The article clears up a bit of confusion about our Union members' support for the Town's efforts to plug a projected $6 million gap in West Hartford's proposed 2009-2010 budget. A Courant article in early-April reported leaders of our combined Chapters had reached a tentative agreement and that a vote was scheduled ten days later.

When that vote was rescheduled for early-May, subsequent reporting in the Courant inaccurately referred to our members having already accepted the agreement. Today's story finally sets the record straight.

The West Hartford News also reported on the vote in an article in this week's edition on the role employees working for the Town and Board of Education are playing in the current economic crisis. The story features the comments of Chapter 958 President Karen Rice, who put the sacrifice our members have made in their proper perspective.

Both Steve and Karen made clear that our members recognized the need to do our part to help the Town survive the economic crisis and prepare for long-term prosperity and growth. At the same time, members in Chapter 983, the last the six bargaining units with settled contracts, had just voted to ratify their current four-year agreement in March of last year.

That's why our leaders worked to reach an agreement that provides the job security needed to ensure delivery of quality public services to local residents and businesses. Though they made some tough choices by deferring recently negotiated wage increases, our members knew that cutting vital public services or laying-off workers to balance the budget would only make the economy worse.