A measure that would raise pay for New York City teaching assistants by $10,000 has officially become law, even though Mayor Zohran Mamdani chose not to sign it — and the administration may still take the fight to court.
The new law, which provides raises for paraprofessionals in city schools, took effect Wednesday after Mamdani declined to take formal action, the United Federation of Teachers announced.
The UFT, one of the city’s most influential labor unions, strongly supported the “Respect for Paraprofessionals” bill, which cleared the City Council in a unanimous vote last month.
“Our paraprofessionals made this happen,” UFT President Mike Mulgrew said. “We thank Council Speaker Julie Menin, Labor Chair Carmen De La Rosa and the Council members who fought so hard to get this law passed and address a long-standing injustice.”
Still, Mulgrew warned that Mamdani could seek to overturn the legislation in court by arguing that it conflicts with labor laws that regulate collective bargaining.
“We are prepared for this. The bill was drafted carefully to ensure that it does not violate the state Taylor Law, which governs collective bargaining,” Mulgrew said.
“We hope it won’t come to this, but if it does, we are prepared to engage in a legal fight for the RESPECT check and the paraprofessionals who keep our schools running.”
Mamdani, a former state assemblyman, publicly supported the paraprofessional pay raise during last year’s mayoral campaign, when he also accepted the UFT’s endorsement in the general election.
The mayor changed his tune before the council passed the bill, saying that paraprofessional pay was a “matter that is best treated at the bargaining table,” not through legislation.
But he still insisted the law would be upheld.
Government watchdogs slammed the legislation as a dangerous precedent, giving the green lights to other unions to sidestep collective bargaining and appeal to the council to settle pay dispute, driving up costs to the city.
In a note to paraprofessionals — teaching assistants who help students with disabilities — Mulgrew said they can expect the $10,000 bump in four installments of $2,500 each on January 1, 2027, March 1, June 1 and August 1.
Starting pay for paras is $33,000 and reaches $56,000 after 15 years.
“Today, we celebrate accomplishing the goal that we began fighting for almost two years ago. The RESPECT check legislation has become a law that will give our hardworking paraprofessionals more money this coming year,” Mulgrew said.
Mamdani’s office had no immediate comment.
