The General Assembly approved arbitrated pay raises of 5.5 percent per year for a small bargaining units representing assistant attorneys general. The raises, approved largely by majority Democrats over Republican objections, sparked yet another debate whether Connecticut’s collective bargaining system is broken as the state struggles with one budget crisis after another.
State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition
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Lamont presents $43 billion, two-year plan to legislators
The two-year state budget lays the groundwork for tolls, shifts more pension debt onto future taxpayers, deals another blow to hospitals, but closes a multi-billion dollar shortfall without raising the income tax.
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Despite no leverage, candidates promise labor concessions
While all of Connecticut’s gubernatorial candidates say they want more concessions from unionized state employees, the reality is the next governor will have little leverage to force negotiations until his third year in office. So, how do you cut a state budget dominated by personnel expenses if you can’t eliminate personnel?
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Collective bargaining, not money, dominates this budget fight
Connecticut’s legislative leaders struggled into the early morning Wednesday in negotiations to resolve what may be the state’s strangest budget fight: It’s not about money.
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Labor says ‘tax fairness,’ vibrant cities are keys to CT’s recovery
Labor leaders called Friday for a more progressive state tax system and greater investments in Connecticut’s cities to revitalize the economy and stabilize the budget.
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Unions to CT lawmakers: We would see you in court
State employee unions sent a letter to all 187 General Assembly members Thursday, warning them to avoid pension changes that would lead to a court battle.
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State employees overwhelmingly ratify concessions
Unionized state employees have voted by a wide margin to ratify the concession deal negotiated by the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, shifting the focus to a closely divided General Assembly, where Republicans say they will attempt to reject an agreement worth an estimated $1.57 billion over two years. More than 80 percent of the votes cast favored ratification.
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Senate GOP: Overhauling labor laws would save more than concessions
Updated at 3:55 p.m.
Calling $1.5 billion in proposed union concessions insufficient given Connecticut’s $5 billion budget crisis, Senate Republicans called Wednesday for legislators and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to dramatically reshape labor laws to force larger savings in wages and benefits — with or without union consent.
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It’s official: Malloy, unions have tentative concessions framework
After two days of leaks and speculation, state employee union leaders and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy struck a tentative framework to recommend a $1.5 billion concessions framework to member unions.
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Concessions draw Democrats’ praise, Republicans’ skepticism
Top Democrats in the House and Senate praised the deal and said trying to close a $5.1 billion deficit in the next budget without the $1.5 billion in potential savings from concessions would be the worst-case scenario. But their GOP counterparts had a very different perspective.
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Concessions deal would hit CT workers and retirees
The tentative concessions deal Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and employee unions were closing in on Monday would double pension contributions for most workers, create a hybrid pension/defined-contribution plan for future workers, and curtail health care benefits for existing retirees.
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Concession deal sets today’s crisis against tomorrow’s
If Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and state-employee unions strike a tentative concessions deal this week, the governor and legislators face a crucial balancing test — setting today’s dire budget crisis against bigger problems that await tomorrow.
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Malloy warns CT employee unions of nearly 1,100 layoffs planned for May
The notifications are the first stage in an alternative cost-cutting plan if ongoing concessions talks aren’t successful. This marks the second time in the past week that Malloy has hinted time is running out for unions to accept major concessions to help balance the next budget.
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Malloy budgets for big raises yet seeks union concessions
Why does his two-year budget include $800 million for state employee raises — an amount that far exceeds anything Malloy set aside before and doubles the funding his staff estimated was necessary just five months earlier?
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Labor savings is the big unknown in Malloy’s new budget
The new budget Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will propose Wednesday will be based partly on a big assumption — that ongoing talks with state employee unions will produce concessions. But some are worried that to get them, the state must promise to maintain a costly retirement benefits system beyond the current 2022 expiration date.