2026-09-16 - Common Council Education, HR and Community Advancement Committee

00:29Good morning everyone. Thank you for

00:30coming today. Uh this is uh a labor

00:34agreement HR educational meeting today.

00:37Um we're here today with councelor

00:39Majoke. We're here today with councelor

00:41Marty Nav. We're here today with

00:44councelor Hela Hudson, myself, councelor

00:46Rashidita Cawwell, councelor um Patrona

00:49Jones Rouser, President Pantiagua, um

00:51she just stepped out, councelor Moore,

00:54councelor Montto, and we're here with

00:56head of HR, um Richard, I say Richard A

01:00because I never say your name right. I'm

01:02sorry. And we're here with Deputy Mayor

01:04um Corey Driscoll. Thank you.

01:07Thank you, counselor, and thanks to the

01:08council for allowing us the opportunity

01:10to provide an update on where we are

01:12with our labor agreements.

01:16So, I just wanted to highlight um the

01:18ongoing in negotiations that we have.

01:21So, right now we're under negotiation in

01:24in uh conversation with local 400 whose

01:26contract expired January 1st of this

01:29year. As noted, Local 400 spans a number

01:32of departments. Um negotiations began in

01:36April of last year. We had our first

01:38mediation session last week. Correct. Um

01:42and our next session will be in October.

01:45Crew leaders there expired at the same

01:47time. Uh they also span a number of

01:49departments.

01:51Negotiations began around the same time

01:53last year and mediation is set to begin

01:56in October as uh the crew leaders have

01:58declared impacts.

02:01CSEA, same story, expired January 1st of

02:06this year. They span a number of

02:08departments as well. Um, probably more

02:10than I think any other union.

02:12Negotiations began in May of this year

02:14and we're actually uh in negotiations

02:17today. The rest of the HR team is in

02:20city hall right now sitting down with

02:21CSEA to continue contract negotiations.

02:25Firefighters, the rank and file

02:27firefighters, their contract expired

02:30July 1st. uh negotiations began in May

02:32and those are ongoing as well.

02:36So these are either pending or completed

02:39negotiations because there are some

02:41units that are under contract. Middle

02:43managers um we have come to an agreement

02:46with middle managers at the end of last

02:48year. Um so they're under contract

02:50through the end of 2028.

02:53Local 280, the deputy chiefs of fire,

02:56there's also expired July 1st and they

02:58are just reaching out now to start

03:00scheduling negotiations.

03:03Skilled Trades, their contract expired

03:05January 1st. Their agreement is before

03:06council, the tenative agreement, um if

03:09approved, that contract would go through

03:11the end of 2028.

03:13Crossing guards, which had their own

03:14separate union, um their own unit

03:17expired um July 1st. Uh there aren't any

03:23current negotiations scheduled for

03:24crossing guards. Um usually they follow

03:26CSEA. So I think once CSEA were able to

03:29reach an agreement with them, I would

03:30imagine crossing guards will be in that

03:33mix. And then the PBA contract expires

03:37um January 1st of 2028. So we anticipate

03:40negotiations for that contract to begin

03:42in the second quarter of next year.

03:45And

03:49that's the presentation.

03:50>> Wow. Thank you um on that. Uh Deputy

03:53Mayor, so just for uh the public

03:56knowledge and information, can you

03:57explain to them what impass is?

04:00>> So, and Rick, this is obviously your

04:03area of expertise.

04:04>> Yeah. So, impass is um essentially when

04:08we feel like we can't make any more

04:10movement in a contract. It can be

04:11declared by either party or both

04:13parties. Um but at that point you're

04:15essentially saying we don't feel there's

04:17any value in meeting it at this point.

04:19Um and then there's a a process for that

04:21through perb. It varies depending on um

04:24contract. So um public safety has

04:26interest arbitration where it goes to

04:28arbitration um for the rest of the

04:31contracts. It goes to mediation then

04:33factf finding and then um through the

04:35process. So, local 400 January of 2026

04:39and we're going on 2027 in a few months.

04:43And then that contract when you sign it

04:45will only be to 2028, but we're going to

04:48be in 2027 in a couple of months. What

04:51is that

04:53>> potentially? So, um there are different

04:57We can extend contracts as as far as

04:59we'd like. So, we can sign one-year

05:01deals, we can sign fiveyear deals. Um,

05:04so with 400, um, I I don't want to

05:07misspake. I think we're talking about a

05:09four potentially. Um, which would push

05:11us to 29. Um, but we're we're somewhere

05:14in that camp of 28 to 29. Yeah.

05:17>> And I will also note, and I know that

05:19council's aware of this, but for folks

05:21watching at home, um, that the rules of

05:24engagement that we sign at the beginning

05:26of contract negotiations really

05:28prohibits either party from discussing

05:30the terms of the agreement publicly. So

05:32there are some limitations to what we're

05:34able to share in a public forum in terms

05:36of what their proposals are, what our

05:38proposals are um you know that I think

05:41would be as councelor Caldwell has

05:43pointed out you know appropriate for

05:44executive session but we're limited in

05:46what we can share publicly. So also with

05:50the so that's 4773.

05:56So,

05:58with that being said, without you being

06:00able to tell very detail, where how

06:03close are we to getting something

06:06negotiated? Because right now we we're

06:09coming up against winter months. We have

06:12a lot of availability um positions like

06:15I think it was like 38 [laughter]

06:17um CDL positions. Um the snow is coming.

06:20>> How many was it? 33 or

06:22>> 37.

06:25I'm sure it's changed since last year.

06:27>> I thought about 37, too.

06:30>> Well, it's a lot of 30. How about that?

