This is almost certainly because the Medicare Advantage move (which, to be fair to Adams, was negotiated under DiBlasio) is now likely dead in the water. The Office of Labor Relations is now expecting to be short $600M and likely can't afford the raises that Unions are demanding, so they're trying to sweeten the deal with perks that don't cost the city any money.

That said, having hybrid work explicitly included in the labor agreement will make it virtually impossible for the city to rescind it (unlike private sector policies which can be changed at a whim), and so would be a pretty big step forwards for enshrining the right to hybrid work in the future in the face of current and future economic downturns. I wouldn't be happy about the loss in wage rises, but having 20-40% of the workweek be hybrid would probably be worth it in my opinion.