Pros
Stability, Benefits, Stability (did I mention stability?). No layoffs. Dismissals very difficult to come by. Pension administrered by the New York City Employee Retirement System (NYCERS). The mayor of this fine city saw fit to shore up its finances a few years ago when times were good. While not impossible the likelihood of default is low, compared with our neighboring State of New Jersey. Medical is available under the Empire Plan, the major madical plan offered to all New York State Employees. HMOs are also available as an option, as is an opt-out program for spouses with better benefits. Represented staff may have slightly different plans. Major (and some minor) paid holidays.
Cons
Bureaucracy and politics consistent with public sector organization. No layoffs. Dismissals very difficult to come by - the advantage works against you if your peers or staff do not produce. Challenging to a good turnaround manager, but not onerous to fix in comparable situations.