06:34>> Um, so what is like how close are we

06:37getting [clears throat] to that? And

06:38then to be fully transparent, um, I'm

06:41speaking for the council. Um, and I know

06:43everyone agrees, we want to support

06:45administration, but we also want to

06:47support the the local 4773. want them to

06:50get a pay that they can live off of,

06:53something that they can go home and feed

06:55their families and feel good about work

06:57coming to work every day. Um, and I

07:00know, you know, someone as a seasoned

07:02person, I call myself a season. When you

07:04over a certain age, you become seasoned.

07:06Yes, we do a great insurance, but a lot

07:09of people at that, you know, you want to

07:10bring young people, they're not thinking

07:12about that. They need to be able to come

07:14home and have a a decent pay. So, how

07:16close are we? What I'm saying is to say

07:18like how close are we to negotiating

07:20something that is livable for them.

07:24>> Uh so traditionally the goal at im or at

07:27mediation is to settle within three uh

07:30mediation sessions um for 1773. All

07:33three of those are on the books. Um we

07:35have our second scheduled meeting with

07:38local 400. Um so ideally and it goes

07:41through the first week of November. So

07:43hopefully I think we're close. Um but

07:47that's the goal is to

07:48>> probably depends on who you ask.

07:49>> Yeah.

07:50>> The next one is in November.

07:52>> Uh they end they conclude in November.

07:54>> We have a session in October and then

07:56another one in November.

07:59>> Can I back up just a little bit here?

08:02>> When's the last time or have I remember

08:04we did a pay study a few years ago. What

08:06what year was that?

08:08>> 2022 and 23.

08:10>> Okay. So arguably the cost of living has

08:14gone up a lot probably in the last four

08:16years, right?

08:17>> So that compensation study was also for

08:19non-represented employees. Okay. So

08:22there was

08:23funding for a compensation study for

08:26represented employees, but that did not

08:28make it through the budget cycle.

08:30>> Okay. So, have we thought about looking

08:32at something global

08:35comparing how we are paying people to

08:38the rest of the county, other towns,

08:41other municipalities? Like, are we

08:42considering actually looking at

08:44everything across the board? So, we do

08:47assess it when we put numbers out. We

08:49look at counties, surrounding

08:50municipalities. Some of them are tough

08:52because they're a lot smaller than us,

08:53but we also look at Buffalo, Rochester,

08:56Albany, Ithaca, um kind of yoners. Um,

09:00so we we try when we put together a

09:03proposal, we try to look at what

09:05comparables may be in the area. Um, but

09:08that

09:08>> where do we fall in at? At the

09:10comparables, where do we fall in that?

09:13>> Uh, great question. So, um, for the

09:16majority of the positions, we're fairly

09:18comparable. Like, we were just looking

09:19at Ithaca numbers before we walked in.

09:22Um, we're within a dollar or two of

09:24Ithaca with almost every position.

09:28>> A dollar or two. So, we're less than

09:30Ithaca,

09:31>> correct? [clears throat] But Ithaca is

09:32substantially more expensive. Um,

09:35housing is far more than Syracuse, but

09:39um, not that that's the only thing that

09:40drives those numbers. But, um, we feel

09:43we put a fair proposal on the table that

09:45would help close that gap and bring us

09:47closer in line with Ithaca, which has a

09:49higher cost of living.

09:50>> And who's the higher? You saying bring

09:52us in line with Ithaca, which they're

09:54the lower. So, who's the highest paid

09:56across?

09:58>> The highest is Yonkers right now. Um,

10:00but they're right outside of New York

10:02City.

10:03>> Um, and then

10:04>> Well, so for me, I'm not to cut you off

10:06already.

10:06>> That's right.

10:06>> But for me, let's let's talk about

10:10Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, school

10:13district, Anadaga County. Let's talk

10:15about things that's right here around us

10:19and see where we're at and how far we're

10:21off.

10:22>> Yeah. So for um Rochester and Buffalo,

10:24we're comparable. Again, um Rochester,

10:27we're slightly ahead in some positions

10:29and slightly behind. It it depends

10:30varies by position. Um

10:32>> and that and that's right there for me

10:35is very skewed because you can jump all

10:37over the place and say for some

10:39positions. So we're talking about

10:41laborers and CDL,

10:43>> right? [clears throat]

10:44>> So

10:44>> if we just want to talk about those

10:46different I thought we were talking

10:47about all the positions in 400

10:49collectively. So, so for labors, we're

10:53within like 35 cents, I believe, was the

10:56last number we looked at for Rochester

10:57and Buffalo. Um, and then with CDLs were

11:01we're down approximately for for MEO1's

11:05or they call them light operators. Um,

11:07there's different titles that they use.

11:09We were less or we were below them by

11:11about $2

11:1315 or 20 cents. Um but

11:17>> county school district

11:18>> county different story and school

11:19district is a different story. We're

11:21below them by um

11:25for labors we're we're comparable and

11:27then for me

11:30one I want to say we were $4 below

11:33county and um

11:35>> what does laborers do you know offhand

11:38what does labor start off with and what

11:39does CDL start off with? Uh, labors, if

11:42I'm not mistaken, are 1955

11:45an hour and then meos are 2165.

11:52I can double check my contracts here.

11:59>> When you say county and Syracuse City

12:01School District, it's a different story

12:03so far. [snorts] How far off is the

12:05story? Uh for labors we're fairly

12:07comparable with um drivers we're behind

12:10by a few dollars like

12:11>> plus a few dollars

12:12>> up to four bucks. Yeah.

12:15>> I mean and just to you know not to bring

12:17up the elephant in the room but there's

12:18also um some restrictions that we have

12:22that the school district doesn't have,

12:23Centro doesn't have, the county doesn't

12:25have, which is residency.

12:28So the pool of people that they're

12:30pulling from is um greater than our

12:32pool, which is not to diminish the

12:34wages, but just for what it's worth.

12:37>> With these different unions like 400,

12:401773, some of them don't have residency.

