CSEA Gets 13% Hike, Longevity Pay Increases

By REUVEN BLAU

The Civil Service Employees Association Oct. 29 reached a tentative contract settlement with the Spitzer administration that provides 13 percent in raises over four years, and doubles the location pay for employees assigned to the downstate area.

The proposed agreement with the state's largest public-employee union also contains "some increases in health insurance co-pays balanced by a wide range of benefit enhancements," the CSEA said in a press release.

The contract, which would run retroactively from April 2, 2007 to April 1, 2011, must still be ratified by the CSEA's more-than 70,000 state executive branch employees. The tentative deal - with annual raises of 3, 3, 3 and 4 percent - will likely set the financial pattern for the state's other public-employee unions, which are all working under contracts that expired this April 1.

Based on the agreement, effective April 1, 2008 the annual downstate location pay differential would increase to $1,850, up from $1,302. That figure would jump to $3,026 on Oct. 1, 2008. The Mid-Hudson adjustment would increase to $1,000 on April 1, 2008 and to $1,513 on Oct. 1, 2008. The deal also includes two longevity increases. Further details will be published in next week's issue.