In This Together CT

Leadership of the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) are responding to Governor M. Jodi Rell’s comments concerning her administration’s discussions with legislative leaders to institute another early retirement incentive program (ERIP) for state employees. The Governor met with leaders of the House and Senate on Monday to discuss the state’s budget deficit for 2010/2011, and proposed the ERIP as part of her solution for Connecticut’s continuing fiscal crisis.

At a previously scheduled meeting Tuesday morning, SEBAC leadership expressed disappointment that the governor had raised the retirement plan with legislative leaders. Any such plan can only be approved through direct negotiations with the coalition’s unions. SEBAC leadership is currently working to schedule meetings with leaders of both the House and Senate to discuss their concerns about further early retirements.

Leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to meeting with the Rell Administration to discuss the plan they put forward in January to help resolve the state’s budget woes and spur economic recovery.

SEBAC leaders and members presented the governor with their “Jobs for All Working Families” plan, which would preserve vital public services and help shore up the state’s pension funding. Two months later, the Administration has not responded to the proposed 18-point plan.

In advance of any meetings with legislative leadership or the governor, union leaders expressed deep concerns about the potential impact of any ERIP on public services and on the state’s pension fund. Years of hiring freezes and the 2009 retirement incentive have already left the state dangerously understaffed in core areas such as public safety, health, and education. An ERIP will also have a negative impact on pension plan funding.

The real solution to Connecticut’s budget dilemma is what it has always been — not fewer public services just when they are needed the most, but a program for creating strong jobs. The priority should be to jump start the economy and put people back to work. Until the governor faces this reality, her solutions to the state fiscal’s troubles will still leave the family budgets of Connecticut’s people without the economic security they really need.

January 28 SEBAC “Jobs For All Working Families” Proposals (18-Point Plan)

To learn more about SEBAC’s campaign for a fair budget and a livable state with great public services visit www.InThisTogetherCT.org.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 8:00 am and is filed under Campaign News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.