MAYOR GIULIANI AND THE PRESIDENTS OF THREE UNIFORMED UNIONS
ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON LEGISLATION AFFECTING UNIFORMED MEMBERS
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and the three Presidents of the Unions representing Uniformed Members of the New York City Department of Correction announced today that an agreement has been reached to introduce legislation that will convert a recently enacted variable supplement funds into a defined benefit plan.

Along with Mayor Giuliani, Norman Seabrook, President of the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association (COBA), Peter Meringolo, President of the Correction Captains' Association (CCA), and Sidney Schwartzbaum, President of the Assistant Deputy Wardens/Deputy Wardens Association (ADW/DWA) today announced that the City and the Correction Unions have an agreement jointly supporting legislation that will convert the existing variable supplement funds, created by Chapter 657 of the Laws of 1999, to a defined benefit plan, that Governor Pataki signed into law December 29, 1999. The Agreement reflects a commitment made by the Unions when Chapter 657 was signed to discuss with the City converting the variable supplement funds to a defined benefit plan.

"I want to thank Presidents Norman Seabrook, Peter Meringolo and Sidney Schwartzbaum for their organizations' efforts to arrive at an accord on the proposed legislation," said Mayor Giuliani. "I also want to recognize Deputy Mayor Robert M. Harding and Labor Commissioner James F. Hanley and his staff at the Office of Labor Relations for their efforts in reaching this agreement."

Norman Seabrook, President of the COBA, said, "I want to thank Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani for their support of this defined benefit plan. This benefit helps place us on a level playing field with the rest of the uniformed services in the Police Department. We may not always agree on everything, but when we sit down across the table from the Mayor we see his great ability and willingness to work out difficult issues."

The legislation will provide for a defined benefit plan for all uniformed Correction members who retire from service on or after July 1, 1999. The schedule of benefits begins at $8,500 in calendar year 2000. Thereafter, the schedule increases in $500 increments until it maximizes at $12,000 in calendar year 2007. As members retire, they will join the schedule already in progress.

All three Union Presidents credited Mayor Giuliani with having helped accomplish this major achievement for the benefit of their respective memberships.

"The defined benefit plan provides a level of recognition that the men and women of the Department of Correction have long deserved for their unflagging service to the City of New York," said CCA President Peter Meringolo. "The City of New York did the right thing. This is a great outcome for our years of hard work."

ADW/DWA President Sidney Schwartzbaum said, "My members were delighted when they found out they had finally attained this long sought-after goal."

www.ci.nyc.ny.us