Malloy Calls For Special Session To Close Budget Deficit, Expand Rescission Authority
by Christine Stuart | Jun 23, 2011 4:59pm
(32) Comments | Commenting has expired
Posted to: Labor, State Budget
Despite the union’s best efforts to put a positive spin on the situation, any hope that the concession deal could be salvaged dissipated from the State Capitol on Thursday when Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called for a special session of the legislature.
“Calling both chambers into session next week is necessary to close the budget deficit that we will be facing,” Malloy said in a prepared statement. Malloy’s statement assumes the unions were unable to ratify the two-year, $1.6 billion concession package.
The call for the special session schedules it for 10 a.m. Thursday, June 30.
“I am loathe to make the decisions facing us at this juncture – including layoffs, programmatic and municipal aid cuts – but I am left with no choice,“ Malloy added. “Working with the legislature, we will have a balanced budget and one that, while making painful cuts and difficult decisions, will be balanced honestly without tricks or gimmicks.”
In the call to the special session Malloy asks the legislature to expand his rescission authority and to make the changes necessary to balance the state budget before July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. The legislature declined to expand Malloy’s rescission authority during the regular legislative session. Democratic leaders declined to comment on the increased rescission authority request.
Currently, the governor can cut 5 percent of any appropriation and three percent of any fund in a financial crisis without legislative approval. Malloy asked the legislature to increase the threshold to 10 percent of any appropriation and five percent of any fund. Further, Malloy asked the legislature to allow him to cut municipal aid without legislative approval.
Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, said he’s not opposed to giving Malloy greater rescission authority if the legislature returns and balances the budget. He said he thinks giving the governor additional rescissionary authority will help if the state finds itself short of revenue mid-way through the year, like it did back in 2003.
Malloy has ruled out further increasing taxes and using any additional revenue the state may realize to close the $1.6 billion gap in the $40.11 billion budget he signed May 4. It was up to the unions to either accept or reject that deal. The deal included a four-year, no-layoff pledge and no wage increases in the first two years followed by 3 percent increases in the last three. It also made changes to their health insurance and pension benefits, but did not offer any early retirement incentive package.
House Speaker Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, could not be reached for comment, but put out a vague statement.
“We hope the unions will fulfill their agreement. We plan to be in session on June 30, and we will work with the Governor for a balanced budget,” Donovan said.
“We are determined to have a balanced budget and had hoped state employees would ratify the agreement,“Sen. Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said. “In the absence of that we are prepared to take action on a painful alternative and plan on being in session on June 30th.”
Malloy said Thursday morning he has issued marching orders to Budget Director Ben Barnes to prepare for mass layoffs, which will occur as soon as Sept. 1.
Malloy had previously estimated the number of layoffs at as much as 7,500. Today, he said there was no reason to think that number had dropped. It may actually be higher, he said.
“I think we’re talking about large scale position reduction pretty quickly,” Malloy added. “Certainly on a larger scale than if we had been able to make these changes effective July 1.”
But Larry Dorman, spokesman for the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition, said that laying off so many people will surely be bad for the state.
“We understand that the governor wants to get moving but the nuclear option doesn’t serve anyone’s interest. It would be horrible for the economy to witness mass layoffs,” he said.
The unemployment is currently 9.1 percent and state employee layoffs would bring the number up to 9.4 percent.
“It would be a disaster to go nuclear. So everybody needs to take a breath and make sure that we all do what’s best for Connecticut,” he said.
SEBAC spokesman Matt O’Connor said Malloy’s continued threat of layoffs is only serving to hinder what’s left of the voting process.
“I would tell Gov. Malloy to let the election process work itself out. We have thousands of members of our unions who have not had their voices heard,” he said.
Republican lawmakers, including McKinney, have publicly criticized the $1.6 billion concession package. McKinney has been saying for weeks that the concession package doesn’t include actual savings. He said many of the things in the agreement, such as the savings achieved by creating an employee suggestion box, “aren’t concessions.”
“We don’t even think they’re real savings,” McKinney said.
