Know Your Rights

As the City Council’s staff union, ALE has as its top priority supporting and representing our co-workers.

All Council Member Aides & Finance Analysts are protected by:

1.) ALE’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, or “Contract.” Read more below.

2.) Weingarten Rights – the right to union representation in any discussion with management that could lead to you being disciplined or terminated. Read more below.

3.) Right to Challenge a "Change to General Terms of Employment." Our most basic terms of employment --such as pay, full or part-time status, and benefits-- cannot be changed unilaterally. This means without negotiating with the union.

4.) Existing Federal and local laws which are supposed to protect all Council staff from:

Retaliation for being a union member, engaging in union business, or seeking union representation;
Discrimination & harassment based on race, gender, age, sexual orientation & other protected categories;
Any pressure to do political work or assist with political campaigns.

If you have an employment-related question or issue, reach out to ALE immediately at nyccouncilunion@gmail.com.

1.) Our Contract

All Council Member Aides & Finance Analysts are covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement, or “Contract,” ratified on April 14th, 2024.

New Grievance Process – You Have the Right to File

A grievance related to a violation of our contract (such as a comp time issue).
A grievance related to unfair discipline. See guidelines below.

New Disciplinary Process

Available to everyone in our Bargaining Unit (except Chiefs of Staff) after a 9 month probationary period. This probationary period is retroactive; it began when you started working in your current office. Many staff are already eligible.
Staff must receive written charges and an administrative hearing prior to termination and other disciplinary actions.
Staff can be suspended without pay for a maximum of 30 days, pending this process and determination of charges.
Staff are entitled to 4 successive hearings & can appeal decisions related to unfair discipline (e.g. termination, demotion) 3 separate times.
- Step 1: Initial hearing before the Council's Personnel Services Division. A determination of charges will be made, which can then be appealed.
- Step 2: Hearing before the Council's Office of General Counsel. A decision will be rendered, which can then be appealed.
- Step 3: Hearing before the Speaker's Office. A decision will be rendered, which can then be appealed.
- Step 4: The final appeal goes before an independent arbiter, assigned by the City’s Office of Collective Bargaining. At this point, Just Cause protections will be enforced, meaning management must have a fair reason for imposing discipline.

Comp Time

Compensatory time (additional time off) is available to staff making below $81,886 (rises to $84,547 by Aug. 2025)
Requires supervisor pre-approval. Staff can accrue up to 91 hours (13 work days)
Comp time rates:
- 1X time for hours worked over 35 on weekdays
- 1.5X time for hours worked over 35 on weekends and holidays
Must be used within the calendar year – then rolls over to sick leave
Cannot be accrued between October - December

Guaranteed Annual Wage Increases

3% increase on Aug 13, 2024
3.25% increase on Aug 13, 2025

Minimum Salaries as of Aug 13th, 2024. Increased by 3.25% in Aug 2025.

Member Aides: $56,650
Financial Analysts: $62,233
Senior Financial Analysts: $78,610

Contract Reference Materials:

2.) Right to Representation in Disciplinary Meetings

In the U.S., unionized employees are entitled to have a union representative present during any meeting with management (formal or informal) that the employee believes may lead to disciplinary action being taken against them. Also known as "Weingarten Rights," this right to representation was established by a 1975 US Supreme Court decision.

Weingarten also applies during investigatory meetings when a supervisor or management is questioning an employee to obtain information that could be used as grounds for discipline. The employee may terminate such a meeting until a time when a union representative can be present.

All Member Aides and Finance staff have the following rights:

You may request representation before or during the meeting. Upon such request, the supervisor or management has these choices:

Grant the request and suspend the meeting until a Steward or other ALE rep arrives,
Deny the request and end the meeting immediately, or
Give the employee the choice to either end the meeting, or to continue without representation.

If the supervisor or management denies your request for representation, you have the right to refuse to answer questions and to terminate the meeting immediately. You may do so by reading the following language:

“If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working condition, I respectfully request that my union steward, representative, or officer be present at the meeting. Without representation, I choose not to answer any questions.”

Remember:

1.) Management is NOT obligated by law to inform employees of their Weingarten rights – employees MUST ask for them.

2.) If you invoke your Weingarten Rights and request union representation, management must allow you time to obtain that representation.

3.) You can request that your union Steward join the meeting. You can also get in touch with ALE directly and request representation. Email nyccouncilunion@gmail.com & we will respond within the day.

4.) If you feel that you need a union rep but are unsure if Weingarten applies-- you should always ask for representation. Don't hesitate to invoke your rights! If you're denied, ALE can help you determine if we should push back.