The Mamdani administration is going to court to block a $10,000 bonus for teaching assistants in New York City schools, arguing the boost is an illegal end run around the collective bargaining process.

Many of these teacher assistants called paraprofessionals help care for public school students in special education or with disabilities. They are among the lowest-paid city employees, with most making barely $32,000 a year. There is a critical shortage in paraprofessionals just as the school year is about to begin.

Urged by teachers' union president Michael Mulgrew, City Council unanimously passed a bill giving paraprofessionals a $10,000 bonus.

But, the administration of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is suing the council, calling the bonus illegal.

"We will not allow the political process to replace the collective bargaining table," said a spokesman.

In other words, paraprofessionals are covered under the teachers' union contract. Mulgrew, however, insists the administration's strategy is clear.

"They want massive givebacks on behalf of the paras or the union," Mulgrew said. "Or they want other union members to give up part of their future raises to give it to the paras, which is just ridiculous."

Council Speaker Julie Menin sponsored the bill along with Councilmember Carmen De La Rosa.

"Years and years of contract negotiations have left these workers without the ability to get a raise, without the ability to get the wages that they need," De La Rosa said. "We believe in collective bargaining. But where processes fail people, we have to act."

It is not the mayor's first dispute with the City Council. They have openly clashed over closing the city's budget deficit and the mayor's veto of a bill to impose protest restrictions at houses of worship. And just this week, the administration declined to testify at a hearing on the mayor's controversial tax on luxury second homes.

As for the paraprofessionals, there are indications that the mayor may become directly involved. If he negotiates an agreement with the union, the law will automatically be repealed.

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