As for the threat of laying off of thousands of employees, McKinney said that ignores the fact that there’s plenty of places to cut in the budget, which don’t involve laying off employees.
Despite the threats, McKinney said he doesn’t think the layoffs will be as massive as Malloy said.
“That assumes the entire hole is going to be made up just in layoffs and ignores the fact that there are a number of different programs where we spend money and where we can reduce our expenditures that don’t impact state employees,” McKinney said.
McKinney, who ran into three state employees recently while having lunch, said talk of a re-vote of some unions is insulting to state employees because it implies they didn’t know what they were voting on. He said the three state employees at the Fairfield deli certainly knew what was in the package and what was in the state budget.
He said all three employees he met were voting against the package because they didn’t think state government had cut spending.
O’Connor said no one in union leadership is talking about the possibility of a re-vote. He said they’re all focused on concluding the current vote.
Balloting on the union package continues through Friday, but the likelihood of passage was slim as of Thursday.
CSU faculty, UConn Health Center faculty, the Administrative & Residual union, and the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges all voted overwhelmingly in favor of the package, according to the vote tallies posted on their websites. That brings the number of unions approving the package up to 10.
Only one of the 15 unions has voted against the agreement. The results of the AFSCME NP-4 Correction officers bargaining group aren’t expected until after 11 a.m. Friday.
Fourteen of the 15 unions have to vote in favor of the agreement, in addition to 80 percent of the voting members in order for the deal to pass. At the moment it’s the second portion of the vote tally that’s causing concern.
AFSCME, which is the largest union with 15,600 members, currently doesn’t have enough votes to meet the threshold and no other union has enough members to cancel their negative votes. The Connecticut Employees Union Independent Local 511, which represents 4,500 service and maintenance employees, voted down the agreement Tuesday by about 194 votes. That means no other union can reject the package if it is to survive.
Hugh McQuaid contributed to this report.
Tags: Malloy, special session, legislature, budget, unions, concessions
(32) Comments
posted by: Helen | June 23, 2011 5:24pm
Predictions:
Each side has to blame someone, that is human nature. Having seen this scenario unfold before, the two sides, three if you count the taxpayers, should be prepared for the following to happen:
1. Governor Malloy will order the layoffs and notices will be unleashed followed by harsh realities setting in; great editorial comment from the major state news outlets; political grandstanding by the Republican minority; torrents of tears from effected younger employees and their families; regrets from employees who voted no without weighing the consequences and pressure upon the legislature to save the day.
REALITY will set in.
2. SEBAC and Mr. Ojakian will commence immediate,intense,negotiations.
3. A tentative new agreement will be swiftly reached with minor changes such as minor tweaking of the retirement rules and a few furlough days so that both sides may save face.
4. An early agreement to bring all laid-off employees back, without back pay, if this vote passes.
5. An expedited voting process with a realistic, simple majority and not a filibuster proof election such as was agreed upon the first time.
6. All sides will appreciate that the old rules have changed and understanding will win the day. Accept it and become part of the solution.
Neither side will be pleased but negotiations have always culminated in an agreement that each can live with. The only other alternative is too ugly to consider.
