Solving Our Economic Crisis without Sacrificing Services

Solving Our Economic Crisis without Sacrificing Services

Resources & Updates on the State Budget Deficit

Leaders of the Unions in SEBAC Prepared "Win-Win" Economic Proposals for a Meeting with Rell Administration Representatives in January 2010

Our analysis of the current economic crisis is clear; it must be understood not as budget problem for the state, but as a jobs, services, and quality of life problem for Connecticut's people. Tough economic times are when the people of the state need public services the most.

In the fall of 2008, State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) leaders began meeting with members of Connecticut's Congressional delegation and representatives of the Administration of Governor M. Jodi Rell to create a partnership and help working families weather the economic storm.

In late-January, SEBAC commissioned a public poll showing that broad majorities of Connecticut voters say that cutting vital services during a time of recession will further damage the economy. The week before the Governor's biennial budget speech, SEBAC launched a new website and a statewide television, cable, and radio ad campaign to deliver the poll's message; that we're all "In This Together, Connecticut."

Throughout early 2009, SEBAC leadership met with representatives of the Administration to reach a comprehensive agreement on how our members can be a part of preserving public services during these difficult times.

Discussions produced a framework for an agreement on a comprehensive solution that provided savings without making the economy worse in April 2009. Check out the "SEBAC Cost Savings & Job Security Agreement" below for information on the agreement and new contracts for most of our State Division Councils, which were ratified by our members and approved by the General Assembly.

Even with our cost-savings agreement, Connecticut continues to face a growing budget deficit. Cuts proposed by Governor Rell and many legislators will destroy our state's quality of life, hurt the most vulnerable among us, and damage our economy. We are again mobilizing our members to urge elected officials at all levels to make better choices than more painful budget cuts that will kill jobs or more labor concessions that will stall recovery.

We are asking Union members and leaders to share their personal stories about the impact of budget cuts over the past six months to demonstrate how they are hurting working families in Connecticut. Now that candidates who are seeking to replace Governor Rell are proposing more labor concessions to close the current and future deficits, it is more important than ever for our members to offer "better choices."

These ideas from the front-lines are critical, and we are planning to share them with the current governor, legislative leaders, and candidates in what SEBAC is proposing as a series of discussions on "win-win" solutions to the economic crisis.