United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew was reportedly the primary advocate for the City Council's recent decision to grant teaching assistants a $10,000 raise, a move that bypassed standard union contract negotiations and occurred alongside a significant education budget. Three sources familiar with the situation stated that Mulgrew urged council allies, including Speaker Julie Menin, to pass the bill that provides the pay increase. Critics express concern that this bypass of collective bargaining could set a precedent for future union demands, potentially leading to increased spending.
Nicole Gelinas, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, described the action as a "bad idea and a bad precedent," questioning if similar measures would be extended to other unions unable to reach agreements. Sources suggest Mulgrew's push for the pay raise, which adds to the Department of Education's $38.6 billion budget, was partly motivated by a leadership challenge he faced last year, after what sources described as years of neglecting paraprofessional pay during contract talks.
The City Council's unanimous approval of the bill has also been viewed as politically strategic. Insiders believe Council Speaker Julie Menin may have used the legislation to gain leverage against Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whom she is reportedly considering challenging in the 2029 Democratic mayoral primary. This mirrors a similar tactic where Menin supported expanding a housing voucher program that Mamdani had previously expressed concerns about due to cost.
Mayor Mamdani, who supported paraprofessional raises during his mayoral campaign, has voiced reservations about the bill bypassing collective bargaining. He now faces a decision within 30 days: sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow it to take effect without action. A veto could lead to prolonged legal battles, while inaction might encourage other unions to seek similar legislative avenues for pay increases.
The issue of paraprofessionals earning a base salary of $32,000 annually became a focal point last year. Mulgrew had previously rallied support for a $10,000 raise. Sources indicate the bill's introduction offered Mulgrew a platform to demonstrate his advocacy for teaching assistants, particularly as he contended with a leadership challenge from former ally Amy Arundell. This year, Mulgrew did not secure similar pay bumps through negotiations for teachers affected by delays in New York’s class size mandate.
City Council members reportedly revived the paraprofessional pay raise bill after Mamdani's administration opposed the increases during negotiations for the city's $126 billion budget. A City Council spokesperson asserted the bill could ultimately save the city money by helping to fill approximately 1,600 paraprofessional vacancies, thereby reducing the city's expenditure on "Carter Cases" – situations where parents place children in private schools due to perceived shortcomings in public institutions. The city reportedly spends $1.5 billion on such cases annually.
A City Hall spokesperson reiterated the mayor's stance that pay raises are best resolved through collective bargaining, stating the council's bill potentially violates state collective bargaining law. The spokesperson added that the administration is carefully reviewing the legislation to determine the next steps. The UFT, in response to accusations against Mulgrew, directed inquiries back to their sources for fact-checking.