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Time for last lump-sum payment

New York Teacher

Tens of thousands of educators represented by the UFT will receive in July the sixth — and final — lump-sum payment connected to the 2014 DOE-UFT contract.

“Our members have been made whole,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave two 4% raises to members of some municipal unions in 2009 and 2010 but refused to give the same raises to public school educators and other city employees at the time. When Bill de Blasio became mayor in 2014, he agreed to pay the money owed but said the city could not afford to pay it all at one time, so the UFT negotiated a contract that phased in the raises and money owed over six years.

The July payment represents the final 12.5% of the overall total of the increased take-home pay employees would have earned had they received the 4% raises in 2009 and 2010.

Members should have received a final lump-sum payment of 25% in October 2020, but City Hall claimed it could not meet the obligation due to the loss of revenue triggered by the pandemic. The UFT took the city to arbitration, and an arbitrator ruled that UFT members should receive half of the 25% last fall and the final half this July. The arbitrator also awarded a no-layoff pledge for the rest of the school year.

Those eligible to receive the lump-sum payment will receive it in a separate check on July 22. Those who were eligible and received the October payment but are now on leave or have since retired will get their check on Aug. 5.

Pedagogues and paras who are on leave will receive their payment on Aug. 5 while H Bank members on leave will receive payment on July 22. All eligible UFT members on leave will get a paper check sent to the address on file with the DOE.

Members’ tax-deferred annuities will be updated, along with all other payroll contributions and deductions.

The July lump-sum payment follows a 3% salary increase that all UFT-represented DOE employees received effective May 14, 2021.

If you have any questions, call the UFT at 212-331-6311.

Related Topics: Salary