching Differential will see an upswing to $20,876, which is expected to incite improvements in the medical examiners' salary scale. Specified by the city announcement, members will see the following compounded wage increases on the given dates: 3.00 percent on June 28 of 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and a 3.25 percent increase on June 28, 2025.
The Adams administration has been actively engaging in labor negotiations, procuring contracts with unions that represent approximately 97 percent of the city's workforce. As Mayor Adams stated, “This agreement will also help our public hospitals and OCME recruit and retain talent, so that we can provide quality service to New Yorkers and protect public health. From doctors to teachers to probation officers, our administration will always invest in the working-class people of New York City, and we are proud to have achieved these crucial labor agreements in record-time.” This new agreement follows on the heels of successful negotiations with multiple unions, including the Police Benevolent Association and the United Federation of Teachers, which have yielded wage increases, retroactive raises, and funding aimed at enhancing employee retention and recruitment, as detailed in the news release.
