Last year, after Lehman Brothers collapsed, Mayor Bloomberg signed 4 percent annual raises for two years for the city’s biggest civilian union, DC-37, even as it was obvious that such raises were unaffordable. The mayor is planning to repeat this feat.

For the United Federation of Teachers, the city’s most powerful union, and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, the city is budgeting for a two-year contract offering 4 percent annual raises when the current contracts are up this October and next March, according to the comptroller’s office.

After that, the mayor will offer other unions 1.25 percent annual raises for the next round of bargaining. But, barn door, horse already out, etc.