Response to Gubernatorial Candidates’ Comments on State Worker Concessions
by Matt O'Connor on January 20thState Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) leaders and members are reacting to the comments of several gubernatorial candidates regarding concessions State workers agreed to last year. Any serious candidate for governor would not consider three quarters of a billion dollars in labor cost savings for State taxpayers over a three-year period a “joke.”
Cathy Osten, President of CSEA/SEIU Local 2001 and First Selectman of Sprague, was in attendance at today’s Council of Small Towns (COST) candidate’s forum. “Without the near billion dollars in savings to the state budget, Connecticut and our 169 municipalities would be in even worse shape than we are now” she said. “State workers were one of the first groups to contribute in such a meaningful way toward solving our deficit problem. Now that these candidates are running for governor, they should be offering real solutions, not looking for scapegoats.”
Rather than attack working families who are already worried about Connecticut’s growing unemployment, candidates who hope to replace Governor M. Jodi Rell must be the adults in the room and offer a serious 21st-century economic recovery plan. They need to address the real problems facing Connecticut workers and small businesses, such as rising healthcare costs, the lack of affordable housing, a crumbling transportation infrastructure, and underfunded schools and colleges.
In addition to the hard savings from their concessions last spring, Connecticut’s State workers have consistently offered concrete ideas on how to advance the efficiency of government, improve the quality of services they deliver, jump-start the economy, and save taxpayers’ money. The candidates for governor should be willing to listen to their ideas for solving the state’s fiscal crisis rather than proposing further cuts to vital services that will cost thousands of private sector jobs and further drag Connecticut deeper into recession.
SEBAC leadership is committed to come to the table with elected leaders and candidates to be part of a comprehensive solution that will help lead to a stronger better Connecticut for all of us. To learn more about the coalition’s campaign for a fair budget and a livable state with great public services visit www.InThisTogetherCT.org.
January 20th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
true, we agreed to concessions. and i’m not saying we should willingly give more.
but i happen to know alot of people at many different agencies because i have been around a while and due to some past assingments, and i think that another RIP would do wonders for the state.
let’s make it attractive and move some significant numbers. it will allow opportunities for the rest of us.
HST
January 21st, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Talked it over at work> not many people are willing to give anymore. the furlough days, the extra medical costs and the fat at the top grew even more .
January 23rd, 2010 at 12:13 am
E.R.I.P COMING?………Connecticut employee’s have given a very large amount of give backs ,thus doing there part in this crisis. Come this spring open the ERIP to 52-54 year old State employee’s…….Now is the time to decrease state government………Do it in one sweep……..
E-MAIL THE GOVERNOR and/or your STATE REPRESENTITIVE ask to OPEN UP THE ERIP AND SAVE CONN. Millions More during this economic crisis.
GOVERNOR RELL SERIOUSLY NOW IS THE TIME TO DOWNSIZE STATE GOVERMENT.
STATE WORKERS ARE READY TO GO AGAIN, YOU COULD DOWNSIZE NOW.
I AM SURE YOU HAVE A PULSE ON YOUR EMPLOYEE’S.
January 26th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
patrick< r.i.p. can not happen. from 2009 rip, those paid extra to go, were hired back as consultants. not only is state paying their pension, it is now paying their salary.I am sure the unions wouldn’t hide another backroom deal from their members again like last year. i watched several retire in April with no words of warning from union who was negotiating the r.i.p. at the same time. like the article says, no negotiations.
January 29th, 2010 at 10:03 am
why don’t you cut the senator/legislator salaries and expense accounts. Lets see, 150k salary, 150k “expense account” 5000 expense account for “family meals” cars, free haircuts 1x a week…give me a break, you want to save, that’s where to cut, the people in the legislature…you could save a bundle.