Vol. 75/No. 25      July 11, 2011

The contract called for a two-year wage freeze and higher employee payments for health care. It also would have raised the retirement age by three years for most workers. In “return,” the contract promised no layoffs for four years.

Democratic governor Dannel Malloy responded to the vote by saying he would start sending layoff notices “immediately” and that 7,500 or more workers could lose their jobs.

Connecticut has nearly 45,000 unionized public employees. Fifteen unions were involved in the contract negotiations with the state government. Under the collective bargaining rules, the agreement needed to be approved by 14 of the 15 unions, with an 80 percent approval necessary to make changes in insurance and pensions.

Sixty percent of the ballots were for the contract; two unions voted it down.

The attack on the public workers mirrors similar moves by state and local government across the country.

On June 23 the New Jersey State Assembly passed a law cutting benefits to 750,000 government workers and retirees. The legislation will require public workers to pay thousands of dollars more each year toward their pensions and health-care coverage. The law also limits collective bargaining over health care. Republican governor Chris Christie is expected to sign the bill quickly. Contracts for 48,000 state employees expire at midnight June 30.

In New York State, Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo has reached a deal with officials of the state’s largest union that includes a three-year wage freeze, only nine days of unpaid days off over two years, and health-care givebacks.

The new $66 billion New York City budget projects cuts to libraries that leave them open just five days instead of six, after-school programs will get more crowded, and more than 1,000 city workers will be laid off.
 
 
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Teamsters march against lockout in Henry, Illinois
Canada postal union ends strike under gov’t back-to-work order  
 
 
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