ALBANY — CSEA has reached a tentative five-year contract agreement with New York state that delivers improvements in wages, benefits and workplace protections and addresses affordability challenges facing state workers.
“We applaud Governor Hochul’s recognition of the hard work CSEA members provide to the state every day through this fair contract,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “This agreement delivers meaningful wage increases and helps address affordability challenges working people are facing.”
The proposed agreement, which covers more than 55,000 CSEA-represented state employees and runs through April 1, 2031, was negotiated following months of discussions between the union and the state. The contract must now be reviewed and ratified by the membership before it can take effect.
Among the highlights are annual salary increases throughout the life of the agreement, enhanced location pay for workers in higher-cost regions, paid prenatal leave, improvements to health insurance benefits and continued investment in employee benefits. The agreement also includes provisions aimed at strengthening workplace protections and modernizing language to address emerging issues such as artificial intelligence.
Union leaders said the tentative agreement reflects the essential work performed by CSEA members in agencies and facilities across New York.
The contract includes health insurance enhancements designed to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for members and their families. There would be no increase in employee premium contribution rates, and several changes to Empire Plan coverage would lower costs for routine medical services and laboratory testing. The agreement also expands reduced premium contribution rates to additional salary grades.
The tentative agreement would also provide 20 hours of paid prenatal leave each year for eligible employees and increase the sick leave accumulation cap. Additional provisions address seniority protections, telecommuting, labor-management cooperation and workplace safety concerns.
Members would also see improvements through the CSEA Employee Benefit Fund. If ratified, increased state contributions to the fund would support expanded dental coverage, including new adult orthodontic benefits, higher dental allowances and additional covered services. Changes to the prescription drug co-pay reimbursement benefit would also make it easier for members to receive reimbursement for eligible expenses.
The tentative agreement represents an investment not only in compensation but also in benefits for state employees and their families.
Union leaders are encouraging members to review the contract materials carefully before casting their ballots.
More information, including contract highlights, informational meeting and voting details, is available to members on our website: cseany.org/state-contract.
“Five years of raises that are unprecedented, the highest five years in my career, the highest five consecutive years, we come out 19.33% higher than we went in. You add that to some of the other allowance increases and convenience pay, hazard pay changes. It’s going to help our members immensely.”
— Barry Richards
“I’m most proud of the fact that we fought so hard to get this. I think we worked really well as a team, and we listened to what the members wanted, and we fought for them, and we got the best that we could get for them.”
— Stephanie Teachman