12:43>> Sanitation.

12:44>> Sanitation is the only one.

12:45>> That's the only If you work in

12:46sanitation, you don't have to live in

12:47the city. Everybody else does.

12:49>> What's the hiring rate for sanitation?

12:52Uh I mean we we don't have vacancy rates

12:56like like we do at driver with drivers

12:59in sanitation. The vacancy rates are I

13:02mean we have high turnover but the

13:04vacancy rate

13:04>> was the hiring the rate of pay.

13:06>> Oh uh I believe it's similar to a labor

13:09if I'm not mistaken.

13:11Um I can hold on 1883.

13:15So still below what's considered to be

13:17like a living wage inside on county

13:19because if you do just a I mean

13:21>> a simple Google research with zero

13:23children they have the living wage in

13:24Onaga County to be about 22.86 with a

13:27child it's about $42 with one child. So

13:30I think we're still below what is

13:33considered to be enough money to feed

13:35yourself and clothe yourself.

13:37for the city of Syracuse.

13:40Uh the living wage that the city

13:42establishes and this is by the ordinance

13:45um passed in 2012 which it increases

13:48each year with benefits living wage is

13:50$16.92.

13:53>> That's that was

13:54>> No, but it's it updates each year. I'm

13:56not I'm not arguing that that's enough,

13:59but I just wanted to make sure that when

14:01we talk living wage that that's what the

14:03city that's what we hold our contractors

14:05to in terms of a living wage, you know,

14:07without benefits, it's $19.98.

14:10>> And that that's in the charter for what

14:11year? 2012.

14:12>> So the ordinance was and I'm looking to

14:14Joe. The ordinance was passed in 2012

14:16and each year that amount increases and

14:18each year

14:19>> how much

14:20>> the department of finance I would get I

14:22don't know Joe is it

14:23>> CPAS

14:26on CPI and so the division uh the

14:29department of finance each year has to

14:30post what the living wage is because we

14:32hold our contractors accountable to pay

14:35that living wage.

14:36>> So so the living wage for Syracuse is is

14:39separate based on this ordinance from

14:41the Anadaga County living wage

14:45>> state which is crazy.

14:48>> No,

14:50>> it's not. So to be very trans

14:52>> yeah I don't mean to I'm not trying to

14:54defend it. I just wanted to make sure

14:55that it was clear too that in terms of

14:56what the city defines as a living wage

14:58per the ordinance that's that's the

15:00number

15:00>> change that ordinance in 20 in 2012 was

15:04the living wage right now.

15:05>> So each year it has increased since

15:072012. So it wasn't $16 in 2012 it was

15:10probably I don't know $11 or whatever

15:12and it's increased each year and so the

15:152026 number is $16.92

15:18if you if it's a job that provides

15:20benefits.

15:20>> We know what the increase is based on

15:22correct

15:22>> CPI. Okay. Tumor price index.

15:24>> Okay.

15:24>> So, Corey, and this is not to put any

15:27judgment. I just want to,

15:29>> you know, there's several concerns that

15:30we have. And one is that

15:33>> a that our part of our charter, DPW, is

15:37on our charter, right? A lot of stuff we

15:38do is not charter. We do because we just

15:41picked it up as a city, right? But DPW

15:44is one of has been on our charter from

15:46the beginning of time, right? And I am

15:50for them to be paid this like amount of

15:54money like 1955

15:57$1955

15:59times 40 hours is $782, right? No one

16:03can't survive off of that, right? I

16:05mean, just being honest, no one can't

16:07survive off of that unless they have two

16:09and three jobs or working triple

16:11overtime or doing that. So, as a due

16:14diligence as a city, I don't care what

16:16CPI says. I don't care what the charter

16:17says. as a as a human being, we have to

16:21make sure that they are getting what

16:23they deserve and some to take care of

16:25their families because it's really

16:27unfair. Like I honestly, and this is

16:29from I don't even know how they're

16:31surviving with that pay with

16:32[clears throat] the way gas is, the food

16:34is, you know, just everything these days

16:37has increased, you know, um and god

16:39forbid if you have any children or

16:41families. And we do know most of our

16:43their their men that are working at DPW.

16:46So to say that is um I know CPI saying I

16:52know we can work on changing some of

16:54this in here. We have to do something

16:56better for for this this 1955 and even

17:00as a CDL driver 2165

17:02and and then that's the other part. What

17:04do we what's the plan for getting

17:07drivers? Do we have a plan because the

17:09snow is about to come. Yeah, I think the

17:11plan would be to make the increases that

17:14we've proposed that we can go into more

17:16detail separately of, you know, we're

17:18not saying we're proposing 0% increase

17:21and a 1955 we think is what it should

17:24remain. We have proposed increases to

17:26that compensation, which we can talk

17:28about separately. So, you know, I don't

17:30think anybody um thinks that those

17:32numbers should stay the same, which is

17:33why we've proposed increases. I think

17:35it's just um balancing what we have

17:38proposed as increases versus which is

17:40always contract negotiations versus what

17:42the union has proposed as increases and

17:44what the city um is able to sustain

17:48financially given that this is just one

17:50contract and we have nine contracts

17:52total um to negoti you know ongoing

17:56>> but this is the lowest paying 400

17:58[clears throat] is the lowest paying

17:59contract right

18:00>> I mean they're not the lowest paid

18:01employees in the city I'll say that

18:03>> but for For me, when I'm sorry, Council

18:06Jones, go ahead. [clears throat]

18:08>> But for me, right, when we're talking

18:09about

18:11these departments,

18:13it's a health and safety issue

18:16>> because we're coming up on winter. And

18:18if we don't have people to move the

18:20snow, we're going to have a problem.