6. An agreement will be reached saving all jobs.
posted by: Helen | June 23, 2011 5:43pm
I just saw Malloy give a press conference on CTN & it does not look good for the state employees. It could be 7500 or more layoffs although no specific number was given. After reading several hundred posts over the last several weeks I am baffled at some of the very ignorant & stupid comments. I have read a lot of comments bashing the unions, Malloy & the state legislature. We would not have 1/2 of what we have today if it wasn’t for the unions fighting for us. Yes things are not perfect but the facts are that Malloy, a majority of elected officials and most state voters are supporters of unions. The very negative comments makes me wonder how legit some of these posts actually are. My guess is that many are from individuals who are from the right wing(those that detest unions & state workers)who are trying to spread as much mis information & negative comments as possible.(divide & conquer) The others who actually are State employees are either very ignorant &/or very out of touch with reality. You old-timers (mostly DOC) still think this is the nineties & the battle is against Weicker & Rowland. Well reality check: this is 2011, many states are near bankruptcy(incl. CT),& it is the worst economy is over 75 years! Many public unions are portrayed in a negative way thanks to Fox news,limbaugh,hannity ect ect. We in CT(State employees union) had a chance to prove to the entire country that we are part of the solution not the problem if the concessions had passed & that collective bargaining does work!. Well thanks to all the No votes we are now the problem! Please do not forget that it looks like a good majority of union members did approve as well as 13 unions, but because of the strange rules it looks like it will be defeated. So all you No votes go pound your chest and tell everyone you stood up to the big bad bullies of the Malloy administration. Tell the 7500 hundred or so fellow union members who will be laid off ,many who probably be facing bankruptcy &/or foreclosure and a drastic negative change in their lives. Tell them that you stood up for a cause & that yes you did bite the hand that feeds you & probably pissed off 90% of the ct.voters . Tell them that it will all be worth it in the end. Hopefully they will tell what do with your thoughts.( u better duck!) And to those idiots who are State employees who claim that they either supported &/or would rather have seen Foley elected you are without doubt showing your ignorance. Foley would have already most likely laid off 10,000 ,closed 3 or 4 prisons and started privatization of whatever areas he could. Foley would not have even negotiated with the unions! Malloy tried to address the fiscal crisis the proper way and go thru the collective bargaining process & you can see where that got him. So all you no votes what exactly did you accomplish??(except pissing off 90% of the CT. voters) The right wing is loving this! They will now probably have a real chance to get control in 2014. Say goodbye to collective bargaining & binding arbitration and say hello to privatization to many agencies & prisons! To you DOC guys that voted no I hear the private prisons(all non union) start at a whopping 14.00 an hour with 1/2 the benefits! Yes you NO votes did accomplish much, but it is all bad! Go tell your fellow union members in WI.,IN., & OH., who have rightwing anti union thugs in charge how you stood up to big bad bullies of the Malloy administration. Ask them if they think Malloy is that bad? I am sure you will not get sympathy from them. This is a sad day!
posted by: DumpMalloy | June 23, 2011 6:03pm
Didn’t Occhiogrosso, Malloy’s senior adviser, recently call Dan Malloy a LEADER? LOL. Dan Malloy couldn’t get the state employees to accept a deal where they were pretty much given the candy store? Dan Malloy instituted the largest tax increase in CT history destroying the middle class. The only people whistling a happy tune in Connecticut are the rich. Does this sound like a leader? Not at all. The accurate word that comes to mind is loser. Nothing else. Can’t wait til 2014. It’s really time to gut the state legislature and start from scratch rebuilding.
posted by: Truth, Justice and Karma | June 23, 2011 6:18pm
The Governor, SEBAC and legislature are to blame for any layoffs that happen because they have not put in place a legitimate plan for shared sacrifice. All state workers (Tiers I, II, and IIA) need to share equally in any give backs; their needs to be cuts and freezes in spending or borrowing for current and proposed non-essential projects/programs until there is an adequate surplus; deputy commissioners should be eliminated and managers reduced to the the bare minimum; and municipal aid needs to be scaled back. State employee comcessions should NOT be the primary source of savings when there are budget problems. State employee compensation is not the cause of the budget deficit; uncontrolled spending is. SEBAC should hire an auditor to go over the past budgets to identify the programs/projects and legislative sponsors so that CT taxpayers can see who is really responsible for CT’s financial woes. End the budget problem by controlling spending. The Governor does not have to lay anyone off. Workers will agree to a deal that includes furloughs, wages freezes, forfeiting longevity payments, and increased contributions to the current heath care plan, but no changes EVER to retirement for current employees. New health care and retirement plans should only apply to new Tier III hires. This is what NY’s Governor did. Time to solve the local ecomonic problem, not add to it with layoffs that will harm local state business people too.
posted by: oliviahuxtable | June 23, 2011 7:21pm
What kind of bizzaro world are we living in? We have a Democrat governor, a Democrat legislature and the only one on our side is the blood-sucking Republican?!
