Restler explains vote on 692A, critiques pattern bargaining

Rustler.

Permission to explain my vote.

Permission granted.

Thank you so much, Majority Leader.

I, like the Speaker mentioned, would have strongly preferred for us to be resolving compensation for paraprofessionals through the collective bargaining process.

But it has become unfortunately apparent over many years that pattern bargaining is failing the lowest paid workers in city government.

There are too many workers like paraprofessionals who earn $32,500 a year, where a 3% raise just doesn't mean much.

If you're well compensated and you're making over $100,000 a year, a 3% raise is great.

But the nature of pattern bargaining...

Really expands upon, exacerbates the inequities that exist in compensation in New York City.

And so we need OLR and the Mamdani administration to begin creating equity tables where each year they identify low-wage workers in city government that are underpaid and prioritize bringing those wages up.

But until that happens, we can't afford not to act.

And so I'm grateful for the leadership of our former labor chair, Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa, for ensuring that these paraprofessionals get the support that they deserve and appreciate Speaker Menon's leadership and the council today,

along with the UFT, in delivering for low-wage workers who deserve this and so much more.

I'm grateful to every paraprofessional in New York City for their hard work in taking care of our kids.

I proudly vote aye on all.

Riley.

Just want to state for the record that my children are scholars at New York City Public School, and we are also members of the YMCA, and I vote aye on all.

Thank you.

Salam.

Just want to vote, I mean, say for the record that my family are members of the YMCA, and I'm proud to vote aye on all.

Justin Sanchez.

I'd like to disclose I have nothing to disclose.

I don't know.

Thank you.