18:23>> So,

18:25I don't know. I think we need to figure

18:27out a way that um with councelor

18:30Cartwell that we can come to a happy

18:33medium and we can uh you know what you

18:36said negotiations that's exactly what it

18:38is. So we need to learn how to listen to

18:42people too

18:43>> because I believe our workers have

18:46constantly said that they feel

18:48undervalued and underpaid

18:51>> and

18:52sometimes if we hear and have a

18:56resolution will all work out a little

18:59better for everybody.

19:00>> Agreed. And that's what [clears throat]

19:01we hope to achieve versus med uh through

19:04mediation. I mean, I think that's in

19:05part why we tried starting negotiations,

19:08you know, eight months before the

19:09contract expired was to hopefully get

19:10out ahead of that. But

19:12>> we've been working on this contract

19:13since April of 2025,

19:16>> and we're in what, September of 2026,

19:20>> and we're talking about being done in

19:21November

19:22>> of 2026.

19:24>> We're almost back to April again.

19:28Well, I I just want to say that I think

19:29when you look at public facing and what

19:32public needs,

19:33>> the people that they most see as our DPW

19:36workers, our police and our fire,

19:38>> and those are the ones that we should be

19:40valuing, I think, the most in our city.

19:42Not that all the other things aren't

19:44important that we do, but those are the

19:47ones that our public counts on the most.

19:49They want their street plowed. They want

19:50their garbage picked up. They want the

19:52streets kept clean. Um, that's what

19:55people want in this city. That's what

19:57that's the most complaints I get are

19:58those complaints.

20:00>> And um it just worries me that we don't

20:04value those positions the way that we

20:06maybe should um because of what they do

20:09for our city. Without them, the city

20:12falls apart. So, um,

20:16you know, this is my first time in in

20:18going through this with you guys, so I'm

20:20not trying to stump on your feet or

20:21anything, but I do think that we have to

20:23remember what it is the public looks at

20:25and what are they seeing the most and

20:27what are their what are their concerns.

20:30So,

20:32>> so I I want to Rick, [clears throat] if

20:34I heard you correctly earlier, you said

20:37the difference between

20:40uh the rate of or at least the rate of

20:42pay between the county, the city, and

20:45the city school district is roughly

20:47about $4.

20:48>> Yeah.

20:49>> And [clears throat] that that is CDL and

20:51uh sanitation.

20:53>> No, CDL.

20:53>> CDL. Okay. Let's stay with CDL. So

20:56assume that I'm a recruiter and I'm

20:58going out there to recruit for a CDL and

21:01I I know from um the other side of work

21:05that I do that sometime the wages may be

21:09low but there are other ways that you

21:12can make them up which build retention

21:15you know so if I was a recruiter and I'm

21:17going out there to recruit for a CDL

21:21uh and I know that I am $4 behind behind

21:25my competitor. How do I how do how do

21:28you sell that to a a a potential

21:30applicant?

21:32>> Yeah. So, right now the biggest is our

21:34benefits package. Um and if we talk

21:37about the county and the school

21:38district, I I mean the pension is the

21:40same. So, that's a wash at that point.

21:42But, um having a 97.5% actuarial value

21:47on our insurance is unheard of in New

21:49York State. We're the only ones. Um, so

21:53right now that's the biggest piece that

21:56we have, but that's

21:57>> 9.77. You say

21:58>> 97.5

22:00>> and I think that makes sense

22:04to the 52y old guy here, health

22:06insurance matters.

22:08>> But I think like to the 22year-old that

22:10just is trying to survive with rents

22:12that listen, we used to be able to say

22:14that Syracuse was cheaper to live in

22:16than Dwit was or Clay was

22:18>> because of supply and demand. I don't

22:20think it is cheaper to live here

22:21anymore. I would argue that especially

22:23if you buy a house now, assessments are

22:24going to go up, fees go up, taxes go up,

22:26national good goes up, everything's

22:28going up

22:29>> except for wages. And that's a national

22:31problem. I don't I don't not just saying

22:32that this is us. This is not our fault,

22:34but [clears throat]

22:36>> like where does the bubble burst? Is it

22:38a depression? And if it is a depression

22:40that is coming or a recession that is

22:41coming, I would rather that our workers

22:43are making more so they can survive that

22:46depression or recession because I'm

22:47afraid that right now if that comes they

22:49don't survive.

22:51>> So

22:51>> your 22-year-old who's just trying to

22:53get his start who arguably we want him

22:57or her to do 30 years with this city and

22:59build a pension and build a legacy and

23:01build generational wealth and buy a

23:02house. I don't think we're there. I

23:04think we're in trouble. Well,

23:05[clears throat] when you're talking

23:06about 20 to 20, 22 year olds, a lot of

23:09our workforce, you're talking what, 30

23:12to 45

23:14>> and they're not ready to just say, you

23:17know, oh, because I have the health

23:19insurance, they still got to live, too.

23:20Cuz some of them may have little kids as

23:22well.

23:22>> And I'm not 52 yet. Not till next week.

23:24But just

23:25>> so I I would ask for what it's worth,

23:28you know, you know, if we're able later

23:30on to share with you what we have

23:32proposed to see whether or not the

23:34council,

23:35>> you know, um to take a look at we have

23:37proposed to address many of the the

23:39concerns that are being raised here for

23:41for what that's worth. Again, it's not

23:42as if we're going in asking for 0% wage

23:45increases. I mean, the the other thing,

23:47and I don't disagree with you because I

23:49know the only reason I end up being tier

23:52four is because I was filling out

23:54paperwork and um my dad goes, "What's

23:57that?" I said, "Retirement paperwork.

23:59Who cares? I don't want I don't need to

24:00get into the retirement system." And he

24:02was like, "Get into the retirement

24:03system." So, I was there. I didn't care.