I reject the nonsensical idea that Malloy has no other options. His hands were not tied. Here is a link to an excellent expose of Malloy’s (and let us not forget the complicit Dems in the Hartford) attempt at “shared sacrifice”:
WWW.wsws.org/articles/2011/jun2011/conn-j21.shtml
It speaks the truth about how this false choice skewers the middle-class, and the needy, whilst protecting the very wealthy.
Private sector folks….you are being screwed by the uber-wealthy elite, too. Aren’t you pleased to know, as a percentage of your middle-class income you are paying FAR more in income taxes than they are?
Your enemy, folks, is not public workers. The sooner you realize this you will be able to make informed, clear-headed choices in who represents you. Until then, you will get sucked into the middle-class vs the middle-class debate.
posted by: ko4478 | June 23, 2011 8:19pm
HELEN: you sound like a very thoughtful person with good intentions, but you clearly have no concept of the mind set of most Correction Officers in Connecticut and how they relate to contracts and concessions.
First, history. Correction Officers took 5 YEARS OF ZERO RAISES in the nineties. Clearly that can NEVER be made up. So does it really surprise anyone that they have a few choice words for anyone looking for concessions?
Next, the fat. In central office there are LOTS and LOTS of people getting hazardous duty pension credit (IE 20 years and out) who NEVER work around inmates and rarely go past the front offices of any jail. The guys and girls working in the blocks see this and know it’s wrong.
Also, another easy example of fat. Every jail in the state has a “Recreation Director” for the inmates (many jails have more than one). This person’s duties are to arrange basketball games, Bingo games (with prizes) and hand out board games etc. Yea, and they make about $80,000 per year with a 20 year retirement. I’ll stop there on the fat, some of you may be getting ill.
Also, remember Correction Officers pay 4-5% of their gross pay toward retirement, so another 3% toward healthcare on top of that when there is an existing contract in place until 2017, begs the question: WHY?
This package wasn’t terrible considering the economic and political climate. but the fact is Pensions and healthcare are supposed to be difficult to change hence the 80% rule in SEBAC. It allows people the long-term stability to plan for their retirement. It seems at risk of becoming a go-to piggy bank whenever the budget is in trouble.
I hope I gave some explanation why the COs continue to say LMB to give backs.
posted by: DrHunterSThompson | June 23, 2011 8:23pm
they all need to know that they put a loser in front of the membership. it asked the world from the most experienced state workers, changes that will effect the rest of their lives after careers of 20-30 years. and it offered those workers nothing in return.
those workers are not greedy, not stupid, they are willing to help. but he attacked their lifetime security and offered them nothing in return.
everyone needs to understand that. there is a contract they have been living with, it expires in 2017. to ask them to modify it requires something in return.
HST
posted by: hawkeye | June 23, 2011 8:49pm
oliviahuxtable: You say: “the only one on our side is a blood-sucking-Republican, Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney,” when everyone knows that the only General Assembly members who are in process of sucking the blood out of our state middle-class, are the uncaring, robot legislative Democrats!”
A lot of state people are now sorry that you and many others—voted for Gov. Dannel Patrick Malloy!
We will all paying the price for electing “the real Democratic political, bloodsucking leadership!”
posted by: ctperson13 | June 23, 2011 9:00pm
Olivia,
I’ve really been trying to figure out why they have such a hard time believing that they are getting screwed by the uber-rich and the mega corporations. Suggest closing loopholes that favor these groups and you’d think you’d threatened to do bodily harm to their mothers, they get so defensive. I don’t get it, I really don’t.
