Staten Island’s PS 45 is currently operating with only two crossing guards, half the number previously assigned to the school, reflecting a broader shortage across New York City where nearly 200 crossing guard positions remain unfilled. This staffing deficit follows significant budget cuts initiated in 2024 under former Mayor Eric Adams, who eliminated 500 vacant crossing guard posts as a fiscal measure.

Crossing guards earn a starting wage of $18 an hour, amounting to roughly $23,400 annually based on their limited five-hour workdays. City officials are negotiating to keep wage increases below 4% for 2026, which would translate to an approximate raise of $936 for most crossing guards. This contrasts starkly with other city employees; for instance, a newly hired NYPD officer, earning around $60,884 annually, would receive a $2,435 wage increase, while veterans and sergeants see even larger raises exceeding $5,000 and $6,000, respectively. The wage negotiation approach disproportionately benefits higher-paid workers, contributing to widening income inequality among city employees over time.

The city's wage-setting process is guided by the Office of Labor Relations’ policy of pattern bargaining, where the first municipal union to finalize a contract establishes a wage increase pattern that other unions must follow or remain below. This system dates back to the 1970s fiscal crisis and was initially designed to restrain union wage demands by fostering competition among unions. Originating under Mayor Ed Koch’s administration, the policy has been maintained by subsequent Republican-led city governments.

In response, some unions have sought to bypass pattern bargaining limitations through measures like non-pensionable retention bonuses and additional step increases, though the core challenges for jobs like crossing guards persist. Low starting pay and limited hours have led to difficulties in recruitment and retention of crossing guards.

Parallel issues arise within the United Federation of Teachers’ paraprofessional ranks, starting at $33,222 a year. A recent initiative by UFT President Michael Mulgrew to offer paraprofessionals $10,000 bonuses is currently opposed by Mayor Mamdani’s administration and is the subject of ongoing litigation, highlighting tensions between the pro-labor mayor and union stakeholders.

Mayor Mamdani recently announced the creation of a city department aimed at supporting private-sector workers in securing improved workplace conditions, signaling a progressive stance on labor issues. However, critics note a disconnect between this initiative and the administration’s approach to public-sector labor negotiations, which remain led by career officials adhering to established pattern bargaining protocols.

Labor experts suggest that pattern bargaining raises, essentially serving as cost-of-living adjustments, should be supplemented by targeted structural inequality adjustments to address growing disparities. They argue that additional compensation measures should prioritize lower-paid and essential workers—such as crossing guards and paraprofessionals—to prevent further erosion of their relative wages and to support roles critical to public safety and student success.