Did you know? By paying state employees the same as private sector employees, we could balance the state budget.
Fair Pay Paves the Way.
What’s happening now? State employees receive benefits worth at least $55,000 each year, making their total compensation 25% to 46% higher than private sector employees.
Get the Facts:
- Deficit looms. Despite $4 billion in tax hikes in four years, Connecticut faces a deficit again in 2018.
- Worker pay matters. State employee salaries and benefits account for more than one third of the state budget.
- Balance the pay, balance the budget. If Connecticut public employees were compensated at similar rates to private employees, the state would save between $1.4 billion and $2.5 billion a year.
How did we get here? Unfortunate decisions made during past negotiations of union contracts have put Connecticut in a perilous place.
The state employee contract governing benefits won’t even re-open for negotiation until 2022, but contracts governing state worker salaries are being negotiated right now. But did you know lawmakers don’t usually even vote on these contracts? If they don’t act for 30 days, the contracts become binding without a vote. That’s not right. Lawmakers need to take accountability for the outcomes in these contracts.
How can we fix this? It’s simple. We need new laws that change the way we set state employee pay and benefits so public and private workers receive the same pay for the same work. Remember, more than a third of our state budget goes to state employees.
What can I do? As a voter, you have a voice. It’s not too late to make a difference. You can:
- Tell your elected official that…
- Every contract should get a vote. It’s time for accountability.
- This is about fairness paving the way for our future.
- This is the way to close the budget gap — not by another tax increase.
- Share this information with your friends and family. Everyone is impacted.
- Sign up for email updates from the Yankee Institute to stay informed.
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