Leaders of the unions representing State public service workers are sitting down with the governor's representatives
tomorrow afternoon to share proposals for revitalizing Connecticut's lagging economy. Despite press reports over the past six weeks, the purpose of the discussion is
not to negotiate more concessions from our union members, but to talk about creating strong jobs, improving public services, and saving taxpayers money.
The
cost savings and job security agreement the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) negotiated with the Administration of M. Jodi Rell last spring included a "trigger" to bring the parties back together to discuss other solutions if the economic picture did not improve. An "emergency" meeting would be convened if state revenues fell below a $300 million threshold during the two years of the agreement.
For months, the size of the growing state budget gap was the source of frequent disputes between the legislature and the governor. In December, the Office of the State Comptroller
released a projected deficit of over $500 million for the current fiscal year.
Earlier this month,
they finally agreed upon the Comptroller's latest projection.
At the same time, we asked our Union members to
share stories about cuts to public services in their workplace and how they have negatively affected their ability to do their jobs. We heard from front-line workers and from families in need.
We read their experiences and their ideas and we're taking them to the governor. Read the
statement we issued this afternoon to the members of SEBAC unions that lays-out some of the proposals they plan to present.
To be clear, the ideas we're presenting are NOT additional concessions. As
we reminded several candidates for governor last week when they
suggested more givebacks to balance the state's books, members of our unions agreed to over $750 million in labor cost savings last year that helped keep the state from sliding even deeper into recession.
That's why SEBAC leaders will be presenting some of our rank-and-file members' ideas not just with the governor tomorrow, but with legislators and the
candidates who seek to replace her in the days and weeks to come.
So keep those ideas on how to advance the efficiency of state government, improve the quality of services our members deliver, jump-start the state's economy, and save taxpayers' money coming.
Send them to me on
the survey form SEBAC leaders have been circulating over the past two weeks -- and share them with your co-workers, too.
Posted by:
Matt OConnor on 1/27/2010 at 6:17:00 PM