CSEA Ratifies Four-Year Labor Contract with Ulster County

Published on November 24, 2025

KINGSTON, NY - The Ulster County Civil Service Employees Association Inc. (CSEA) has officially ratified a new four-year labor agreement with Ulster County, covering the period from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028. The contract was negotiated by County Executive Jen Metzger and her team and is scheduled to go before the Ulster County Legislature for approval at its special budget session on December 3.

The total anticipated cost of the agreement is $11,830,837 over four years, with no additional appropriation required for 2025. The County Executive’s recommended budget includes $6,220,578 for 2026. For 2027, anticipated funding is expected to be $2,906,357, and for 2028,  it is expected to be $2,703,902.

The agreement includes salary schedule adjustments across multiple departments impacting more than 870 employees:

7-Hour and Department of Social Services Salary Schedule:

• Annual 3% increase to entry rates for Grades 1–16 and Grades 17+, with step increases ranging from $2.00 to 5.5% in 2025, and adjusted annually through 2028.

Department of Public Works Salary Schedule:

• Annual 3% increase to entry rates, with step increases ranging from $2.00 to 3.5% in 2026, and adjusted annually through 2028.

Psychiatric Salary Schedule:

• 3% increase to entry rates and 3.5% step increases in 2025, followed by 3% annual increases through 2028.

Additional provisions include updates to call-in pay, uniform and meal allowances, bereavement leave, and a new take-home vehicle use policy.

“This agreement reflects our strong commitment to the well-being of Ulster County’s hardworking employees and their families, and to addressing pay disparities that have long existed,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “The agreement we reached with our largest union, CSEA, fairly compensates its 880 members for their dedicated work, strengthens pay equity, and will improve employee retention across departments. I want to thank CSEA leadership and my negotiating team, including Deputy County Executive Jamie Capuano, Personnel Director Dawn Spader, Director of Employee Relations Jim Farina, and Budget Director Ken Juras, for their dedicated work to reach this agreement.”

"For our members, being out of contract during negotiations was frustrating, but this Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is a step forward in recognizing the pay disparities that exist throughout our titles and provides significant life sustaining and necessary wage increases to our members,” said Tina Buono, CSEA Ulster County Unit 8950 President. “Our members overwhelmingly supported this MOA by a 95% yes margin."