Fasano Asks State Employee Unions Where they Stand on Gov. Lamont’s Phantom Labor Savings

Yesterday, Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) wrote to Attorney Daniel Livingston, Chief Negotiator and General Counsel for the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC), asking for clarification and certainty on where state employee unions stand on Gov. Ned Lamont’s $458 million in yet to be achieved labor savings. Text of letter available below.

Text of Letter from Sen. Fasano to SEBAC Attorney Livingston:

June 18, 2019

Dear Attorney Livingston:

I am writing to seek clarification on the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition’s position on the labor savings contained in the state budget approved by Democrat lawmakers earlier this month. I would like to know whether SEBAC is prepared to unconditionally accept and sign off on all of the proposed labor savings as presented by Governor Ned Lamont.

The governor’s administration has stated that neither SEBAC’s governing board nor rank and file members have to vote to approve $185 million in state employee health care concessions or the governor’s plans to implement cost limits on health care services and prescriptions available to state employees. Do you agree with those statements?

The governor’s administration has also stated that neither SEBAC’s governing board nor rank and file members have to vote to approve the Teachers Retirement System reamortization and the accompanying underfunding of teachers’ pensions by $150 million over the next two years because this is a statutory change. Do you also agree with that statement?

If you agree with the above, then the only issue left is for you to state you unconditionally agree with the reamortization of the State Employee Retirement System (SERS), which Governor Lamont has said will require approval from SEBAC’s governing board but not rank and file members. Do you in fact agree to unconditionally accept this savings proposal?

The SERS reamortization schedule as proposed by the governor is attached for your reference.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Sincerely,
Len Fasano
Senate Republican Leader