posted by: Mr.Kruger | June 23, 2011 9:18pm
Malloy’s bluffs been called and he’s pissed that it was. Now all will see that the threat of layoffs on his grandios scale was never achievable, as the Repubs knew. Statutory requirements for corrections, DSS, healthcare workers, contract requirements for maintenance and engineering employees eliminate private contracting during layoffs, so that option kills projects, reciept of federal grants which means no busway, no railway, no Uconn upgrades, etc. Malloy has no option but to tap the surplus and include the increased revenue. He can’t make the case for financial exigency without damaging the state’s bond rating and he surely will not do that, because the domino effect kills even more of his pet projects and initiatives. Malloy should have been more realistic in his request for concessions like his predecessors he might have gotten something instead of nothing. Ready for round 2, whatever it is.
posted by: ... | June 23, 2011 9:36pm
Hey Helen: I understand your frustration and anger with the overwhelming no votes in comparison to states like NY where the deal is going to be passed with bigger concessions and states like WI that have serious battles on the role of Unions.
It is certainly unfortunate that this is happening, but it seems either fear/ignorance set in to so many, or that simply the ridiculous fact that it only takes 21% of the unions population to stop a deal.
But if at all possible, you should use the paragraph breaks on this website, your posts look like WOT (walls of text) that are very unappealing.
I could barely read your second post because it looked very massive and cluttered.
posted by: ... | June 23, 2011 10:30pm
You’re right Olivia, the enemy is not the unions, it is state spending, and there is a lot of it that goes to the Unions as a whole on so many levels. This isn’t against the workers, it is a cut to the entire body and a cut to government spending, as well as a way to cut costs that many members provided to Malloy.
posted by: Truth, Justice and Karma | June 23, 2011 11:26pm
The administration can make time for further negotiations, if the Governor really wants to achieve savings without massive layoffs. If the administration fails to negotiate further because we did not accept this one specific proposal, this sends a message that the Governor only views state employees as a means to accomplish his political ends, not as dedicated public servants with years of valuable knowledge and skills that are essential to maintaining continuity, stability, and quality in the state government’s mission of fulfilling many state and federally mandated functions.
State workers are willing to do their part to help, if the Governor is willing to accept furloughs, wage freezes, forfeiture of longevity pay, increased health care plan contributions and co-pays with no changes ever to the health care or retirement plans of current workers. New hires (Tier III) could have new health care and retirement packages.
It will then be up to the Governor and legislature to cut and control their spending which is the real root cause of the deficit.
posted by: gutbomb86 | June 24, 2011 12:07am
@Truth, Justice and Karma
Too late to come to the table now. SEBAC had your best interests in mind - despite a lot of ridiculous and unfounded accusations of corruption from dubious comments on this website - and a small group of members and anti-union people pretending to be members wrecked it. Now you’ve all played into the hands of the Republicans and professional anti-union operatives. You should have thought of all these things 4-5 years ago. Too late now.
There are just a whole lot of people commenting here who think they still have a “right” to their retirement and everything else. That’s bunk. Your whole generation thinks its it’s entitled to a retirement. Newsflash: The state is on the verge of bankruptcy. There’s no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in Fairfield County. You can whine and whine about taxing the wealthy, and frankly I agree, but that’s a cocktail that nobody seems to remember how to make and it’s just a fantasy now. It’s not going to happen. Get used to working like the rest of us for the rest of your lives.
@kruger - What surplus? Ridiculous. You’re making up money.
@Sen. “Flipflop” McKinney - My head just exploded. Now? Now you want to try to suggest that spending can be cut without layoffs?
I’m sorry, Senator, and I don’t mean to sound disrespectful, but you and Rep. Cafero can’t shout “cut spending” over and over and suggest the elimination of whole agencies or across-the-board 15% spending cuts, and then suggest you didn’t mean layoffs. Sheesh. It’s like you think no one’s listening.
I would also like to point out teachers have been paying the price at the municipal level in a lot of towns. You folks who are whining about teachers are not paying attention - granted, it’s difficult because there are so many towns. But teachers have been facing layoffs on an annual basis for several years in many towns. Local budgets have actually gone DOWN in some towns - no, not a lesser spending increase than was requested, some budgets have gone DOWN. I never thought we would see the day, but we did.
Let’s see the state tighten its belt enough to pull off the same trick - an actual overall spending cut. Not possible in the first year of a governor’s term. But it appears that Malloy is taking steps to get us there.
Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but hey there’s room here in the unemployment line for all of you.
posted by: mollyanme | June 24, 2011 4:45am
I hope you all get to read the article from the governors journal"national narrative derailed”. I think it clarifies why Malloy will not be willing to renegotiate with the unions. As reported before, the white house has been watching Connecticut since Malloy met with Obama. Malloy promised that Connecticut would be the first state to implement obamacare, and pave the way for other states to follow. The article in the governors journal, I am sure, is an embarassment to Malloy. I’m sure his overconfidence had him making some promises he thought he could keep and now he has to try and save face. I hope somehow, he can put his pride on the back burner, and instead do the best he can for this state, which is why people elected him.
posted by: oliviahuxtable | June 24, 2011 6:22am
HST….you make a lot of sense. Why don’t you run for office?
posted by: Mr.Kruger | June 24, 2011 6:23am
@DR.Thompson - Your post is wise and right on the mark. Thanks.
@ko4478 - great post and clearly stated, your fellow state employees understand and are with you. We have already sacrificed so much over the years to keep this state going and providing services to its residents that they now take for granted.
I’m sure our supporters, and they are out there, I have the letters of appreciation to show it, no that every day we do more with less and still deliver quality services. Just this winter, not only did the state clear its road of feet of snow, but many do not realize, we stepped up and bailed many towns out as well. We were once 65000 strong and have had our ranks reduced to the 45000 now, but the population has not decreased one bit. So to say we are at critical mass before implosion occurs, is an understatement.
posted by: newview | June 24, 2011 6:38am
@ TJK, you’re absolutely right…a true leader will look at the results of his efforts, make adjustments, and propose another more workable solution to the situation. From the statements I’m reading, Malloy clearly is not the leader Connecticut needs at this point in time.
At least one typical disparate treatment of employees, managerial vs. rank and file, can be seen in longevity in Oct this year, managerial granted, rank and file, denied.
State employees ARE for concessions, but not if the real root of the problems are still there.
1. Top heavy management
2. Padded retirements
3. Appointee early retirements
These issues need to be addressed or the problem doesn’t go away. It’s not your typical rank and file draining this system. It’s the aforementioned groups that drain the system! A recent story exemplifies two state employees could retire on this one person’s retirement pay, but because of overtime padding, it is what it is. Every BODY of significance in the position to make change is aware of it, yet they refuse to do anything about it. There is a fundamental breakdown here that needs to be recognized by, yes, even the average CT citizen who does not understand the real problems and lashes out at the regular “joe” working for the state.
But getting to the root of the issue at this point is leadership. We are talking about Gov. Malloy and his Administration. There are viable alternatives to what has been negotiated, there are viable issues still left on the table that have not been addressed, and there are reasonable and fair alternatives to laying off 7,500 state employees. If he addresses this situation with a hammer rather than finesse, he has failed all CT residents.
posted by: MichaelThoughts | June 24, 2011 7:55am
I just realized something after reading about New York and Dean Pagani’s column in the National Journal.
All of the reporting on the SEBAC deal has called it a $1.6 billion concession. I think this has been a limited way to see it.
In NY, for example, if the report I read was correct, the savings are $1.4 billion OVER 5 YEARS.
The SEBAC agreement asks for concessions of almost $21.7 billion over 10 years. Very few, if any, of the reporting I see has given this number.
While I think voting no is a bad idea, has any other governor asked for $21.6 billion over 10 years? This deal therefore asks for about 10 times as much as the New York deal.
Have any other states asked for concessions that come close to $21.6 billion? I have not seen all the numbers, but I would guess that none of them come even close.
posted by: HartfordPaul | June 24, 2011 7:59am
All you who say you voted Yes to save your fellow employee jobs are full of it up to your eyballs.
I will be bumped by one of you who uses this lie to sleep at night. The same people will have no heartburn bumping one of their fellow employees and taking up resident at their now laid off fellow employee’s desk.
