Your Taxpayer Dollars At Work?

Republicans including Senator Toni Boucher (in the purple) holding a press conference in Hartford concerning longevity and union steward pay for state employees.

Hartford, CT – Today, Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) joined fellow lawmakers calling for an end to two common practices within state government that are costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars:

o paying union stewards for union business while on the state dime
o paying longevity bonuses to state employees for simply staying on the job.

According to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, more than 900 state workers, function as union stewards on state time. This costs taxpayers an estimated total of $93 million.

“These union activities should be paid with union dues, not taxpayer dollars,” said Senator Boucher.

Salaries for the stewards range from a low of $20,107 to a high of $201,698 with an average of $62,618 not including fringe benefits. Republican leaders pointed out there are 911 stewards on state payrolls, compared to the 698 workers in the ENTIRE Department of Environmental Protection.

House Republican Leader Lawrence Cafero said, “It is unacceptable that taxpayers foot the bill for union officials to conduct their activities in the workplace and in union halls. The fact that we have 911 of these positions in the state’s bureaucracy is simply stunning.’’

Senate Republican Leader John McKinney of Fairfield said, “It is plain common sense that a state worker’s union activities should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. State government has been too lenient for too long in paying state workers for time spent lobbying and organizing on behalf of their unions.”

The other practice that Senator Boucher takes issue with is that of longevity payments. The nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates these payments will cost the state’s General and Special Transportation Fund $34.5 million in each of the next two fiscal years.

These are twice-a-year bonuses for thousands of state employees for simply staying on the job. Connecticut state employees begin receiving twice-a-year payments upon reaching 10 years of state service. They then receive increases in those payments after they reach 15, 20, and 25 years of service. The payments are provided in addition to cost of living adjustments and are based solely on a person’s years of service not job performance.

“These two examples underscore the need to look at expensive and unsustainable costs embedded in the unionized state employee contracts,” said Senator Boucher. “These contracts have for years been rubberstamped without the vote of the House and Senate. Connecticut rules permit the legislature to review and vote on every state union contract. But what is not known to the general public is for years the practice has been to put these contracts on the calendar without taking a vote, the result? They are automatically approved.”

Senator Boucher has lobbied for years to get the legislature to discuss approving or rejecting these contracts on behalf of the public. “We need to have accountability,” added Senator Boucher. “This year thankfully, the Governor agrees. I am hopeful the leaders of both the House and the Senate will have the courage to vote on this legislation.”