News

NEW YORK, NY June 29, 2005 —City teachers say the new pay raise for police bolsters their argument that they also deserve a bigger increase. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

REPORTER: A state arbitration panel gave police a 10 percent wage increase over 2 years. Teachers Union president Randi Weingarten says that's almost twice as much as the deal accepted by other city workers.

WEINGARTEN: Clearly the city's position that there is one lockstep pattern that is inviolate is rejected by the cop arbitration.

REPORTER: The teachers are citing a poll finding three quarters of 600 registered voters believe city teachers deserve to make as much as their suburban counterparts.

But a spokesman for mayor Bloomberg said the union already got the biggest raise in history 2 years ago and now it won't negotiate. A state panel is expected to make a recommendation this summer.