If you are so concientious about your fellow employee and their job - I encourage you to accept the layoff and waive your bumping rights when you get your pink slip. Do your part as a “Fellow employee” and a “Union brother” and take one for the team.
If your position is deemed unncessary, government bloat, or wasteful spending and you get a pink slip indicating as much - bow out like a man/woman and accept the layoff.
posted by: and 1 | June 24, 2011 8:11am
The enemy is not the union members- it is however those staffers who get paid to represent the membership- those parasites who have told the membership for years- “if you do this we can avoid layoffs.” How many times do the members have to do something to avoid layoffs? Nobody wants to be out of work- and this is true. Just think about how fed up people are to vote this down?!!! Time to get some integrity into the negotiations.
posted by: Hebee | June 24, 2011 9:05am
Do-Over? Get a clue!
“Greedy Pigs” is what the taxpaying “Regular Citizens” are calling you. You Union Guys have a serious PR problem now. New Jersey and Wisconsin have set the new bar. Collective Bargaining is on life support and CT Employee Unions have just helped to pull the plug right here in the Bluest of the Blue States. Deal with the consequences of that!
“The Governor gave each State Employee a new Ford and they turned him down because they wanted a new Mercedes.” FOOLS!!!!
posted by: StunningContradiction | June 24, 2011 10:12am
@HartfordPaul - you’re kidding, right? We’re all playing by the rules we’re given. I voted what I considered was best for me; that’s the purpose of voting. If my job is eliminated I will bump with a clear conscience just like I’m sure I will get bumped. Is my own livelihood worth less than yours that I should sacrifice it for you? And to my detriment I don’t have much seniority, but there are a couple in my agency who rank below me.
Rational self interest is the only moral way to live life.
posted by: Frankly | June 24, 2011 10:13am
Newview is correct. The problem is not the union members. It’s:
1. Top heavy management
2. Padded retirements
3. Appointee early retirements
posted by: Matt W. | June 24, 2011 10:37am
Layoffs are a greater threat to union leadership than any individual member. Let’s say Dan lays off 7500. The odds of any member keeping his/her job is about 85%.
The real threat is in the reduced dues to the union leadership and that’s why they are so afraid of layoffs.
posted by: Always the Truth | June 24, 2011 11:25am
Has Dan overplayed his hand or is this a prearranged script ?
posted by: redman | June 24, 2011 1:28pm
Malloy INCREASED the money given to cities, while cutting money from state workers. He should not have increased any spending and even now refuses to reduce the aid to cities to the previous amount.
posted by: eastrivertype | June 24, 2011 1:37pm
Way to go Olivia! How is that class warfare thing working out for you? Not so good right?
Does it make it easier to find solutions?
And speaking of sticking it to someone else, how about looking at the union members with seniority who voted the package down. They basically said I’m not giving up anything. Go lay off the younger workers instead. Now there is serious class warfare.
And why don’t you call them blood suckers?
You want to see class warfare, wait until the Governor’s Plan B cuts aid to municipalities which means education $ are cut. Now you will get the teachers unions at the throats of the state employees since their ox will be gored as well.
As for the rich getting off free in this mess, are you out of your mind? Who do you think will continue to pay the vast majority of the $2.6 Billion in tasx increases?
posted by: SaveCT | June 24, 2011 2:11pm
This vote was display of utter arrogance, insatiable greed, and the total disregard for the taxpayers. Not only did the no voters screw their co-workers but they also screwed the 3.5 million residents of this state. There will never be a better example of why public employees have no business being in unions. They are just too irresponsible with the public’s money and are clueless about the world around their soft, huggable cocoon of AFSCME, SEIU, etc. The special session should be to remove collective bargaining rights from these people, at the very least from the no voting unions.
posted by: and 1 | June 24, 2011 6:14pm
Matt W- you are soooo right. They fear loosing the union dues and having to buy off the rack suits instead of those custom made ones they like to strut. Maybe the AFL-CIO should reconsider their stand on allowing other unions to take over when members get sick of ones like Council 4????!!!!