24:05I was like, "I'm 22. What do I care

24:06about retirement?" So, I completely

24:09sympathize with people who were like, "I

24:10don't care about healthcare." I think

24:12for the for um the council and for the

24:15administration, you know, our health

24:17care bill is about like a third of the

24:20overall city budget.

24:21>> Almost a third.

24:22>> It's almost a third. And so while it may

24:25not be,

24:27you know, while younger folks may not

24:29see the value of it, it still comes at a

24:32significant cost to the city. And so if

24:34>> majority of people do find value in,

24:36>> right? And so, you know, if if we no

24:39longer think that that benefit is going

24:42to attract people and retain people,

24:44then, you know, we would be open to

24:46talking about, you know, rolling things

24:48back then if we think that we need to

24:50contain.

24:50>> No, we're not saying and that's what I'm

24:53saying. We don't want to do that. We

24:55thank you for that.

24:56>> But it comes at But it comes

24:57>> We're seeing people thank you. I'm

24:58[laughter]

24:59not Please.

25:00>> But it comes at a significant cost.

25:01That's a third almost a third of our

25:03budget is just paying for healthcare.

25:05And so while others might not value it,

25:08it is a balance that we all strike of,

25:10you know, the council and the

25:11administration with that bill will

25:13continue to to rise. And so what wages

25:16are we able to provide that is a living

25:19wage so people can provide for their

25:21families um while understanding that,

25:24you know, we don't have all the

25:26resources that we might want. But one

25:28thing that I just want to send him and I

25:30know um Marty wants to say something so

25:32let me just get this out is that under

25:34the charter the three major things that

25:37we're supposed to do is DPW fire and

25:41police every all this other stuff is

25:44added on stuff right we made it happen

25:47but then we forgot about the people who

25:49makes this city happen without those

25:52three once again we can't do anything

25:55trash ain't picked up you know the I

25:58think we we forgot about what makes a

26:00city great, right? And what keeps the

26:02city together and those three things are

26:04very important because it's all about

26:06safety um and cleanliness. And you know,

26:09I just want us to really think out the

26:11box like I know you said the council the

26:13council going to be happy if everybody

26:14get five to $6 more. So we extra because

26:17I think they deserve it, right? Period.

26:19To live, right? But even looking out the

26:22box about giving them um some kind of

26:25bonuses twice a year, right? Like that

26:27helps out. You know, I come from Union

26:29World, that helps out because um it's so

26:32important. Like we're moving through

26:34these days and I'm seeing families and

26:35I'm seeing communities. I'm in and out

26:37of schools. Those same children are

26:40those same workers that are working for

26:41DBW and those children don't have

26:44because they don't have. It's a trickle

26:46down in our community, right? So we have

26:48to come to a a agreement

26:52to say our people are first and then

26:55everything else is after right and then

26:56that's what will make a the city whole

26:59once we take care of them you know so I

27:01just want us to urge like it h it h it

27:04has to happen

27:04>> and I think we're in this situation

27:06where if a city worker

27:08>> is lucky enough and smart enough to be

27:10able to buy a house in this city can

27:12they afford the bare minimal repair can

27:15they afford a new driveway can they

27:16afford new windows can they afford to

27:17put a roof on with a housing stock that

27:19is in places crumbling. Like I drive

27:21around this city that I love, born in,

27:23live in, and I think how the hell are we

27:26getting people from the bottom rung up

27:28to the next rung,

27:29>> especially if they work for the city?

27:31And I I I just Sorry, I'm on a soap box

27:34here, but it just worries it worries me

27:36that we're not getting them up the next

27:38rung.

27:39>> Donna, I'm sorry. One quick question.

27:41Can you Marty go because we sort of we

27:43all check them up. Sorry. Go ahead,

27:45Marty.

27:46>> Thank you. So I want to I want to go

27:48back to the issue of crossing

27:50>> guards.

27:52>> So I've already talked to representative

27:54CSCA brought to my attention there's a

27:56shortage of crossing guards.

27:59>> I was at Dr. Week school last week

28:01veteran crossing guard says to me we

28:04don't have a crossing guard on on Holly

28:06and Oak Street. We need one

28:08>> and we're short staff.

28:10So the question has now come up. they

28:14are required to live in the city.

28:17So can we drop that residency

28:20requirement and to promote more crossing

28:22guards and again giving them a living

28:25wage because they are the ones who go

28:28there early in the morning and in the

28:31afternoon they are the ones who have to

28:34face traffic and they do risk themselves

28:37and I know they're with the police

28:39department but I think we have to show

28:41what uh they do uh because I see cross

28:46guards walk right in the middle border

28:48on street and tell vehicles stopped.

28:50Okay. So they're risking their

28:51livelihood as well.

28:53>> And so I think that because we have a

28:55shortage uh we have need to promote

28:59uh crossing guards who may live in

29:01linkort

29:02>> just outside the city or in Salion or

29:06outside just in the wit. So I think we

29:09have to consider them. I think crossing

29:10guards have been overlooked too long.

29:12They do need a um a living wage increase

29:17and they really don't get benefits which

29:21I believe that they should be uh be

29:24given credit and entitled to some sort

29:26of benefit. They're [clears throat] very

29:28young crossing guards and they're senior

29:31citizens who are crossing guards. So

29:34let's look at their living wage. Let's

29:37see if we get them benefits and let's

29:39see if we can drop the requirement so

29:42that uh we have sufficient crossing

29:44guards

29:46and I'd like to get your input on that.

29:49>> I mean I think you know I know the

29:51council is having conversations about um

29:53about residency. So you know I I I will

29:57leave that to the council. Um the

29:59administration obviously stands ready to

30:00have the conversation whether it's a you

30:03know if the council is interested in a

30:06number of scenarios whether it's a

30:07targeted approach um you know however um

30:11the council sees fit we're we're ready

30:13to partner on that. What is the um the

30:17pay for

30:19starting pay?

