New York, NY – The NYC Council begins a new session with unionized staff having a contract.
The Association of Legislative Employees (ALE) consisting of staff working within the NYC Council, now have due process rights and job protections – as a new term begins January 1, 2026, for this five-hundred-member organization.
After years of organizing, ALE gained Union status in 2021, becoming the Nation’s largest union of legislative staffers. This unique labor organization ratified its first contract in April 2024, and the minimum salary went from $30,000 to $50,000. Members now have limited job protections, including an end to At-Will Employment.
At-will employment allowed staff to be terminated without cause. The contract now requires employers to provide a legitimate reason for discipline or termination. The agreement also includes a provision sought by the City Council that at the start of a new term, council members serving successive terms are granted a 60-day “reorganization period” to restructure their offices. Council leaders have argued that those taking on new committee chair assignments, for example, may require different staff skill sets. During that period, due process protections do not apply – and staff in member offices revert to at-will status.
At a rally on the steps of City Hall that took place on December 18th, ALE members working for the NYC Council, along with elected officials and representatives of other unions, stressed the need for due process and stability of staffing.
