December 12,2023

Re: DIA CBA (2023 – 2028) Cover Letter

Dear DIA Member:

I am writing to you to inform you that the Detective Investigators Association (“DIA”) and the City of New York (“City”) reached agreement on a contract for the 66-month period spanning January 19, 2023 – July 18, 2028. Enclosed for your review with this cover letter is a contract ratification ballot and a CBA information sheet. Included in this contract ratification packet along with your ballot and this cover letter is a Fact Sheet on the new contract. I also thought it would be helpful to highlight and explain some of the most important parts of the contract to you, which will be detailed in this cover letter.

First, the pattern for this round of bargaining was already established by multiple labor unions much larger than the DIA. The pattern contains a total cumulative General Wage Increase of 16.26% (including compounding) over 66 months. The pattern is laid out in full in the CBA Fact Sheet.

Second, in the post-COVID-19 Pandemic world, the DIA feels that work flexibility and remote work is of paramount important to all workforces. Accordingly, the DIA is proud to announce that the City and all 5 DA’s Offices have agreed to discuss the feasibility of a Work Flexibility Pilot Program after ratification of this contract. Topics will include, but are not limited to, Work from Home/Remote Work, compressed schedules, and flexible scheduling. The DIA looks forward to working with each DA’s Office to develop a Work Flexibility program that works for each office.

Part of this round’s pattern contained an “Equity Fund” value. Not all Unions are eligible for the “Equity” value, only the Unions who could display retention/attrition issues were able to qualify for this additional value. The “Equity” funding component of this round of bargaining was established by DC-37 (the Union that set pattern). Unions who qualify for “Equity” funding by displaying low retention rates must match the City’s “Equity” funding dollar for dollar to take advantage of the additional value. Further, that combined value, 50% funded by the City and the other 50% funded by the Union, must then be spent directly on the retention problem that made the Union eligible for the additional “Equity” value in the first place.

The DIA was able to prove that it qualified for additional “Equity” funding by showing low retention rates for Racket Investigators in Steps 3, 4 and 5 of the salary schedule. Accordingly, the DIA took advantage of the 50% free money in “Equity” funding by eliminating 3 of the 6 salary steps in the Rackets Investigator salary schedule. Therefore, effective November 19, 2024, all Rackets Investigators {TC 30830} shall proceed to top pay in half the time!

The DIA also funded a $1,751 increase to 10-year longevity in this round of bargaining. Accordingly, effective July 19, 2025, 10-year longevity will increase to the total amount of $3,810.

I believe the informational materials provided in this packet will allow all DIA members to make an informed decision before filling out their contract ballot. However, I invite any DIA member who has lingering questions prior to submitting a ballot to contact the DIA board or me directly.

Yours in solidarity,

Jack Freck
DIA President

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