30:19>> No,

30:20>> they get a stipend um

30:33>> very impressed by this by the way.

30:35>> Yeah, it's all in here. I just got to

30:37find it.

30:37>> I can't find anything on my phone

30:39>> while he looks for that. Um

30:40>> yeah,

30:40>> you also said based on the comparables

30:43between

30:45Rochester, Buffalo, Ithaca that um

30:49it's a little different for us because

30:52it's based on who that we're pulling

30:54from. Like what what does that mean?

30:56>> So I think it's just that the um you

30:59know and I for what it's worth, I'm a

31:02proponent of residency. I think it's

31:04important um but I understand the

31:06reality that we're up against. So I'm

31:08certainly not trying to devalue

31:09residency. I just think um often times

31:12people have it's you know a lot of the

31:15same arguments that the police

31:17department have brought where it's not

31:18as if people you know necessarily

31:21disdain living in the city but they've

31:23established their family someplace else

31:25in the county outside of the city of

31:27Syracuse and they're just not willing to

31:30pick up their family and move into the

31:32city to meet the residency requirement.

31:34So Centro doesn't have that, Anadaga

31:37County doesn't have that. Um the school

31:39district doesn't have that. Um some of

31:40the other cities that Rick named don't,

31:42you know, their residency requirement is

31:44more countywide. So, you know, again,

31:47I'm a big proponent of residency, but

31:49I'm we're also collectively facing the

31:51reality of of what that means for trying

31:53to recruit and retain people in our

31:55workforce.

31:59>> No, go ahead.

32:00>> Oh, I was just going to say, so that's

32:01the restriction you were talking about.

32:03>> Yes.

32:05>> Outside of per our health

32:10and counselor. So, I don't know what

32:13happens on you guys.

32:15>> Um, and I'm just thinking about like SU

32:18>> SU has a program where they assist their

32:22workers to purchase a house.

32:26>> And what what do we offer

32:29>> outside of health?

32:30>> Yeah, I mean, I think the city itself

32:33um, you know, is limited. I'd be, you

32:36know, I know that's something that um

32:38Mayor Owens has been interested in both

32:40in terms of, you know, the employee

32:42housing portal to try and help employees

32:44find housing. Uh working with some of

32:46our higher eds institutions, which she

32:48has tasked, you know, me and the HR team

32:50to find out, you know, how can we try to

32:53get remitted tuition so that we can

32:55offer more benefits to employees that,

32:58you know, might be interested in that in

32:59that. Um so, I mean, housing assistance

33:04is difficult. Well, I mean, not it not

33:06as difficult. The programs exist. The

33:09city does not directly provide, you

33:12know, I think a lot of that is

33:13accomplished through home headquarters

33:14and some of our partners to try and

33:16offer some um home buyers assistance. I

33:18know the land bank has a program, but

33:20obviously that also requires that you're

33:22able to fix up the home and bring it up

33:24to code. So, you know, everything's on

33:26the table for what it's worth. I think

33:28it's just the reality that we all face

33:29that all of those things come at a cost.

33:31>> Yeah. I just think that that's something

33:34that

33:35>> if you're trying to, you know,

33:39get people within the city, which is

33:42what we want

33:44that we need to also think outside the

33:47box and incentivize people.

33:49>> That's fair.

33:49>> Um

33:50>> because I mean as MTO stated um with

33:55with the uh

33:58the amount of people looking for

34:00properties or even just rental

34:02properties.

34:03>> It's getting harder and harder to find

34:06housing um within the city and

34:09>> lots of people are, you know, having to

34:13move away based on the availability of

34:16housing and the cost.

34:19So

34:21think outside.

34:25[clears throat]

34:26Well, he never went back to the

34:27>> Do you want the So, the stipend um up

34:30until the 30th of June, which is

34:33currently being negotiated and um

34:36looking an increase, is a stipend either

34:396256,

34:40so $6,256

34:43or $6,647

34:46depending on what level they are. Um,

34:47but they do get a whole there's a they

34:49have a whole contract. So, they do have

34:50some benefits. They have other stipens

34:53that they get as well, clothing

34:54allowance, boot allowance, things like

34:55that. So

34:58>> those are side gigs though. Those I mean

35:00those are not full-time jobs.

35:01>> Correct. They're not full-time jobs.

35:02>> Correct.

35:03>> Yeah. But

35:04>> if they was they'd only be 12 $12,000 a

35:08year.

35:09>> I mean I think the residency thing it's

35:10a thing but also we can't expect that

35:13people are going to move into the city

35:14to work as a CDL driver if we're $4

35:17below somewhere else. So I don't think

35:19it's a matter of trying to get people to

35:20move into the city for those jobs. is

35:21trying to get people to not move out of

35:23the city for jobs that are somewhere

35:24outside of the city or for people to not

35:27drive from their valley home to Dit to

35:29work and try to keep them here. So I I'm

35:32sure residency has its issues, but I

35:34think it's both. It's not one or the

35:35other. We wave residency tomorrow. We're

35:37not going to have a flock of people

35:39running to the gates here.

35:40>> Just put a band-aid on it.

35:41>> Yeah, there is no there's no silver

35:43bullet. Right. Right. No doubt.

35:45>> Cy, let me ask you this question. So

35:46Rashid, I brought something up that you

35:48know it's been brought up before. So it

35:50was about the bonuses that maybe that

35:52would be a way to you know kind of

35:54balance the act.

