Statement on Scheduled Committee Vote on New State Employee Contract

Anyone Voting “Yes” Should Have a Plan to Pay for It

Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) released the following statement regarding the Appropriations Committee’s scheduled vote today on an arbitration award regarding a new state employee union contract (S.R. No. 27/H.R. No. 24). The arbitration award includes a 3.5% wage increase, 3% annual increases, a $2,000 bonus, an education stipend, a meal allowance, and longevity payments for newly unionized deputy wardens formerly classified as managers.

“Today the Appropriations Committee will be voting on a fifth union contract this year to give newly unionized employees raises, stipends, and increased benefits. Together, these five contracts will add almost $12 million in new costs to the state budget over the next three years alone. Republicans have urged caution, because adding to Connecticut’s fixed costs crowds out funding for core services. State leaders previously made a decision not to give these raises to managers because we could not afford it in the state budget, but now these managers have joined a union to seek the same raises our state budget cannot sustain. Therefore, I cannot imagine that Democrat lawmakers would approve today’s contract without having a budget plan that can sustain it. No leader in the General Assembly would ever be so disingenuous as to approve contracts that add millions of dollars to a budget without having any idea of how to pay for it. I again ask lawmakers to carefully consider how their decision on these contracts will create a bigger hole in the state budget. I hope anyone voting in favor of this contract today has a plan to pay for it.”