We don’t get to say these words nearly enough, so we’re giving him a great big shout out: GOVERNOR MALLOY, YOU DID THE RIGHT THING.
Yesterday the Malloy Administration told state agency leaders that the 3 percent pay raises nearly 2,000 non-union staff and political appointees expected to receive this Thursday have been cancelled.
The Yankee Institute is tenacious in our support for reforming state employee pay and benefits. This is one example when our collective voice – yours and ours – made a difference. Our elected officials are listening. Let’s keep at it. Together, we’ve got this!
Will you make a donation of $10, $25, $50 or more today to help Yankee keep up the pressure?
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Our next step is to fight for a vote on an irresponsible UConn contract that will grant a 3 percent raise, followed by 4.5 percent increases for four consecutive years. Meanwhile, UConn will raise tuition on in-state students by 31 percent!
The catalyst for the canceled raises was the grim financial picture painted by the legislature’s nonpartisan Office of Fiscal Analysis, which downgraded Connecticut’s projected income tax receipts by hundreds of millions of dollars for this fiscal year and next. With a reduction in state-run programs looming, along with the elimination of many state jobs, the Governor, who quietly approved the pay raises in December, did an about-face.
- The salary increases were expected to cost the state $2.7 million for the remainder of this fiscal year, and $10 million in the fiscal year beginning July 1.
- State employees with a “satisfactory” performance rating were to receive a 3 percent increase, while those with a first-time rating of “needs improvement” were earmarked for a 1.5% increase.
As we’ve been pointing out since our study, Unequal Pay, came out in October, Connecticut state workers already earn at least 25 percent more than non-government workers doing the same job.
A few weeks ago, we criticized these optional raises as only adding to the unfairness. Now Gov. Malloy changes his mind, and rightfully so.
It just never ends…
This reversal of raises comes as the legislature considers salary increases for about 1,900 unionized, non-teaching professionals at the University of Connecticut. Again, to the Governor’s credit, last week he said the UConn contract “does not fully represent the new economic reality.”
And the Malloy Administration, in negotiations with all of the state employee unions, is asking them to recognize it. We’ll continue to fight these raises. Small wins can lead to big victories. Together, we can make it happen!
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