35:55>> However, when we had that discussion

35:57before

35:59>> there wasn't I don't know some kind of

36:01discussion around is that considered

36:04part of the salary? Does it change the

36:06grade? So how does that work? So I think

36:08it would just need to be structured in a

36:11way um that because obviously you know

36:15CDL drivers are much have the

36:18flexibility and can be more transient in

36:21terms of jobs than say a police officer

36:23can. A police officer is unlikely

36:26in my experience to take that sign on

36:29bonus and then run to dit and say thanks

36:32for the money I'm going to go get a job

36:33someplace else. Whereas whereas for CDL

36:36drivers, you know, and good for them, I,

36:39you know, maybe need to reconsider my

36:41career. Um, can just pick up and move to

36:44a different place, you know, can take

36:46the sign on bonus from the city, say,

36:48"Thank you very much, and the next day

36:49go get a job at Centro." So, which to me

36:52does not disqualify the idea of bonuses,

36:54but we would really need to structure it

36:56in a way that doesn't incentivize people

36:59to just take the money and run. And so

37:01if you you know build it into their

37:03salary then I'm not sure if that becomes

37:05something that the unions would also

37:06need to sign on to because then that

37:08>> so that's the discussion

37:09>> becomes a condition

37:11>> running now we have staff that's been

37:13here for years and dedicated that's

37:15working so I don't believe they're going

37:16to take it and run

37:17>> I'm sorry I thought we were talking sign

37:18on bonuses but you were talking

37:24bonuses in general I think that it

37:26wouldn't I think

37:28>> you know once again and I I only

37:31reiterate it because it's a trickle down

37:32effect. Like

37:34>> what happens with department of works,

37:37fire, and police affects the entire city

37:40and more so with DP because they're the

37:42ones who keep our city clean and they

37:44keep our roads safe. Six months out the

37:47year we have snow like um leaves are

37:50about to come down like all these things

37:51that are going to affect our our quality

37:54of life, right? Um, and

37:59I just don't know how

38:01I mean I don't I'm not in negotiation at

38:04all and I'm and I'm not trying to be a

38:05negotiator. I'm just saying that we have

38:09to figure out something that makes it

38:12sense and and it when pe if you look at

38:16our kids are suffering, right? And you

38:19think about why they're suffering, we're

38:21part of why they're suffering, right?

38:23People cannot live, right? We can't they

38:26can't live. There's you can't take a

38:28penny and split it. You only when you

38:30got the penny, the penny is gone, right?

38:32So, at the end of the day, like I know

38:34it was part of this your guys' job to

38:37negotiate, do whatever. But what we're

38:39saying is we have to figure out a way.

38:41We figure out away everything else. We

38:43behind here, we do this. We got to

38:45figure out a way to make sure that they

38:46are good so that we all can be good. And

38:48it's only like it has to happen. And

38:52when you're talking about the bonus, I

38:54mean, you said it yourself, Corey,

38:56that's negotiation. So, it should be

38:58some kind of a way that even if there's

39:01a time stipulation on that you can

39:04negotiate that

39:07>> I I do want to just do

39:09>> Excuse me. You want to go?

39:12>> Um, I just do want to put a plug in for

39:13the benefits here because I've worked at

39:15a lot of places in my career and have

39:18paid twice as much for medical insurance

39:20than I pay here. and had half of the

39:22benefits that I have here.

39:23>> So, I don't think that we should dismiss

39:25that. I think that is important and I

39:27think it is something that would attract

39:29people to work here. Um, so, you know,

39:32kudos for that with the city because

39:33that those benefits are the best I've

39:35ever seen in my life. And I've worked at

39:37Fortune 500 companies and everything

39:39else and you don't get the benefits you

39:41have here.

39:41>> They're very generous.

39:42>> Before you jump in, quick question. Can

39:44you is there any way we can get a

39:47breakdown of the age groups and how

39:51they're they're utilizing the benefit

39:54package? Is there a way we can do that

39:59>> potentially? I

40:00>> think so.

40:01>> From V should be

40:03>> I think we should be able to get that

40:04information. That was also the reason

40:06why I asked a couple weeks ago about

40:09finding out which departments

40:12utilize the central bus

40:15>> uh package. Um because I'm interested to

40:18know if between or parks like are they

40:22the higher usage um for that because

40:25they make less.

40:26>> Um so

40:28>> having that information would be

40:29helpful.

40:30>> Um but I also wanted to um speak to what

40:36councelor Codwell stated a while back um

40:40that a lot of the people who work um or

40:46I'll just say DPW um

40:49are working two jobs some people who

40:52work in water are working two jobs

40:57>> I work this job and I'm tired

41:01>> so how can I give my all to my primary

41:04job if I have to go and work another job

41:08>> without the the

41:12benefit of a living wage,

41:14>> I can't I can't do my best at what you

41:17want me to do.

41:18>> So, I mean, I think it's something that

41:21needs to be fully thought out um

41:25with respect to the people who serve the

41:27city.

41:32So, um, [clears throat]

41:35following up on councelor Hudson

41:37question, I would also be interested to

41:39know the average age of the city

41:42[clears throat]

41:43of our city workers.

41:45You know, I know that, you know,

41:48millennials are

41:50high millennial are what, 45 years old,

41:53right?

41:54>> That's what I'm saying.

41:55>> That's what I'm saying. Um I would

41:57really be interested to know uh what

42:00what is the average age of a city worker

42:03because that when you talk about 97%

42:079775

42:09of health insurance coverage right

42:13um you know I I'm in my 40s

42:17I need my health insurance

42:18>> you don't say [laughter]

42:22>> you know

42:23>> I need my health insurance I have

42:25children, I have family,

42:26>> I need my health insurance, which is

42:28which makes that conversation central

42:33>> to every job I can make, right? I can be

42:35in, right?

42:36>> So that in itself um it's important. Now

42:42the followup question to that is and I

42:45this is more rhetorical than anything

42:47else, right?

42:50I guess as as city official we need to

42:52ask ourself why should anybody work for

42:54the city right and you're right I think

42:57sometime we say that residency may be it

43:02but we have

43:06146,000 people that live in the city of

43:08Syracuse some of which maybe a third of

43:10that are working age right

43:13>> are we counting those out that somehow

43:16there got to be a reason there rather

43:18than using residency as as a capout

43:21because we have people.

