The president of New York City’s United Federation of Teachers (UFT) has issued a stark warning to Mayor Zohran Mamdani over his hesitation to back a bill granting $10,000 bonuses to paraprofessionals, setting the stage for a potential confrontation between the city’s mayor and one of its most influential labor leaders.

Paraprofessionals, who largely assist students with disabilities and are among the lowest-paid employees in the public school system, would receive one-time payments under legislation unanimously passed by the City Council last week. The bonuses, proposed to address staffing shortages and retention challenges, would cost the city approximately $325 million.

Mayor Mamdani, a democratic socialist who campaigned on promises to support working-class New Yorkers, had initially pledged to endorse the bonus payments. However, following the bill’s passage, he has expressed concerns that the measure may violate the Taylor Law, a state statute that governs public employee labor relations. According to city officials, direct payments to unionized workers outside the collective bargaining process could be illegal under this law.

Representatives from the mayor’s administration have not clarified whether Mamdani intends to veto the bill, challenge it legally, or allow it to become law without his signature. In a statement, Mamdani acknowledged the critical role paraprofessionals play in schools but suggested compensation matters should be resolved through negotiations involving workers and their unions.

Michael Mulgrew, UFT president, met with the mayor and City Hall officials to press for support of the bonuses. Mulgrew warned that if Mamdani’s administration continues to oppose the payments or pursue legal action, the union is prepared to escalate the dispute, calling it an “all-out war.” Mulgrew also surmised that the mayor may be receiving incomplete or biased advice from city labor relations and budget officials and noted Mamdani’s willingness to hold further discussions as a positive sign.

The legal complexities hinge on whether providing bonuses without negotiating through collective bargaining violates the Taylor Law. The City’s Office of Labor Relations and Office of Management and Budget have argued it does, while the union contends the legislation was carefully crafted to categorize the payments as “stabilization payments” intended to address urgent retention and hiring challenges. The bonuses would supplement existing salaries, not affect pensions, and would cease if wage increases of at least $10,000 are negotiated during contract talks.

The largest public school system in the nation employs roughly 26,000 paraprofessionals, with about 1,600 vacancies reported by the union. Starting salaries hover around $32,000 annually, a figure workers like Jasminie Jones, a five-year paraprofessional in Queens, say is insufficient to cover living expenses in New York City. Jones, who supports herself through an additional job as an in-home aide, highlighted the necessity of the proposed bonus for paraprofessionals to make ends meet.

The issue has also fueled discussions about wage increases for other essential workers. For instance, Councilwoman Joann Ariola referenced the paraprofessional bonus debate while advocating for higher pay for Fire Department emergency medical personnel, indicating potential pressures on the city budget and labor negotiations more broadly.

Mayor Mamdani’s stance on the paraprofessional bonuses follows a pattern of scaling back certain campaign promises after assuming office, including changes to housing assistance plans and retaining a controversial police unit. Meanwhile, City Council Speaker Julie Menin, viewed as a moderate counterweight to Mamdani, has publicly supported the bonus legislation, receiving commendation from the UFT.

As negotiations continue, the outcome of this dispute may influence broader conversations about labor relations, city finances, and the political dynamics between Mayor Mamdani, the City Council, and organized labor in New York City.