43:21>> Right.

43:22>> Right. So we need to be able to say why

43:25should anybody work for the city.

43:27>> Right. Until we answer that question,

43:29you know, residency is is an anomaly

43:32over there. Wages are another.

43:35>> But there's more in that culture.

43:38Everything else right play a role in why

43:41people would want to work through this

43:43with the city. But until we can address

43:45that question, it become very difficult

43:48to really look at everything else in the

43:50face and say these these are the reason

43:53until we [clears throat] ask and I think

43:54that that become a question for all of

43:56us become a question for you or anybody

43:58else that that that work for the city.

44:01Now I want to go back to my initial

44:02question about uh you know as a

44:06recruiter when you go out there and when

44:08you're recruiting you know how do you do

44:10it right you said earlier um part of

44:12that conversation is the benefit right I

44:17thought that

44:18with the city the county the city school

44:21district we have like an some sort of an

44:26agreement that when we go out there we

44:28will go out to bit with health insurance

44:31and and benefit correct collectively. So

44:34what what the health insurance that we

44:36have as city employees is the similar

44:38health benefit.

44:40>> No. So we have a buying consortium but

44:42the plans are not the same.

44:43>> Okay.

44:44>> So so what would if if we are getting

44:4597.75

44:47what is the city school district

44:48offering to

44:50>> their employees?

44:51>> Don't even know if they're in the 80s to

44:53be honest with you.

44:54>> I think they might be in the high 80s. I

44:55I mean I I don't know if BPAS would

44:57release that to me but I think they're

44:58in the high 80s.

44:59>> Okay. Um, and I Okay. And then

45:02>> for what it's worth, counselor, I mean,

45:0397.5 is is

45:05>> we're the only ones.

45:06>> We're the only I mean, when you look at

45:08the Affordable Care Act and the tier of

45:11plans that they had, they had, I don't

45:12know, bronze, silver, gold, platinum. I

45:14think platinum was 90%.

45:16>> Platinum tops out at 94 and we're at 97.

45:19>> We're above the platinum plan for the

45:22Affordable Care Act. So, I mean like

45:24what we are offering is far beyond and

45:27to councelor Moore's point far beyond in

45:29terms of benefits at at the cost that

45:31we're that we are

45:33>> and we're providing

45:33>> that the city's paying

45:34>> for less than the cost of a bronze plan.

45:36>> I think we all here would use and we all

45:39like hoay all of us here use that health

45:41insurance. I know I do. But if we wanted

45:43to get, sorry Joe, to get a young person

45:45coming out of school, I didn't, you

45:47know, you don't think about health

45:49insurance because typically they're not

45:50going to the doctors unless it's a

45:52problem, right?

45:52>> And so you're talking about we're

45:54missing a whole gap of anybody from 20

45:56to like 35

45:58>> of people that could come and work for

46:00us,

46:00>> right?

46:01>> Yes. So how do you compute that

46:03monetarily? If so, so so say if if I'm

46:06selling this to a 22 year old

46:08>> who is just got out of high school maybe

46:11and took a gap year and just want to

46:13work, right? We see them and we say we

46:17are

46:18>> paying $19

46:20an hour

46:21>> for you

46:22>> and they see a job at

46:26uh Taco Bell

46:28>> that is paying

46:30$20 an hour. Now that that that's that

46:34may that dollar make a difference,

46:36right?

46:36>> So how do you how do you monetize these

46:3897 because the health insurance that we

46:41are offering you definitely Taco Bell is

46:43not going to offer it right but how do

46:45you monetize that and say you know what

46:47>> this is the cost that you would add as

46:50an addition. So the value of that plan

46:52for a single person without you if you

46:54never use it is about $15,000

46:58$15,000

46:59>> and for a family it's about $26,000.

47:01>> Even if you don't use it

47:02>> if you never used it you got the

47:03equivalent of a $26,000 health insurance

47:06plan or

47:07>> $15,000 for single.

47:09>> For a single

47:09>> and then for family it's valued about

47:11$26,000. Then every time you use it that

47:13value increases.

47:14>> What about the value to them if they

47:15don't use it?

47:15>> Is zero. Correct. So but it's a

47:18>> we bear that cost.

47:19>> Correct. Everybody pay that whether or

47:21not they use it, we pay it.

47:23>> I think we're cognizant of the fact of

47:24how valuable health insurance is. I just

47:26think we are I'm also cognizant of the

47:28fact that child care is now a luxury. A

47:31bag of groceries now costs $100, you get

47:34home, you can't afford your bills. I

47:36mean, I that's I think what we're trying

47:37to say without saying like, listen,

47:38we're not going to solve all those

47:39problems. I think we have a nationwide

47:41crisis on our hands. Absolutely.

47:43>> But are we doing enough to lend a hand

47:45to the people that are already working

47:47hard for us?

47:48>> I think there may be value in caucusing

47:50and talking about what we put on the

47:52table because we I mean without pushing

47:54too hard like we we're talking about

47:56what we need to fix but not looking at

47:57what we attempted to fix.

47:58>> I think it's bigger than just this set

48:00of negotiations. I think we need a

48:01global study. We need to really look

48:03from the top down at the entire city,

48:06who we're paying what, how we're paying

48:07it, how we're deciding it, and is it

48:09>> are we getting people out of poverty

48:11because there's a lot of people that are

48:12in it.

48:13>> Can we do a quick executive session

48:15really quick?

48:15>> Sure. Yeah.

48:17Motion to go into executive session.

48:22>> Motion to go in executive session for

48:24the private labor agreement

48:26conversation. Right.

48:27>> Second.

48:28>> Okay.

48:37>> Oh yeah.

```*